mandrel

plural mandrels

1. A round object used as an aid for shaping a material, e.g. shaping or enlarging a ring, or bending or enlarging a pipe without creasing or kinking it.

   The coil springs were manufactured by winding the heated steel strip direct out of the furnace on to a mandrel of the requisite size.

   1945 January and February, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—III”, in Railway Magazine, page 13

2. A tool or component of a tool that guides, grips or clamps something, such as a workpiece to be machined, a machining tool or a part while it is moved.

   When inserted into the staple, the outside of the mandrel should fit the inside of the staple exactly.

   1961, Robert Sprenkle, David Ledet, The Art of Oboe Playing, page 46

   1 more example

   This socket forms the starting point of the piercing operation, enabling the mandrel to center itself on the work.

   1920, Lester Gray French, Machinery, volume 26, page 491

present singular third person mandrels · US participle present mandreling · UK participle present mandrelling · US participle past mandreled · US past mandreled · UK participle past mandrelled · UK past mandrelled

1. transitiveTo shape with a mandrel.