Carbon fiber composite drive shafts are not only lightweight with excellent fatigue and corrosion resistance, but also feature low noise, good vibration attenuation, and high safety, making them particularly suitable for large heavy-duty drive shafts. Carbon fiber composite drive shafts can be divided into two types based on their structural forms: integral and assembled. The integral structure can be formed by continuously woven fibers cured into shape, while the assembled type consists of two or more components connected and assembled into a single unit. The assembled drive shaft is widely used due to its simple manufacturing process and good mechanical properties.

The drive shaft primarily withstands torque during operation. One of the advantages of carbon fiber composite materials is their high tensile strength. To bear significant torque, the drive shaft must first ensure the continuity of the fibers. The hand lay-up process, which uses carbon fiber fabrics for production, requires cutting the fabrics to various diameters and shapes as per requirements. This results in each layer's fibers becoming individual units without continuity, significantly reducing the shaft's torsional load-bearing capacity.