The flexible shaft's tensile strength and flexibility makes it useful in drain cleaning.

They are small, light, flexible, easy to clean, more than 10 times faster than drum machines. At speeds of 2000 RPM or more, the chain cutters quickly grind up stoppages and scour the walls of the pipe, and are capable of pairing with the use of a camera during cleaning.

Flexible-shaft machines utilize a swiftly rotating wire coil, much like a speedometer cable. The shaft is safely protected inside a sheath so it's easy to handle - no spinning drums.