Archive: Feb 2016

New Tsugami CNC Offers Better Turnaround, Tolerances

Suburban Industries added one more machine to their already impressive fleet of production equipment — a Tsugami CNC Precision Automatic Lathe, which means quicker turnaround times for our customers using state-of-the-art technology.

Designed for superior flexibility, the B0205-II CNC machine allows for front and back machining simultaneously for the utmost complexities. This includes off-center drilling and off-center tapping with a significantly shorter cycle time. The Fanuc control offers lower idle times and quicker cuts.

Our customers will get the fastest chip-to-chip time due to its horizontally opposed gang tool layout that has the shortest tool-to-tool path. Additional features include its integral motor driven bushing and integral spindle motors — both of which help to provide fast C-axis positioning and quick accelerating/ decelerating times.

Adding the Tsugami precision CNC lathe to our arsenal means we can achieve extremely tight tolerances and offer design flexibility for many different projects. In minutes, we can change the machine from a simple and traditional sliding headstock Swiss function to a chucker mode of a standard lathe. The benefits of this are better concentricity, less scrap, and the ability to run highly precise parts using standard-drawn bar stock. Having the flexibility to switch the configuration of the machine quickly and easily lets us effortlessly customize almost any job.

A few other features of the B0205-II are the four-cross mill station with 5x turning stations, the live backworking station with 2x live and 2x static, and the 4x static backworking stations. The standard four cross milling stations of 2x ER16 and 2x ER11 offer increased productivity.

With this machine, we now have increased capacity of up to 21 tools, five controlled axis to work with, and a 20mm capacity Swissturn. It has a maximum machining length of 210 mm (rotary guide bushing) and 45 mm (guide bushless). All of these capabilities allow us to manufacture top-of-the-line dowel pins, studs, pull pins, and rods in ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

In addition to these modern features, the machine itself is reliable and won’t fail to get the job done in time. This is thanks to its rugged construction and the most rigid gang tool post in the industry, and it can be contributed to its opposing rail slide design. Belt free spindles, servo driven guide bushing and live tools also offer sturdy reliability. The heavy duty cast iron base and thermal symmetrical construction with 0.1 micron resolution mean higher speeds and feeds, as well as a decrease need for secondary machining operations.

Not only will we achieve tighter tolerances per project, but we will also provide faster turnaround times with the new B0205-I CNC machine. In total, our capabilities include cutting, drilling and tapping, grinding, milling, threading, lathing, heat-treating, plating and creating custom parts. When choosing Suburban Industries for dowel pins, rods and studs, our customers take advantage of more than 40 years of technical expertise, a competitive quote, and in-house manufactured parts.

Contact us today regarding your project and we will help complete it within your timeline and to your specific requirements.

What is a Dowel Pin?

Assemblies, toys, and machinery all typically use dowel pins to serve as structure or to hold units together. With no moving components and a high coefficient of friction, pins are of the most common fastening methods used. Their lower cost and quick installation also factor into this equation.

Pins work well in many applications because of their versatility. Pins fasten two or more components together, act as axles or pivots, align components, or limit movement within assemblies. Based on the project, an engineer chooses the best design and material.

Many different materials make up a pin design, including wood, plastic, and various metals. Of the metals, Suburban Industries offers the following products as well as custom manufactured pins and dowels:

• Steel – Standard with a +.0002 tolerance
• Steel – Oversize +.001
• Steel – Oversize +.002
• Steel – Undersize -.0002
• Steel – Unhardened (standard tolerance +.0002)
• Steel – Black Oxide (standard tolerance +.0002)
• 300 Series Stainless – +.0002
• 300 Series Stainless – +.001
• 300 Series Stainless -.0002
• 316SS +.0002
• 416SS +.0002
• Metric pins – Steel, 300 and 316
• Aluminum
• Brass
• Monel
• Titanium
• Standard Pull Pins – Steel + 300SS (Non Vented & Vented)
• Metric Pull Pins – Steel (Non-Vented & Vented)
  + Customs

Solid and hollow pins are available in metal form, and offer different benefits, depending on the application and usage goals. Solid pins work well when a head is needed for a positive stop, a smooth surface is needed, a hole needs to be plugged, or in many other situations. More specific configurations include the following:

• Drive: Frequently for moving and rotary applications, these are hammered into a mating hole and have an interference fit.
• Groove: Pressed into a hole, these provide interference fit to lock a fastener in place and are typically not threaded.
• Knurled: Straight, helical or headed, these pins enhance grip and used where assembly parts are locked or keyed together.
• Barbed: Designed specifically for plastic assembly use, the angled and raised barbs for a secure grip and a pilot for hole alignment.
• Pull dowel: Offering a threaded hole at one end, these allow for a screw to be inserted for removing the pin from a blind hole.
• Stepped dowel: These pins have two different diameters in body for more unique applications.
• Tapered: This type of pin features a large diameter at one end that tapers to a smaller diameter at the other end, typically at a ¼” per foot rate.
• Spiral-groove dowel: For more friction and expansion space, these pins have helical, longitudinal grooves.
• Threaded taper: These are like tapered pins, but have helical grooves, usually near the smaller end.
• Escutcheon: Featuring a small head with a tapered end, these are light duty and hammered into place.

Standard tolerances for quality metal dowel pins are +.0001 / +.0003 and most studs come standard with a nut end and tap end. Dowel pins can vary in size per an application’s requirements.