Thread and Form Rolling Applications
in the Medical Field
The Thread Rolling Process
Cut
Thread rolling is a metal working process that
produces threads and other forms on round metal parts with no metal
removal. It is done entirely by moving
the metal under pressure while rotating the workpiece.
Rolled
The resultant part is stronger
than it’s typically cut counterparts because the grain structure of the
workpiece “flows” into the form rather than being cut away. Carbon steels,
stainless steels and many hi-tensile alloys such as titanium and inconel can be
rolled.
Lifting
& Moving Applications
Rolling
can be done by the thru-feed method where continuous lengths of thread are
rolled on bars or studs. Jack screws and
actuators of many types are rolled this way and there are certainly many
applications for these screws in the medical field. There are a wide variety of thread forms
available, such as standard
Hospital beds are one application where jack screws
are already in use and, as the new demands for special lifting devices to
assist hospital staff increase, many more applications will develop that
require these screws.
Knurling Applications
Knurls
can be rolled in a wide variety of forms and pitches including: straight,
diagonal, male diamond and female diamond typically from 12 to 80 TPI. Knurls are used for grips on hand tools, for
anti-rotation / anti-pull out on injection molded plastic assemblies and to
create interference on press-fit assemblies.
Knurls
can be rolled on solid parts as well as thin-walled hollow parts in a wide
variety of materials.
Fast, Economical and Superior Quality
The thread rolling process
is faster than conventional machining with typical infeed rolling times at 1-2
seconds per piece and thru-feed rolling
times at typically 12 feet per minute.
Since the material “flows”
during the thread rolling process the beginning part diameter, or blank
diameter, is smaller than the finished diameter. This results in a considerable savings in
material compared to conventional machining because there is no scrap.
The surface finish on the
flanks of a rolled thread is burnished as a result of the forming process and
therefore is far superior to most milling or grinding.
Thread rolling machines are
versatile and can adapt to a variety of part shapes. Justifying a machine can be easier than you
think and, the cost savings and improved part quality will certainly help your
bottom line.
For further information
contact:
Reed Machinery, Inc.
10A New
1-508-595-9090
Back to www.reed-machinery.com