Military Supplier Delivers On Spec And On Time With New End Rolling Attachment

When a shop's only product is socket set screws and its primary customers are the demanding aerospace and military markets, quality and uptime are paramount. Multi-spindle machines need to be reliable and easily reconfigured to produce a new part at a moment's notice.

That's why Cam-Tech Industries, Inc. (Fairport, New York) recently started using the Model 190 end rolling attachment by C.J. Winter Machine Technologies, Inc. (Rochester, New York) for its thread rolling applications. Cam-Tech produces an average of 500,000 set screws a week with diameters ranging from 0.06 inch to 5/8 inch. The new attachment allows the company the reliability and flexibility it needs to meet and exceed its customers' rigorous expectations.

"C.J. Winter is able to produce rolls that are consistently on spec and always work well," says Rick Vice, Cam-Tech's vice president of manufacturing and quality control. "We were very excited when it developed the 190 head, which we've been using for more than 4 months without a problem."

The head was designed to circumvent two major problems.

"With some heads, chips can fly into the thread rolls, causing time-consuming maintenance problems," Mr. Vice says. "This manufacturer developed a one-piece front plate that protects the thread rolls by keeping chips out, allowing our uptime to continue to improve.

"The other major innovation is that carbide bushings are now a standard feature. The bushings eliminate the problem of uneven needle bearing wear, causing inconsistency in the thread. With a single bushing, it is much easier to access when you need to replace them."