A Heading machine is a piece of mechanical equipment that is used to shape metal into components that are net-shaped or nearly so. It assembles the parts into their finished shapes without using heat and consists of a series of replicated high-speed hammers, dies, and punches that are used at very fast speed to form the material. It is used for forming the heads of screws, rivets, and other fasteners that are found in many products such as automobiles, aerospace vehicles, and industrial equipment.
The cold heading process is an economical alternative to metal cutting. It is very fast, produces less waste, and allows for tight tolerances to be achieved. In addition, it is capable of producing complex and intricately shaped parts such as self-drilling screws and bolts. However, there are some limitations to the cold-forming process. For example, the maximum amount of material that can be forged in one blow is limited to roughly two percent of the diameter of the blank.
This limitation is overcome by the use of a progression system whereby the blank is hit several times with a succession of dies, each resulting in a small portion of the overall shape. This is commonly referred to as a “progression” and it is what makes the process so much more efficient than machining, which may require up to six blows to achieve the same results.
Once the cold heading machine has progressed through the various stages of the progression, the slug is ready to be inserted into the final die. The final die is usually a punch, although it can also be a die that forges both the head and the shank of a screw or rivet. The punch and dies are often designed to work together, which makes the whole progression a single unit that is called a “part former.”
As an industry leader in the production of cold-formed fasteners, Stalcop offers a variety of Heading machines that range from one-die progression to five-die progressive models. These machines are all equipped with features that reduce changeover time and increase production efficiency. For instance, the machines are designed with a transfer jig to allow the punch and die to be changed without moving the complete part former and this minimizes the downtime. They are also built with a strong lubrication system that uses forced lubrication to ensure that the equipment works efficiently. This lubrication also helps to extend the life of the equipment. The equipment also utilizes a special cast metal and steel construction to ensure the highest quality, which provides superior strength and stability. The design of the gears and bearings also contribute to the equipment’s reliability and durability. This ensures that the parts produced by the Heading machine are of the highest quality. This is especially true for the hard-faced heads that are fabricated in the machine. These hard-faced heads are made to withstand heavy loads, which ensures that they last longer than conventional heads.