How to Perforate, Knurl and Cut to Length 6061-T6 Aluminum Tubing

Ronnie,

Thanks for the insight about the machinability of 6061-T6 and the Swiss CNC machine that can do this work.

We do plan to keep manufacturing in the USA ... that is probably only possible with an automated machine tool set up.

Like all start ups, we are long on vision and short on capital.

Ronnie here...

As someone stated...some States are good for machine shops, while other states are not so good. That as it is, being there isn't necessary. You can send them a print with your desired attributes for the parts, and let them quote you.

These days all shops welcome mail with prints enclosed.

They'll have a set up person make a set up, run some parts , send them to you for approval and wait for any changes . I'm sure many shops have open machine tools just begging for a job to do.

I worked for Mack Engineering here in Minneapolis, MN. I did Gage Calibration and quality control for them. They have 6 or 8 Swiss machines all in mint condition.

I'm sure they're online, if not I'll look up their address.

The Midwest is loaded with high quality job shops

thomas.net is the old Thomas Register. Go there and look at manufacturing, then Swiss machining. You can shop online and send prints to as many as you wish to get a good price each.

Hope that helps you out.

6061-T6 is aircraft aluminum. Machines great and look nice when done.

Ronnie

That's a good answer.

cr3

jcrock - one of the things I manage as a commodity is our Supply Base for screw-machining, a very large spend for us

perhaps if you could tell your location, or proximity, I could make a recommendation of some good shops?

BTW 55418UND - good answer!

Location of principals in the venture is San Antonio TX & College Station TX.

TX is not a hotbed of screw machine shops, so i don't have anything close-by or in the region - sorry

would other regions of the country work? I don't need to see it, but do you have a drawing that you could submit electronically?

If yes to the above, then I would be glad to help if I can - I am assuming very small initial volumes? sorta like job-shop requirements?

cox mfg company 5500 north loop 1604 east

san antonio texas 78247-4690

phone 210 657 7731

fax 210 657 2345

http:// www.comaco.com

bill cox is principle.

tell them milo referred you.

milo "Not sure about the pinch"

You could try Texas Screw Products (Formerly Walker Bolt Mfg.) here in Houston. They can probably do the job for you. Concord Fasteners, Accurate Screw Machine, Global Manufacturing, and Keystone Electronics can probably do the work as well.

Here is the deal about buying a machine to do that sort of thing vs farming it out to a machine shop. If you buy the machine you also have to buy the tooling to do the job, and hire people to do the work. These people and assets are on your books 24/7/365, whereas when you farm it out, the people and tools are only on your books for the time it takes to make your order. You are essentially renting the people and machines for only the time it takes to do your job. Which means every hour that the machines are not turning out product, they are a drag on your books. Being a startup, you probably do not A) have a market big enough to absorb 24/7/365 worth of production, and B) probably don't have the money to spend right off either.

If at some point business is good enough that you can afford to bring the manufacturing in-house, that is the cheapest way to go, but unless you can keep the machines and people humming all the time, then you are better off farming it out.

I agree with the G.A

Like the Gentleman (OP) said, they are short of cash. With a contract like that call in the bean counters! With out investment and only struggle and technical problems, be careful! Those suggested machines can handle many other products/applications, so "it" will not be standing around for long. With out considering other uses but only the one intended, it will never be fully occupied.

Go for it and after you see it doing it's job, think of something else to be "Made In America." About time to take a risk and to buy some good tools from the people who have been there and done that. All the best, Ky.

What is the price per unit that you have to make the units for?

Many thanks to all of you who are contributing to this discussion.

RE cost to manufacture: I have not looked at price per pound. This product will replace an existing product that sells for $0.85 a piece in small quantities > 100 pieces. Thus materials plus machine work must be a comfortable fraction of that in serial production.

I see on the internet that many metals can be punched in flat sheets. Has anyone seen or worked with a machine designed to punch small tubing? For ultimate serial production that seems likely to be faster than drilling.

Initial prototype batch is targeted at 2,000 units, if contracted out.

Re a drawing, The product is protected by US PATENT NO. 6,837,659 B2.

I'm not sure if 2000 pieces is enough for Cox to setup on - usually I would think that their minimums would be higher than that. I work for Texas Toolmakers, a small machine shop here in San Antonio, if you would like to email me at rsanderson@txtool.com, I can take a look and see if we could setup on a small cnc lathe to accomplish your initial prototype requirements - if your sales go as you hope and your quantities go up, then I'm sure the guys at Cox would be a great way to go.

a machinist friend recommends MOUNTAIN DEW as a production lube/coolant. Seems to work super. Close tolerances were maintained.

Do you apply it to the workpiece or to the machinist? =b

BOTH WERE LUBED AT THE TIME -HA

We form/shear/knurl/bend/punch/drill tubing here. You can check us out at www.tubetec.net. We may be able to help you on this.

Dear jcrock,

For all mulple operations in one setting like - turn, groove, thread. drill ,knurl, cut etc.

55418UND has given you the first & best solution. Swiss-type automats are best

suited fod for high volume parts. Comparatively, they are also expensive machines

in case you choose new ones.

As suggested many of our experts here, first think of out-sourcing before going in for

your own equipment. Later also, you may consider used machine like- TORNOS.

TONNOS is the supplier of specialist, tried & tested solutions.

To learn a little more about these types of machines, you may visit their web-site

www.tornos.com

Regards,

Rangasamy