Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. has developed a reputation for providing high-quality fasteners and metal fabrication services in support of numerous industries. One of our clients approached us about designing and fabricating a prototype for a new part within a product line we were already manufacturing on their behalf. With our existing knowledge of their product line and style, it made sense for us to design and produce the prototype for this new product.
The new component needed to be 2 inches long and included a 0.25-inch main tenon and a 0.37 inch hex head. To ensure optimal functionality, it needed to be manufactured within extremely tight tolerances of ± 0.004 inches. We determined that low-carbon steel with a zinc and clear trivalent chromate finish would be best-suited for this part. We used cold-heading and secondary grove machining to create the prototype and designed and manufactured all tooling in-house to save on costs. The process took less than 10 weeks from conception to delivery.