How is this tool made 1

[dejan95]

Hi everybody.

I need to make a simple tool for locking a part (we insert pins to the part and rotate to lock the part).The tool should be similar to the one in the pictures.

I'm wondering how the one in the pictures is made, and why is it made this way.

There are two pins, and the middle part is probably made from steel and outside part is made probably from aluminium so the part is lighter? Am a correct? And how are the two parts mounted together? I don't understand how.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Artisi]

Why worry if it's in 2 parts, makes no difference to its function.

It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. (Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia.)

 

[dejan95]

@Artisi

That is why I'm asking. Is it maybe because Aluminium is not hard enough to handle the pressure, so the middle part is made from steel? And the rest is from Al so it is lighter...

 

[robyengIT]

and interchangeable for maintenance or for different tool application

 

[dejan95]

@robyengIT

Thank you.

Do you guys think that is OK if i made the entire part from Aluminum? I will only use it for this part.

 

[LittleInch]

It would seem to be made that way to allow two different sets of pins to be inserted.

The outer section may well be aluminium to be softer than the thing is appears to be measuring or doing QC on to be completely round.

The inner section would have been routered out to create a sunken part to which the pins would then fit fixed to a plate I guess depending on which size you want. Then the cover plate attached to hold it in position.

Aluminium is Ok, but for small pins might not have the strength you need and a little bit of force could easily shear them off compared to steel.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[dejan95]

@LittleInch

Thank you. I will made the inner part from steel.

 

[saplanti]

Center part might be from stainless steel since it is compatible in terms of corrosion.
Pins should be from high strength stinless or alloy steel. Just watch out galling action between materials.

I would check the outer with suitable aluminium alloy material for the max required torque. Same for the pins of course.

 

[rb1957]

for a hand held (and hand powered) device like this, there's no need for Steel, you can use Al. The limiting feature are those little pins, shearing off.

is that cover (with the two screws) there to hide the other side of the pins ?

the two pins look to be screwed into tapped holes ? is there something under the cover that retains these screws ?

you could have the pins screwed into blind holes (no cover), but they wouldn't be well restrained.

if you make from Al, you can tap holes in Al but very low strength and possible to strip. You could install Heli-coils for more strength.

How often do you change the pins to the other position ?

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[handleman]

There is not another position. Those other two holes you can see on the pin side are the thru-tapped holes for attaching the steel insert.
As far as how the parts are attached... It's those screws you can see.

Can you not walk out to the floor and look at the thing? Or if it's at another location, ask someone to disassemble it for you and take a couple more pictures?

There is what looks like some sort of part number engraved in the side of the thing. There should be a drawing for it that you can reference.

 

[dejan95]

Thank you all for your answers.

No unfortunately I can not take a look at the part and it does not exist anymore.

I got some good suggestions and ideas so it will be no problem now to make similar part.

 

[3DDave]

Too bad they threw away the tooling drawings, but kept the assembly procedure pictures. It's almost like this is trying to copy an existing product.

 

[IRstuff]

It looks like a chubby "spanner" wrench. We routinely use press-fit steel pins in aluminum assemblies; never anything under serious force, though, they're usually just for alignment.
The steel part probably has a twin with pins that go through the empty holes, but that's only necessary if you actually have need for a second set of closer-spaced pins.

Losing design data is fairly common; we once had someone decide they needed more disk space and deleted all our design files for a PCB, and so we had to reverse engineer it from the "gold unit."


TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[CWB1]

Looks like pretty serious overkill for a $2 pin spanner, or possibly a "make work" project for the intern. I would call a decent tooling rep with the pin dimensions and just order what you need.

 

[3DDave]

I suspect nothing has been "lost" in this case.

 

[FACS]

Be sure to make that handle out of soft material. It is aluminum to protect the part it is assembling, look at the wear marks on the aluminum near the pins. It's worn fairly deep so there is a lot of rubbing on the part and you don't want to scratch it.

The pins need to be strong, and they are installed in a manner that they can be taken out and replaced when worn or bent.

I see no reason not to copy that device exactly unless the operator is complaining about something.

 

[zeusfaber]

Picking and choosing from the suggestions above, my guess is that the pins screw into the steel insert (having passed through clearance holes in the handle), providing strength and stiffness; that the aluminium outer is to protect the workpiece from scratching and that the screws on the top are for attaching the insert to the handle.

A.