|
 Detroit
Edge Tool Company is the largest manufacturer of
machine ways and rails in the world.
DETCO's
way manufacturing facilities have the latest in CNC machining
centers and grinders. With this precision machinery, DETCO
produces high tolerance ways and rails demanded by machine
tool builders. Ways and rails determine the basic accuracy
of machine tools, assembly machines, and automation equipment.
Flame hardened, or through hardened, DETCO's
machine ways and rails are manufactured to OEM specifications.
The chart below illustrates these tolerances.
| Standard
Specifications - Way Tolerances |
|
Semi-finished
|
Finished
|
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
|
Dimensional |
+/- .003 |
+/- .075 |
+/- .001 |
+/- .025 |
|
Matched thickness or width |
.0015 |
.04 |
.0005 |
.013 |
|
Match at butt ends |
.001 |
.025 |
.00025 |
.006 |
|
Twist |
.002 T.I.R. |
.05 |
.001 T.I.R. |
.025 |
|
Flatness |
.0015/ft. |
.04/305 |
.0005/ft. |
.013/305 |
|
Straightness |
.0015/ft |
.04/305 |
.0005/ft. |
.013/305 |
|
Squareness |
.0015 |
.04 |
.0003 |
.0075 |
|
Parallelism |
.0015 T.I.R. |
.04 |
.0002 T.I.R. |
.005 |
|
Hole location |
.001 |
.025 |
.0005 |
.013 |
|
Micro finish |
32 |
0.8 |
8/16 |
0.2/0.4 |
Closer tolerances are available upon request
Machine
Ways |
DETCO
ways/rails were originally developed for the machine tool
industry. Today they are also used on forging presses, stamping
presses, forming presses, and extrusion presses, riveting
machinery, can/beverage container manufacturing equipment,
plastic equipment, paper machinery, aerospace/aircraft equipment,
printing equipment, special equipment for processing various
metals, special equipment for the electronic and illuminating
industries. Ways are also manufactured for transporting, locating,
and transferring for machining and assembly applications.
One common application is transfer bars used on machining
transfer lines.
DETCO is capable of producing
ways in the normal flat/rectangular, straight configuration,
angular/tapered ways, and curved/circular ways. DETCO
manufactures ways for roller and ball linear motion applications.
Bronze Gibs |
By-products
of ways/rails which are used primarily in the machine tool
industry are gibs and keepers. Gibs generally
are tapered the entire length for the purpose of adjusting
the fit between the edge of the way and the component sliding
against the way. This assures constant contact and a snug
fit. Gibs are made of cast iron or bronze and generally utilize
oil grooves machined on the tapered surface for ease of movement.
In some cases a steel gib is used and this surface is covered
with Turcite or Rulon, bonded in place by epoxy, then oil
grooved.
Turcite Keepers |
Keepers generally
are made of cast iron or steel and serve the purpose in assuring
a snug fit between the bottom side of the way and the component
sliding on the way. In some cases keepers are heat treated or
the wearing surface can be covered by Turcite or Rulon and bonded
in place with the same epoxy used on the gibs, oil grooves are
generally machined in the wearing surface.
|
The
six ways in this picture are the largest ever manufactured by
DETCO. They were mounted
on two runways of 38 feet each, running parallel to each other
on an extrusion press base. The ways were "VEE" shape
and consisted of 138, 146, and 164 inch lengths. One of each
length of way mounted, end to end, on each runway.
The way cross-sections were 7-1/8 inch thick by 16 inch wide,
with an average weight in excess of 3000 pounds each. The ways
were mounted in place by several 7/8-14 bolts. Aside from DETCO’S
normal grinding accuracy on all functional surfaces, the angular
butt ends were ground square to eliminate gaps at the joints.
The application of these ways was a conversion from an angular
guiding system to a flat system on a 6000 ton extrusion press
used by a DETCO customer
for making aluminum extrusions.
This is an example of the versatility and wide range of product
manufactured by DETCO. Aside
from manufacturing parts for new equipment, DETCO
is capable of assisting with refurbs, rebuilds and renovations.
DETCO can also assist with
design projects.
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