Udo Vogler
Highest quality in production and appearance of stainless steel components
“Tub centering” component for a safety engineering product
- Realization in 2022
- Stringent requirements on surface quality and accurate fit
- International transport without negative impact on component
In 2022, Arnold was commissioned by an established industrial customer from the field of safety engineering to produce eight units each of 16 individual stainless steel components for a product called “tub centering.” The customer emphasized the importance of a precise fit as well as an appealing look, as all components would be prominently placed on the product without any further surface treatment.
Request and start
Like most projects, things got underway when the customer’s design engineers got in touch with Arnold's design engineers. The process involved sending drawings and checking whether this could be produced. Ideas were exchanged in straightforward discussions, suitable materials were considered, and the process was discussed as well as whether welding and gluing would be possible with the desired design. The individual parts were then developed in a joint effort until they were ready for production.
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More unique = more complex bending
The process of bending can get challenging when the components have individual dimensions. That was also the case here: All 16 individual components had different geometries, angles, and large radii. Bending was thus only possible with specially produced bending tools. Getting a perfect fit, i.e., ensuring that the curves and angles are neatly flush and that the gaps are as small as possible, is also extremely challenging under these conditions. Minimal clearances were also important in order to prevent heat distortion during the subsequent welding of the very thin, 1.5 millimeter thick 2B sheet. Dummies were constructed and produced to measure and check the components after bending.
Welding on extremely thin sheet metal
After the bending process, the welders at Arnold could really show off their skills. When welding thin sheet metal, heat will quickly cause unwanted distortions. It is important to work very consistently, which requires a lot of experience particularly in small corners and on tight components.
Are you interested in finding out more about the production options for high-quality stainless steel products and assemblies at Arnold? Find out more here:
Unique look through uniform grinding
The customer wanted all components to have a 240-grain ground surface, with a uniform grinding direction despite the differently angled surfaces. In most cases, pre-ground material is used for components with a ground surface. But this didn't make sense here due to the unique geometry of the tub centering components, as otherwise the visual appearance would have been imperfect after processing. So Arnold decided to apply the grinding pattern after welding. Using a converted belt grinder, the desired grinding pattern was applied to the different geometries.
Unique gluing process
After welding and grinding the components, it was time to insert small glass windows. A suitable gluing method had to be developed due to the small seating surface. As Arnold has many years of experience in gluing metal in combination with other materials, the responsible adhesive specialist at Arnold was able to find a suitable adhesive (the so-called adhesive system). Naturally, the adhesive used was tested in advance in order to make sure that it would hold firm at its eventual place of use in the Middle East.
Safe delivery
If the grinding pattern of stainless steel surfaces is an important design aspect – as was the case here – then the packing of the components and the shipping have to be well-thought-out. The 8 x 16 individual components for the tub centering had to survive undamaged over a very long distance of over 6,000 kilometers. Thanks to an individual logistics concept with specially designed and softly lined transport boxes, this was not a problem.
How can stainless steel components be packaged safely?
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