Equipment for the production of self-tapping screws and screws by the cold method

Self-tapping screw production technology

This group of products is produced by cold stamping. It is customary to use as raw materials:

• brass;
• steel (standard, stainless or high carbon).

The material is used in the form of a wire that has already been twisted into coils. The technology for the production of self-tapping screws can be divided into the following stages:

• preparation of the workpiece - cutting the wire to a given size;
• tip and head formation;
• thread formation;
• product hardening by rapid heating and cooling in a hardening circle;
• treatment of the product with anti-corrosion material.

The production line consists of a cold heading and thread rolling machine, as well as a centrifuge for drying the product, an electroplating line and a hardening furnace. When drawing up a business plan for the production of self-tapping screws, be prepared that more than half of the investment will go to the purchase of equipment. The speed of the mini-machine depends on the degree of its productivity and can range from 50 to 250 pieces per minute. The price of the simplest machines (any machine from the entire line) starts from 80 thousand rubles, more complex equipment for the production of self-tapping screws varies between 500-900 thousand rubles. In any case, starting capital from 600 thousand rubles is required to purchase a complete line.

By opening a mini-plant with expensive equipment, you can quickly recoup the start-up investment, since the productivity of such technologies is much higher. Also, profitability will increase due to the manufacture of better quality products and the ability to expand the range.

The principle of operation of the equipment

The principle of operation of such equipment, despite the special complex shape of the finished products, is practically no different from the manufacture of ordinary nails. First, steel wires of various diameters are fed into the cutting machine.

The width of the raw material will determine the original dimensions of the product. Once in the machine, the wire is cut into separate pieces, after which the self-tapping head is stamped on the same machine.

The next step is to feed the product into the threading machine. Moreover, the length of the future finished product is determined even before the part is fed to this machine.

The next step will be heat treatment of the part by placing it in a special hardening furnace.

The final stage will be the washing of finished parts and anti-corrosion treatment. As a result, the output is a finished fastener, depending on the equipment.

How much will the production of self-tapping screws cost - stages of starting a business

Although the production of self-tapping screws is not an original business idea, due to the consistently high demand for products, the profitability of manufacturing these building consumables is one of the highest in our state.

If the entrepreneur does not provide for large expenses for transportation, it is worth opening the production of such a product in towns with a population of 20,000 or more.

The average expenditure financial plan for starting a business - from 1,200,000 rubles. Start-up capital is highly dependent on machine tool manufacturers. There are both Taiwanese cheap stuff and domestic units, the price of which is 2 times higher.

What stages will the SP have to go through on the way to the goal:

1. Search for premises for production.

   Unlike other lines of business, in the manufacture of self-tapping screws, there is no need for an office as such. The whole process of work will be automated by 85%, so the main task of the entrepreneur will be the export of products to the points of sale.

   For the organization of such work, a room of 30 or more squares on the outskirts of the city with an entrance for trucks will do.

   With the "handicraft" production of self-tapping screws, the use of large garages is not excluded, but take into account the size of the machines, which will have to work there for 6-9 hours in a row.

2. Search for equipment for production.

   Half of individual entrepreneurs seek to buy expensive machines and only premium lines for the production of self-tapping screws, but this is not correct.

   Not having permanent sales channels, it is better to save as much as possible and purchase used machines - this will make it possible to “probe” the market and adjust production volumes more clearly.

3. Establishing the supply of raw materials.

   Finding a wire for the production of self-tapping screws is now not difficult, but in order to choose the most acceptable price for raw materials, take up the issue of finding it in advance.

4. Staff.

   You do not need special skills for the production of self-tapping screws on automated machines. Accordingly, the salary of the personnel will be at the level of 7,000-12,000 rubles. Due to the low profitability of the work, be prepared for staff turnover.

   One automated production line of 2-4 machines will require only one worker, but, as a rule, 2 are put in a shift.

   Thus, a total of 4 people will have to be maintained.

5. Organization of production and sales.

   The first candidates for the supply of finished products should be hardware stores that are located in your city. Further, there is coverage of nearby settlements with wholesale points of sale.

   Private traders can also buy self-tapping screws in batches - among novice entrepreneurs, the share of retail sales often exceeds the wholesale volume.

The average cost of one self-tapping screw is from 30 kopecks per joke. Taking into account the monthly costs of renting and purchasing raw materials for production, the entrepreneur's net income for the month is from 70,000 rubles.

With a higher margin on the finished product, the business profitability can reach 150%, which is one of the best indicators for the construction niche in Russia in general.

What are the self-tapping screws?

The main purpose of the building consumable is clear from the name itself - with the help of a threaded base, punch wood / metal and combine the structural elements into a single whole. Due to the widespread use of self-tapping screws, it can be difficult even for a specialized specialist to understand their varieties.

However, in the production of self-tapping screws, great attention is paid to the type of products. Not everyone has a massive demand, so it makes no sense to buy some forms for machine tools.

Classification of self-tapping screws by purpose

Classic for metal.

The most common version of self-tapping screws, which is optimal for the mass consumer. The key feature is that the threads are very close to each other + the tip of the self-tapping screws itself has a pointed shape.
The length and diameter of self-tapping screws do not have common requirements, so this parameter is selected during production on its own.
For the manufacture of self-tapping screws for metal, it is necessary to use only high-strength steel with galvanized or oxide on top. The colors are black, but there are options for metallic or gold plating.

Self-tapping screw for metal with a drill end.

A variant of self-tapping screws, in which a distinctive feature is a drill-shaped tip for smoother penetration into the thickness of the metal. Good for medium thick sheet plates.
If, when using classic self-tapping screws, you had to use a drill at the initial stage, then here you can skip this moment. It is enough to make some effort, and the self-tapping screw will independently make a starting recess to enter the object.

Self-tapping screw for wood.

You will not notice large external differences in the production of wood screws. The peculiarity lies in the greater distance between the turns.On machines and in workpieces, this nuance is very easily taken into account and does not require additional purchases of raw materials or replacement parts for machines.

Furniture screw.

A furniture screw or, as it is also called, a confirmat is used for the purpose of assembling structures from MDF or chipboard

You can also use a self-tapping screw for expensive types of wood, but this requires great attention to the shape of the cap and the possibility of masking it.

In the production of confirmations, the appearance of the cap is of great importance, since each type of furniture may require its own template. Making such self-tapping screws is problematic, so the option should be considered only if there are wholesale buyers.

Self-tapping screw with a press washer.

Self-tapping screws are a subcategory of screws for metal, but due to their functional features, it should be considered as a separate production option

The demand for such self-tapping screws is very high in rural areas, therefore, if you plan to sell products to a similar market, you will not find a better option.

Hexagon self-tapping screw.

Features in production - a thickened screw body and a hexagonal key head. The self-tapping screw can only be used for working with wood and some types of concrete, therefore this production option should also be considered only if there are wholesale buyers.

Self-tapping screw for the roof.

The name speaks for itself. A peculiarity in production - in addition to the self-tapping screw itself, you will also have to make a washer.
Hat, diameter, frequency of turns are variable parameters and depend on the area of ​​application of the consumable building material.

There are other subspecies of self-tapping screws, but their share in the consumer market does not exceed 10%. Therefore, only those entrepreneurs who already have stable purchasing partners and want to further expand their assortment as part of the marketing component of the business should focus on such a product.

The essence of the business plan and its stages

You should start by looking for potential customers with specific requests. For example, car service stations will need self-tapping screws with an anti-corrosion coating, and furniture firms will need hardware with high strength characteristics.

It is important that the buyer is stable: this will allow in the future to modernize production without any problems, and not to depend on market whims. Of course, independent sale of the product is also possible, although certain organizational risks come into play here.

Self-tapping screws are a very popular everyday commodity

The next important step is the selection of a suitable production facility. For example, it can be a garage or a large outbuilding. The room must be suitable not only for carrying out the operations of the technological process, but also for storing / storing finished products.

Having understood the basic requirements for ready-made self-tapping screws, you can tackle the issues of their production technology. These requirements include:

1. Selection of materials (metal grade, assortment, type of preliminary coating).
2. Selection of models of production equipment.
3. Organization of preparatory and final operations (incoming quality control, packaging, delivery to customers).
4. Sales of finished products, if they are supposed to be sold independently: advertising, marketing campaigns, etc.

FULL CYCLE OF PRODUCTION OF SELF-CUTTERS

The wire goes through several stages of processing before turning into a self-tapping screw. Forming a workpiece using a cold heading machine. At this stage, the product acquires the desired length, tip, head. Next, a rod thread is cut on a thread rolling machine. To improve product quality, surface hardening processes can be added to increase product strength and anti-corrosion treatment. After that, the goods are packed, packed in plastic bags and boxes ..

Self-tapping cold heading technology

The production of self-tapping blanks is carried out on two-impact single-position automatic machines (landing machines). The equipment has two punches (roughing and finishing) and one upsetting die.

The prepared wire is installed on the unwinding device and fed through the roller system of the two-plane straightening device into the receiving opening of the cutting matrix. Next, you need to set the adjustable stop to the desired length of the workpiece. After that, the machine is switched on for a working stroke.

The cut-off knife performs a cut and with the presser feet transfers the workpiece to the upsetting position where the workpiece is picked up by the end of the rough punch, pushed into the upsetting die to the front end of the ejector, after which the head is pre-set.

At the second stroke of the actuator, the tool head rotates, as a result of which the punch of the second impact is set to the upsetting position, which finally forms the screw head.

During the return stroke of the slider of the cold heading machine, its ejector extracts the stamped blank from the cavity of the heading matrix, after which the cycle is repeated. The stamped workpiece is fed through the tray into the receiving container.

Implementation ways

It is recommended to use all possible ways of implementation:

• conclude long-term contracts with construction companies;
• work with specialized organizations (for example, for the production of windows, doors, furniture);
• sell products to hardware stores and chains;
• interact with private contractors.

Think over your pricing policy. Reasonably low prices for quality products are an obvious way to gain loyal customers. It is also recommended to think over various promotions that encourage customers to buy more and more often.

Develop an assortment. Start producing and selling self-tapping screws of several varieties, identify the ones in demand and focus on them. As additional goods, you can make nails, anchors.

Which dowels are better

Which dowel to choose is a rather trivial question, which actually has an unambiguous answer: the dowel must be chosen one that corresponds to the installation material and the type of installation. How many times will the master curse the scrolling self-tapping screw when installing the cornice on the foam concrete partition of a house of the 1-LG-600 series? How many people will wrap the unfortunate dowel with electrical tape, put a cambric on it from the cable, put on a heat-shrinkable tube - and all to no avail!

Who would guess to put two or three pieces in a row and scroll through so that they do not turn? And how many a special expansion dowel will be used for gas and foam concrete, not to mention the fact that few suspect, and even more few know for sure that such a dowel, it turns out, exists in nature! But a single classification of dowels, reflected in any regulatory documents, just does not exist in nature.

So here, in fact, everything is both simple and rather complicated at the same time. Let's try to figure out what kind of dowels are in principle:

By the principle of action:

1. Spacer, which are held in a hole of a certain diameter due to expansion when screwing in self-tapping screws - the ribs of the spacer dowel abut against the walls of the hole and wedge in it. They are intended for solid materials (concrete, reinforced concrete, asphalt, even wood and wood-based materials).

2. Anchor, which, in addition to wedging in the material, are also capable of deforming so that the rear part of such a dowel cannot go into the hole (anchor principle). Such dowels are intended for hollow and porous materials (hollow brick masonry, aerated concrete, foam concrete, etc.), as well as sheet materials like gypsum plasterboard.

By installation method:

1.Twisting - this long and ridiculous word speaks for itself and precisely defines the installation method for this class of dowels. Tightening is done either with a screwdriver of the desired configuration, or similarly with an equipped screwdriver (details below).

2. Hammer-in - similarly, the method of mounting such dowels is hammering, usually with a hammer or mallet, but sometimes with the help of other tools: for example, it can be pliers, a wooden block, a piece of solid brick or a piece of concrete, steel angle, etc. ...

They also divide through installation, in which part of the dowel is passed through the structure to be fixed (it has an elongated non-expansion part) and preliminary, in which the dowel is placed in the hole for its entire length (the most common type of installation).

By material of manufacture:

1. Plastic - made of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyamide (nylon).

2. Metal - from aluminum alloys, brass, stainless steel.

By type of front part:

1.With a collar (cuff) - when screwing in, the collar wraps around the screw (self-tapping screw).

2. Without a side. True, you can get an effect similar to the side if you do not insert the dowel completely, leaving about 3 mm outside.

By purpose, scope and design features:

1. Standard dowels for solid materials - the most common type of this type of fastener. The classic version is made of nylon (polyamide), and most of all it is presented on the market by the Finnish company SORMAT (series NAT 5, NAT 6, NAT 8, NAT 10, NAT 12, etc.). In second place is the Swiss manufacturer MUNGO, whose dowels are painted in a characteristic red-orange color and are also made of nylon.

This is a fastener that will fit most materials in most cases.

Initial materials and choice of finishing operations

To impart strength and presentation, the product after cold heading is subjected to cleaning, heat treatment and anti-corrosion / decorative coating. The technology for the production of self-tapping screws at the final stages is determined by the material from which the products are planted. Depending on the industry of consumption of self-tapping screws, the raw material for them is wire from:

1. Low-carbon high-quality steel in accordance with GOST 1050. Due to the fact that the material is hardened during the upsetting process, more expensive rolled products should not be accepted.
2. Plastic brass in accordance with GOST 15527 grades from L68 and above.
3. Aluminum grade AD1 in accordance with GOST 4784.
4. Plastic duralumin D1M in accordance with GOST 14838.

Due to the smallness of technological gaps and the need for accurate metering of the starting material into the upsetting and cutting matrices, the wire gauge must comply with the requirements of GOST 10702. In particular, the material must be supplied in a calibrated state, differ in an extended gradation of diameters, and have an accuracy class of at least 4.

Given this, for the final operations for the release of self-tapping screws, it is usually taken:

• Quenching followed by tempering in vacuum resistance furnaces.
• Bluing (it can be black, like iron, or red - like copper). Roofing screws are more often blued;
• Galvanizing in electrolytic baths.
• Anodizing (only for self-tapping screws made of aluminum and its alloys).

It makes sense to give a trial batch of finished products for analysis to specialists who, having made the necessary changes in the quality of the coating, hardness, macrostructure of screws, etc. will be able to give a qualified opinion on the quality of products (and, consequently, on the need to make any changes to the technical process). If everything is in order, then the sale of self-tapping screws in bulk, small wholesale, and retail may start successfully.

Self-tapping screw production technology

The entire technology for the production of metal fasteners can be divided into several key operations:

• Steel wire, which serves as the main raw material for the production of self-tapping screws, is fed to an automatically controlled machine, where an intermediate semi-finished product is formed. The head of the future metal self-tapping screw is immediately pressed by means of a cold heading process.
• Further, the workpiece is fed through a conveyor-type belt to the machine, where, with the help of a vibration-gripping mechanism, it is directed to the formation of a thread in a special machine.
• The next stage is heat treatment of the workpiece, followed by removal of large inclusions and washing of hardware.
• The next operation will be chemical treatment, which is carried out with the aim of applying a protective anti-corrosion coating to the metal base.
• Then the final drying of the finished fasteners takes place.
• The technological process ends with a check of the quality conformity of the part and its packaging.

As you can see, the entire technological process is divided into several stages of different nature, therefore, for the production of self-tapping screws, you will need multifunctional machines.

Wire for the production of self-tapping screws

For the manufacture of hardware, it is necessary to select the appropriate raw materials. Each specific type of fasteners has corresponding requirements in accordance with GOST. All metals differ in their basic characteristics - plasticity, hardness, chemical composition, etc. For the production of fasteners, brass, stainless and high-carbon steel are most often used.

Due to a number of technical features, the wire supplied in bobbins is more preferable for the manufacture of fasteners

When choosing raw materials, it is important to find out exactly for what purposes the further use of fasteners is planned. The requirements are very different for different types of fastening (wood, metal, plasterboard), as well as the environment in which they will be used (street version, room, aggressive environment)

In practice, it has been proven that the manufacture of metal fasteners is a profitable and highly profitable business. And if there are reliable buyers for your products, the revenue can be very high.

The most high-quality and high-tech machines are considered to be machines for the manufacture of self-tapping screws from Chinese and Taiwanese firms. Their equipment is also distinguished by its cheap price characteristics.

What is a cold heading machine

Such equipment belongs to the group of machines:

• stationary medium-sized;

• universal expressways;

• automated two-shock;

• continuous action.

Machines of this type can be used for the production of not only self-tapping screws themselves, but also practically any other types of fasteners - bolts, screws, etc. In this case, it all depends on the settings of such equipment.

Cold heading machines are mounted on the basis of a rigid welded frame. The wire is fed to the main unit in them from the bay by a ratchet device step by step. The length of the workpiece in this type of machine is adjusted by moving the stop. The landing strikes in the equipment are performed with a punch. At the same time, the first blow drives the rod to the stop, and the second - forms the head.

Thus, it is clear how self-tapping screws are made in enterprises. The production technology of such fasteners, in principle, is not too complicated. At the same time, the cold heading machines themselves produce workpieces very quickly. Depending on the performance and power indicators, one such unit can produce up to 100-300 self-tapping screws per minute.