The detail was small. The challenge was not.
During the early development of our titanium fasteners, the internal drive became one of our toughest manufacturing challenges. We wanted deeper tool engagement while keeping the geometry true to the design.
That goal led to nearly two years of work with a tooling manufacturer. We also evaluated samples from other suppliers. The large opening at the bottom of the sample below shows why the manufacturing method mattered to the final shape.
Build the process around the part
Our development work brought together controlled induction heating and a 60-ton forging press. In the BE ZERO M14 design described in this project, forging expanded the original 14 mm shaft to a maximum outside diameter of 27 mm before the final machining operations.
The lesson stayed with us: a drawing is only the beginning. The process behind it deserves the same attention as the finished part.