A hopper is a conical shape, which is used a wide range of industries to meter, store and blend materials.
The size of the hopper can vary and the type of material they are manufactured from based on the industrial process involved.
Here are some stainless steel hoppers that we have recently produced on our bespoke DENN CNC spinning lathe.
The CNC spinning process guarantees dimensional repeatability and a consistent finish.
How does the spinning process work on a CNC?
As with traditional hand spinning, having any spun parts produced on a CNC must first start with a tool being made.
The tooling is made in house by on of our expert tool makers and is made from materials such as mild steel, D2, EN24T and stainless steel.
If the part being spun is a new part, the profile of the spinning first needs to be programmed.
This involves the roller arm touching the tool face at multiple points, which allows the rollers to know the point to follow during the spinning process.
Step 1 – Calibrating the tool
Before the spinning process can take place, the tooling is located onto the spinning lathe and is calibrated to ensure that it is balanced.
Step 2 – Lasered blank
The first stage of the spinning process is to get a sample lasered metal blank to spin. With each new part, an approximate size is given before a test piece is spun. Once the blank size is confirmed the remaining blanks are lasered if required.
Step 3- Metal spinning
The lasered blank is located onto the tooling and this is then held in place by a tailstock clamp. As the blank starts rotating, the roller arms are engaged and gradually apply pressure to the face of the material to form the shape of the spinning.
Step 4 – Machining
After the spinning process has been completed, the tooling is removed from the CNC and then assembled onto one of of our turning lathes.
The spinning is then located back onto the tool, so the front of the spinning can be cut out and the outer diameter is then skimmed to the correct dimensions.
To remove any sharp edges, the spinning is deburred by hand.
Get in touch
If you have a sample or high volume batch work that you are looking to have manufactured, then please get in touch today and see how Artec Engineering Precision Metal Spinners can assist you.
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