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What determines medical accuracy and precision?

What determines medical accuracy and precision?

Conformity, accuracy, and precision are crucial for components of medical devices. Whether or not the final products will have a direct impact on a person’s health, they will eventually have some impact in the end. As a result, the standards for medical device manufacturing are incredibly high.
The medical device manufacturing industry is responsible for developing and supplying a wide range of products. Nearly all of these end up diagnosing or treating illnesses, as well as improving and maintaining the health of patients either directly or indirectly.

The International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, is responsible for making nearly all of the various standards that are used when manufacturing medical devices. The most common one, ISO 9001, sets general, non-industry specific standards for quality management systems. This type of certification helps to keep costs low, improve accountability, and simplify the journey to regulatory compliance.

The ISO has many other certifications that are for specific applications, as well as a general one for the medical industry in particular. ISO 13485 expands on the ISO 9001 standards, refining them for medical device manufacturing, while improving overall quality control, traceability, process validation, and risk management in a way that benefits the industry. ISO 13485 is necessary for critical devices and medical devices that will directly be used to impact a patient’s health.

A manufactured part’s precision and accuracy are highly dependent on the quality management systems in place as well as the quality of the equipment used to fabricate the part. The tight tolerances and intricate geometries that are common in medical device components require quality processes that can only be achieved through CNC machining and precision machining services. Equipment that is maintained, regularly inspected according to the quality management system, and carefully monitored during the manufacturing process, is much more likely to produce high quality and tight tolerance results, consistently and accurately.

Looking for a precision manufacturer for the medical industry?

Small Parts Machining is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of precision machined medical components, as well as parts for many other industries. To learn more about what we can do for you in the medical industry, contact us today!

3 Tips For Choosing The Right Material For An Aerospace Machined Part

3 Tips For Choosing The Right Material For An Aerospace Machined Part

The Aerospace industry has some of the most demanding applications for CNC machined parts. Aerospace parts have to not only be lightweight, but also incredibly strong and resistant to very high temperatures that parts don’t typically experience in other applications. Picking the right material for an aerospace CNC part is incredibly important. Here are three tips to keep in mind when you’re picking the material for your next Aerospace CNC manufacturing project.

1. The Part’s Function will determine the required properties

Whatever your part’s function is will determine the properties required of it, and keeping those in mind is important. Different aerospace applications will require different levels of temperature resistance, strength, material weight, tolerances, and more. 

2. Keep in mind the required properties when researching materials

Materials that are to be manufactured into Aerospace parts almost always have to demonstrate high resistance and strength. They also should be producible in many different forms–meaning they can be machined in multiple ways. And finally, no matter how a stock material is machined, it should always demonstrate consistently high quality. Find a material that will meet these and any other requirements specific to your project.

3. Balance the properties your application needs with your budget

Finally, make sure to balance the properties that your part’s application requires with the budget you’ve set for the project. There are not very many materials that meet all the restrictions of the Aerospace industry, and that are commercially available and affordable. More exotic metals may meet the specifications, but they can also be expensive and difficult to work with. Making sure that you have all of this information included in your initial design and accounted for in your budget is vital to ensuring that the project proceeds smoothly and that you receive the quality Aerospace components that you need.

Looking for a supplier of precision machined aerospace parts?

Small Parts Machining has over seven decades of machining experience. We work with several alternative materials that are excellent for non-flight-critical Aerospace components, such as 6Al4V Ti, 7075 aluminum, and high-performance, polymer-based plastics such as HDPE, ULTEM, and VESPEL, to name a few. To learn more, contact us today!

Crossing the Finish Line with Small Parts Manufacturing For The Racing Industry

Crossing the Finish Line with Small Parts Manufacturing For The Racing Industry

Small Parts Manufacturing has been supplying a range of industries with custom precision machining services since 1946. One industry that we’ve recently used our manufacturing experience to serve is manufacturing for Racing and Offroad vehicles. 

In 2021, we established an ongoing relationship with Fox Racing in El Cajon, CA, making parts for offroad suspension applications. Our decades of experience served them and our other partners in the industry well. We provided them with several rugged, custom parts that were reliable and durable even under intense and critical operating conditions. 

SPM has a range of precision machining capabilities to serve the racing and off-road industry, such as:

  • CNC turning services that deliver tight tolerances of .001” or less for parts up to 8” round and approximately 60 lbs.
  • A wide range of CNC milling services such as drilling, complex milling, and tapping, on parts up to 4 feet long and approximately 100 lbs. 
  • Precision swiss machining services for very small parts, with diameters up to 1”
  • And Wire EDM for small scale and small-batch machining of complex components

We perform a range of production runs as well, in order quantities as low as 10 in our CNC milling and turning departments. 

SPM is known for our consistent quality and outstanding performance in racing manufacturing. Our experienced machinists ensure that our customers’ racing parts perform reliably for many years, and we can even offer design assistance based on seventy years of machining experience. We also maintain one of the largest, most advanced machining facilities in the Pacific Northwest to serve our customers and ensure that their parts are finished and delivered on time and according to production schedules. 

We are a respected source of machining services with plenty of experience in manufacturing a wide range of racing and off-road parts, including but not limited to:

  • Shock components
  • Attachment eyelets
  • Timing pulleys
  • Bearing adjustment tools
  • Steering adapters
  • Yoke spacers
  • Axle components

Generally, we manufacture racing parts from high-strength steels and aluminum alloys, but SPM can work with nearly any metal or plastic that our customers require for their components.

Looking for a manufacturing of parts for the Racing industry?

The Small Parts Manufacturing Company has been providing precision machining services to many industries including the Automotive and Racing industry for several decades. To learn more about what we can do for you, check out our website today!

How is precision CNC machining important in the medical industry?

How is precision CNC machining important in the medical industry?

The medical industry has some of the highest demands when it comes to quality, precision, and production speed. Precision machined medical components and devices have high standards to meet, especially if they are vital parts for equipment that will go on to affect the health of people around the world. 

How CNC machining benefits the Medical Industry

CNC machining is an excellent choice for medical device manufacturing. Not only is CNC machining efficient and consistent, computer numerical control is compatible with a wide range of manufacturing processes, including milling, turning, drilling, boring, grinding, and many others. The use of CNC to guide the equipment makes CNC machining not only highly accurate but consistently accurate, producing parts with tight tolerances with repeatable quality for every production run. 

CNC machining is also a very fast and efficient process, with quick turnaround times for production runs, prototypes, and custom parts. The medical industry often requires precise, complex parts in small quantities, for which CNC machining is a perfect process. 

CNC equipment also accommodates a very wide range of materials, including those most commonly used in medical instruments and parts: stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and plastics to name a few. Its versatility and efficiency makes it one of the most useful types of manufacturing for the medical industry.

Common CNC Machined Medical Products

There are hundreds of different medical devices and equipment that benefit from CNC manufacturing. CNC equipment creates clean, smooth components used for medical implants, especially custom ones that require a high level of accuracy. Plenty of equipment like MRI scanners, ultrasound machines, X-rays, and other monitoring equipment have components that contain precision machined parts. Surgical equipment especially can benefit from precision CNC machining, making tight tolerance components that ensure these tools meet the industry’s strict performance and quality requirements.

Are you looking for a precision manufacturer of medical components?

Small Parts Manufacturing is a top-quality manufacturing partner with over 75 years of experience in precision machining and a trusted partner of Medtronic of 25 years. Our expertise in medical manufacturing extends to several types of critical components, including, but not limited to stent loading hooks, mandrels, nuts, and rods, and we work with many types of metal and plastics commonly used in the medical industry. For more information about how we can help you, contact us today!

Thread Forming

Thread Forming

Small Parts Manufacturing has a Kinefac Kineroller 3 Die Rolling Machine Model MC-6 for precision roll forming of threads, splines, serrations, and other similar features into metal parts. 

Thread Forming Services

Thread rolling is the process of deforming metal stock by rolling it through shaped dies. Unlike other machining processes, this is not a subtractive process and it can result in stronger threads on the parts, more precise dimensions, a clean surface finish, and lower friction throughout the machining.

The benefits of thread forming

Thread forming is used to form unique features into ductile metals and alloys, while still promoting tool lifespan. It has a number of other advantages as well as those mentioned above, such as:

  • Higher production rates 
  • Lower production costs
  • Decreased downtime
  • More durable, long-lasting products

Thread Forming at SPM

Small Parts Manufacturing acquired the Kinefac Kineroller in 2007 to thread roll parts for our screw machining department. If you have small components such as bolts that need to be thread rolled, and require threads, splines, serrations, or other precisely formed features, then contact us.

Machine Specifications

Maximum Radial Die Load (kN)222
Standard Spindle Diameter (mm)38
Standard Die Gap (mm)92
Die Diameter Range (mm)60 – 102
Center Distance Range (mm)48 – 76
Thrufeed Spindle Skew Range (degrees)5
Standard Die Drive (kW)7.5
Maximum Rolled OD (mm)76
Over 70 Years of History in Precision Manufacturing

Over 70 Years of History in Precision Manufacturing

Small Parts Manufacturing has been machining precise, tight tolerance metal parts since 1946. Over the past seven decades, our company has expanded from four screw machines to a large facility with dozens of CNC manufacturing equipment. From our beginnings in the late 40s to the integration of computerized control systems, all the way to our present day partnerships, Small Parts Manufacturing has a long, rich history in precision manufacturing. 

The start of a multi-generational company

Merton ‘Rocky’ Rockney served as a Machine Operators Mate (MOMM3) in the Navy during WWII. Following his service for the Navy, Rocky used his experience to establish Small Parts Manufacturing Co. with just two Cleveland single spindle screw machines and two ACME four spindle screw machines.

Rocky and his team immediately set the standard for SPM, committing themselves to quality machining and personalized service to each customer. George Irwin and Max Rutzer joined the leadership team and together, within 25 years, the company had grown from just four screw machines to a facility housing a variety of spindle screw machines, threading equipment, surface finishing, and tooling design. 

Howard Weaver eventually joined SPM in 1972, working in all parts of the company and joining the company’s leadership team alongside Jerry Harris, who joined the company in 1973 and assumed the Draftsman/Estimator role in 1976. They would continue to work under Rocky for several decades. 

Rocky would continue to serve as president of Small Parts Manufacturing until 2003, just two years before his passing. His nearly sixty years of quality service and manufacturing experience laid the foundation for what SPM has become today. 

Milestones and life-long partnerships

Thanks to Rocky’s hard work, Small Parts Manufacturing grew quickly, reaching its first major sales milestone on July 24, 1973 by making our first million-dollar year. We moved from our location on N Vancouver Ave. to the current location on NE MLK Jr. Blvd and continued to expand. 

As SPM’s capabilities grew, we partnered  with Freightliner Trucks in the 1950s, making various precision parts for them. Freightliner Trucks, now known as Daimler, is still one of our major customers today. 

Daimler is not our only long-time partner. In 1983 SPM became a primary defense contract for FMC and would continue doing contract work for the Defense industry for over 20 years. Mark Rockney would also join the team this year, eventually stepping into the leading role in customer service for SPM.

Two years later, in 1985, SPM also formed another long partnership, building torque wrench parts for Stanley Proto. To this day, we continue to make high-quality components for Stanley Proto, now known as Black and Decker. 

In 1992, SPM also started making rail car brake pins for the three largest rail-car manufacturers in North America. We continued to serve that industry until 2020. And, for the past two decades, SPM has been making precision components for the Medtronics Cardiovascular Group in Santa Rosa, CA, introducing our quality business to the medical industry. We found work in the Medical industry in 1998 and 1999 through a job shop show, which was the start of our partnership with Medtronics that we’ve continued through the present day.

Our most recent partnership is with Fox Racing in El Cajon, CA. We established an ongoing relationship with them in 2021, making parts for offroad suspension applications.

Expanding our technology

As our customer base expanded, so did our capabilities. In 1979, we acquired our first of two Eight (8) Spindle Wickman Screw Machines, which increased our production capacity in our Screw Machine department. Three years later, we also purchased our first EDM machine, a JAPAX Japt 4G to cut tools for our screw machines, and we acquired an AT&T 3B2, our first computer system.

The real development of our CNC manufacturing shop began in 1987. Late this year, we purchased our first computer numerically controlled, or CNC, machine, a Mazak SQT-15, a brand that we continue to use today. This very machine is still making quality parts for us today, holding .001” tolerance even after over 35 years of use. 

Later, in 1988, we expanded on the CNC shop, adding a CADKey system as the new drafting platform for making shop drawings and assisting with programming our CNC machines. And two years later, we would acquire our first CNC Mill, A Takisawa VF2 model, to better support the needs of our trucking clients. 

In 2003, SPM expanded even further to serve its wide-ranging clientele. We purchased two Traveling Column CNC Mills, a Mazak VTC-200C to mill larger components. In 2007, the Kinefac Kineroller Model MC-6 was added to our shop to produce large-diameter rolled threads for our customers as well. 

We also would go on to add even more equipment the next year, including a new Mazak QTN200-MSY lathe, and a Mazak 510-C vertical milling machine to better serve our new customers in the medical industry. 

2010 was the year that we really began a full integration of CAD/CAM work into our milling processes. That year we acquired a PC fusion platform for more complex CNC programing and quickly grew our CNC machining business into what it is today.

The Present Day

Today, SPM is run by Merton ‘Mert’ Rockney Jr., who became the owner and president of the company in November of 2003. We’ve recently updated our EDM technology with the addition of a new Mitsubishi FX-10 Wire EDM in 2013 to make screw machine tools for our other equipment and continue to upgrade our capabilities with the latest technology. Our customer base has expanded to companies in a variety of industries–from Aerospace to Racing to Trucking and much more. 

SPM has grown exponentially over the past seventy-five years. With more than 200 years of combined experience and a foundation in quality and precision, SPM is proud to serve our customers with the best manufacturing around.

Precision CNC Machined Parts for Industrial Pumps

Precision CNC Machined Parts for Industrial Pumps

CNC machining is one of the most versatile manufacturing processes today. It has many benefits that make it vital for various industries. One of those is industrial water disbursement systems. 

Why choose CNC machining to make parts for industrial pumps?

Water disbursement systems, or industrial pumps, must not only be durable, but they also undergo a great deal of physical and environmental stress. Even a tiny defect can throw the entire system off. The parts that make up industrial pumps have to be durable as well and also absolutely precise. 

That’s why CNC machining is so valuable for these systems. Not only can this manufacturing process create long-lasting parts, but it can do so with great precision and consistent accuracy. CNC machining also has several other advantages. It produces less waste overall, is a very efficient production process, and is also very flexible and compatible with various materials. 

What parts are typically produced through CNC machining?

These advantages make CNC machining an excellent choice for manufacturing parts for industrial pumps. And there are several parts for water disbursement systems that are often produced by this process. 

Some of those parts are:

  • Pulleys: connect the pumps to engines or other systems and have to be precisely sized 
  • Bearings: play a critical role by bearing the load of the pump and allowing rotation of the moving parts within in it
  • Housings: ‘house’ the vital parts of the disbursement system
  • Shafts: transmit torque to the impellers or the other displacement elements of the pump
  • Seals: prevent liquid or other material from escaping the shaft 
  • Wear rings: create contact between rotary and stationary parts of the pump, reduce recirculation, and stabilize the pump rotor
  • Backplates: connects the pump to other parts of the machinery, assists in sealing 
  • Impellers: moves liquid along the internal parts of the pump
  • Brackets: mounts for the pumps
  • O-rings: another type of seal connecting the pump to the rest of the machinery that’s built to withstand high pressures

Looking for someone to machine parts for your products?

Small Parts Machining has been providing made-to-order manufacturing services for over seventy-five years. From CNC turning and milling to various secondary machining and finishing processes, we have plenty of experience in manufacturing metals and plastics into the parts our customers need.

Material Updates

Material Updates

Price Fluctuations in Raw Materials

The costs of raw materials have seen a recent and somewhat unexpected rise in the past few years. We received several notifications from our outside vendors about updates on their selling prices and the reasons behind them that we want to share here, as well as on our Material Updates Page.

Here, we’ll summarize the bulk of the letters we’ve received from our vendors so far, but if you’d like to see the updates in more detail, you can also head to the Material Updates page of our website here.

Unprecedented Upsurge

SPM has received many updates from our outside plating vendors, shipping and delivery companies, and oil and other raw material suppliers about price changes. All are somewhat different in what specific changes they are enacting. However, they share a similar message–due to an unprecedented increase in costs for materials, shipping, and many other factors across the board, they have had to adjust their prices to accommodate the upsurge. 

These changes don’t just apply to one or a few industries either. All manufacturers, service providers, raw materials, and part suppliers have incurred cost increases at unexpected rates. In short, everything has unexpectedly become more expensive over the last fiscal quarter. While SPM does not plan to change our prices any time soon, we want to keep you up-to-date on the recent changes and why they are happening. 

What factors affect the prices of raw materials?

So why do the prices of various services, parts, and materials fluctuate? Supply and demand are probably the first things that come to mind. After all, if there is less product, its price is likely to go up, and if demand for a specific product is low, its price will go down. 

There is rarely ever one thing that is behind the cause of price fluctuations. A vast number of different factors affect material and product prices. Usually, multiple factors affect the pricing of parts and raw materials. Some of these factors are:

Geological Events

Also referred to as ‘Acts of God, these are events that aren’t caused by direct human action. For example, major weather or geological events can cause problems obtaining and shipping materials and parts. Extreme weather hazards like hurricanes, blizzards, droughts, and many others can stall or stop the collection and shipping processes. Even less severe weather can be a problem–icy roads can interfere with shipping, storms can hinder or ground planes and much more. 

Pandemics like the recent coronavirus pandemic are another example of a geological event or act of God. The COVID pandemic did not just halt the worldwide economic system but also impacted the availability of labor and other resources. 

Cost/Availability of Labor

This is a prominent factor that might get overlooked from time to time. How much a part costs to produce, how much it costs to pay workers to collect and refine raw materials, and more is always an essential part of the end price of a service or product. 

Geopolitical events

These are political, human-related events that have wide-ranging effects on the economy around the world. Events such as Brexit and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia can have huge impacts on the supply chain, the availability of certain raw materials, and overall shipping costs. 

Political Relationships

This factor refers to America’s overall political relationships with the countries from which companies source different raw materials. Prices can go up or down depending on our country’s relationship with other countries. For example, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused the trading of Nickel and other LME metals to halt. 

Geographic distance

This final and simple factor is relatively self-explanatory but often overlooked. The distance that parts, products, and materials travel–and how they travel–can be a significant factor in the final price. Fuel charges, transportation costs, and more will increase the further the products travel.

As prices fluctuate, we will do our best to keep you in the loop, and we will continue to update you whenever there are changes or interruptions.

CNC Machining for the Trucking Industry

CNC Machining for the Trucking Industry

CNC machined parts can be found throughout the automotive industry, especially in vehicles that require durable parts with long lifespans. From axle end shafts to case housings and their internal components, there are many different services that CNC machines provide to the trucking industry.

CNC is important in the trucking industry because it allows for the manufacturing of accurate, durable, and reliable parts. Parts for the trucking industry have to be able to undergo a lot of consistent, repeated stress. Many of them must meet precise tolerances that only a CNC machine can deliver.

At Small Parts Manufacturing, we have a variety of machining capabilities that we have used to serve the trucking industry in a number of ways. Our CNC turning machines can create parts with tight tolerances, and our CNC milling machines can produce accurate, complex parts up to 4 feet long.

Some of the parts that SPM has made for the trucking industry include (but are not limited to):

  • Adapters
  • Bosses
  • Clutch shafts
  • Spacers
  • Bushings (knurled, flanged, threaded, and straight)
  • Connectors
  • Studs
  • Shock components
  • Tank bosses
  • Latch components

Automobile parts can be made out of a variety of different materials, but the most common ones that we use at SPM are aluminum, bronze, brass, plastics, and stainless, mild, and alloy steels.

If you’re looking for high-quality trucking components, please consider contacting Small Parts Mfg. for your custom part requirements. We have CNC milling, turning, and swiss machining capabilities, as well as Wire EDM to complement our manufacturing processes. We utilize advanced technology to consistently deliver tight tolerance components for reliable, durable, high-quality parts that exceed customer expectations.

The Fundamentals of Wire EDM

The Fundamentals of Wire EDM

There are many different computer numerical controlled machining processes in manufacturing, but one process in particular has grown in popularity. With recent advancements in technology, Wire EDM machining has become increasingly widespread in manufacturing. Wire EDM parts are widely used in many different industries and these machines have a range of applications in manufacturing.

What is Wire EDM Machining?

Wire electrical discharge machining, or wire EDM is a computer-controlled machining process that, like many other traditional machining processes, removes material from a bar stock. However, unlike most traditional machining, wire EDM shapes the bar stock by means of spark erosion rather than having the tool come into direct contact with the material.

In Wire EDM, the metal part to be machined is submerged in a dielectric fluid with a wire. By using electric discharges between the wire and the part, material is removed from the part, creating complex, delicate shapes. As the wire gets closer to the metal part, the electric current can pass more easily between them, leading to the separation of material with each spark.

Wire EDM Machining has many advantages

Because of the way in which material is removed, there is far less stress on the bar stock. Wire EDM can machine even hard or fragile materials into tiny, delicate, or complex parts, so long as the stock material is conductive. And, these machines can do this without causing the usual stress that contact machining produces. As a result, Wire EDM parts are not bent or warped. 

Also, because these machines can produce pieces without the stress of contact between the stock and the tool, they make parts with smooth surfaces finishes that are free of burrs. The parts can be brought to incredibly close tolerances and are completed without a need for any secondary processes. This reduces time and labor costs, while increasing the production efficiency. 

Since Wire EDM requires an electrical field to work, these machines can only process conductive materials. They can be more expensive than more traditional CNC turning and milling processes, and require well-trained personnel to run. However, these machines can greatly reduce production costs, as they can produce metal parts efficiently and without the need for finishing processes. Also, because of the use of spark erosion, there is a reduction in material costs and wastes as well.

Some common applications of Wire EDM

Wire EDM is ideal for parts with complicated shapes or patterns, and especially very small parts. Because there is no mechanical force on the part being machined, wire EDM machines can create very delicate pieces, or work with delicate materials without distorting them. These versatile machines are more commonly used to manufacture highly-detailed parts for the medical, aerospace, electronics, and automotive industries, as well as create tools that complement other machining processes.

The versatility and cost-effectiveness of these types of machines is particularly useful for prototyping, and can be used for projects that are low or high volume. Most often, they are used to manufacture metal components and tools at lower volumes, or parts that require low levels of residual stress.

At Small Parts Machining, we mainly use Wire EDM to build screw machine tooling to be used in our other production machining. Our wire EDM machine cuts high speed steel and carbides, which we then use in our screw machining and tooling in order to make high production runs. While our primary focus is not in wire EDM, we use it to complement our other machining processes in order to produce the best products possible.

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