Dowel pin install

Dowel pins should be installed into press fit holes after finishing processes and not removed there after. After the mating components are assembled the first time, one should note assembly orientation for repeat assembly of mating dowel pins. It is optimal to design for one configuration assembly fool - proof.

See bottom of page for application illustrations. Dowel Pin "D" Diameter. Slip Fit Hole Design. Always make sure to check with your end user for what is acceptable. On the other hand sometimes your dowel pin may be to small for the hole that you are installing it into. This can be problematic as the pin will just fall right down into the hole instead of being a true press fit.

To remedy this situation we recommend either knurling the bottom of the pin or making a custom shoulder pin if approved by the end user. By knurling the bottom of the pin you are creating a raised surface that will give the pin a larger surface of contact.

In conclusion, we hope that you have enjoyed our brief outline of how to properly install a dowel pin, and if you have any questions please leave a comment down below. For more information please refer to our ultimate dowel pin guide! More articles by this authors. Your email address will not be published. We are located in Santa Clara, CA and we can ship anywhere in the world.

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Ut elit tellus, Resource Center. P: F: Call us for a Free Quote: Hollow dowels simplify assembly by easing fastener insertion. They also maintain precise alignment within hole tolerances. Spring dowels are formed around arbors to ensure roundness, while accurately locating components next to each other. Apsey says that Driv-Lok split hollow dowels save its manufacturer customers from 30 to 40 percent—compared to traditional dowel pins—in production, weight and labor costs by eliminating hole reaming and finishing.

The dowels are used as spacers, compression limiters or where two halves of an assembly are bolted together. Also available from the company are seamless hollow dowels for applications where a seam is not allowed or desired.

These dowels can be used as locators, spacers or a standoff, and are available in various materials and finishes, as well as being heat treated. Automated pressing is done as well, although in that situation you need to have an extremely high volume for a reasonable ROI. Straight-acting presses are preferred over toggle presses. The amount of force required to press parts together depends on the hardness, slipperiness and surface finish of the materials; the size, thickness and geometry of the parts; and the amount of interference between them, that is, the difference in size between the inserted part and the hole.

As a general rule, solid pins should be 0. For example, a 0. Oversized pins are usually used to fit into worn holes for pin replacement and have a diameter that is 0. Straight solid pins tend to have the tightest hole tolerances when being inserted into metal, says Jones. With a hardened grooved or knurled pin, the host material deforms, but not as much as with a straight solid pin.

When any of these pins are used in plastic, the holes are molded and the plastic is more forgiving. Precision solid dowels require a precisely drilled and reamed hole prior to being press-fit into place. In contrast, holes for coiled spring and slotted pins only have to be drilled, resulting in lower preparation costs, says Jones.

According to Rupprecht, pins that require less than 4 kilonewtons of force can be installed with a manual press. This type of press usually has an anti-lock mechanism to ensure proper pin insertion. The mechanism requires the operator to fully complete pin insertion before the press ram comes to a hard stop. Pins that require 4 or more kilonewtons of force for insertion should be installed with a pneumatic or hydraulic press.

Rupprecht points out that, although more expensive upfront, these presses allow for press monitoring of the force-distance curve. The DA series of direct-acting pneumatic presses from BalTec are modular and can be exactly sized for any pin- or dowel-insertion application.

Standard stroke lengths range from 40 to millimeters in millimeter increments, although special lengths may be requested. A right-angled gearbox allows for simple height adjustment of the press head. The presses are quiet less than 75 decibels and practically maintenance-free, as all moving parts are mounted in bearings. And their square, clean-cut ends, combined with a smooth, concentric lead-in chamfer and a blended radius, eliminate sharp edges and angles that may bite into the hole wall, thus lowering the required insertion force.

Slotted pins, unless of verified high-quality manufacture, should never be automatically installed, as many do not have either quality chamfers or square ends. Symmetric pins have a continuous profile and are ideal for automated insertion, says Pasko.

They are the easiest to feed because they require little, if any, orientation. Automated insertion of asymmetric pins is more challenging because they require end-to-end orientation via expensive tooling.

According to Pasko, headed pins with inconsistent head diameters or shafts tend to get jammed on the feed rail. He says that installation may be done with a press or by tapping the dowel in place with a hammer or mallet. Some dowels can be automatically inserted as well. Jim has an English degree from DePaul University.