Metal Substitute  Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers

Coming from the camera industry, PENTACON has a long-term experience in the fields of fine mechanics, the processing of metals or plastics with injection molding. With this know-how, we produce highest precision as a certified automotive system supplier and guarantee 100% fault-free delivery quality. To reach this aim, we continuously optimize our manufacturing processes and test with the help of self-developed optical and acoustic testing machines The complete process capability is mapped into a CAQ-system.

CNC metalworking

We process various metals (brass alloys, aluminum, high-grade steel, etc.) on a broad range of CNC
machining centers and continuously monitor it. Specialized on plunge
grinding, we produce turned parts in medium-batch and large-scale by the
millions. The plunge grinding (also called cylindrical grinding) is a
method of processing metal, where the grinding or cutting wheel shows
the negative contour of the later workpiece. This technology is common
with the automotive industry and usually used for shafts, axes or
similar gear and motor components.
Together
with several research institutes, PENTACON developed a new technology
for swiss turning and profile-rolling to successfully realize a costumer
project.

Metal substitution and hybrid parts

Due to rising raw
material prices, our customers increasingly change their production from
using high-cost metals toward less costly plastics with similar or even
better qualities. We counsel you in finding an efficient solution to
lower your costs for materials. Ranging from exchanging single
components to a re-design of your products (hybrid parts) up to the
complete material exchange - we have developed a wide range of
technologies and methods to save you costs and material weights.
Usually, our customers come from the automotive industry where products
tend to become increasingly lighter.

CNC turning

We turn metals
such as aluminum, steel, high-grade steel or brass alloys as a CNC
contract manufacturer. Our production depth reaches from small-batch, to
medium-batch up to large-scale quantities processing parts of various
geometry or complexity.
For several
years, we have specialized in the turning of thin-walled parts, which
feature tiny tolerances and require highest precision. Especially the
turning of external threads and internal threads requires the long-term
experience of a company rooted in the fine-mechanics and camera
industry.

Swiss turning

At
Swiss turning, the bar material is moved in axial direction through a
headstock with a collet and a guide bushing. Unlike ordinary turning,
the tooling is fixed. Originally invented for the watchmaking industry,
this technology is widely used for long and slim parts. Depending on the
arrangement of tools and guide bushing one can produce very precise and
long parts, very often made of hard and robust material.

• range of parts: Ø 3 bis 20 mm, length up to a max. 100 mm
• material: broad range depending on appliance, focus on aluminum, brass, steel and high-grade steel
• technologies: contour turning up to complex applications

Profile-rolling of impact extruded parts

In cooperation
with renowned technology partners, PENTACON developed various strategies
to enhance CNC turning. Our approach is the profile rolling of
HSS-steel. Our method is it to put a high pressure on the raw material
and to roll the later profile in the pre-formed part. The advantages of
this technology are:

• no loss of material
• high precision
• cost-effective alternative
• high sturdiness
• very high repeat accuracy

Another
approach is the impact extrusion of blanks toward their later geometry
and an additional CNC turning afterward. The advantages are:

• cost-effective alternative
• less loss of material
• faster working cycles
• abrasive cutting or shearing

Batch sizes

We process batch-sizes from 2,000 up to 10,000,000 parts.

Materials

• Aluminium
• Q & T steel
• Cr/Ni-steel
• Case hardening steel
• Tool steel
• Nickel-base alloys
• Carbon steel
• Nitrided steel
• High-speed steel (HSS)
• Brass alloys

Lengths

We process parts up to the length of 120 mm.

Diameters

We process parts starting with diameters of 3 mm up to 120 mm.

High precision CNC turning

We
turn metals such as aluminum, steel, high-grade steel or brass alloys
as a CNC contract manufacturer. Our production depth reaches from
small-batch, to medium-batch up to large-scale quantities processing
parts of various geometry or complexity.

Thin-walled parts

With
the experience of more than 70 years in fine mechanics/ optics, we are
specialists in the CNC turning of thin-walled and complex turned parts.
Especially the turning of internal and external threads with slim
tolerances as used for optical filters or lens systems are produced in
small and medium batch series.
ISO
tolerances of IT6 are the base for producing high quality in the optical
industry. Monitored by our own accredited measuring and calibration
laboratory those tolerances are continuously controlled by complex CAQ
software.

Complete 6-axis turning & milling machining

Aside
from conventional CNC turning, PENTACON is processing products on 6-axis
turning and milling machining with complex contours. Here we produce
guide slots, move slots or control curves on on lateral an flat faces.
Those types of millings are usually used in sliding mounts, zoom lenses
or photographic apertures and require utmost precision.

Precision profile rolling of high-strength steel

Conventional
profile rolling usually can not be used for processing high-strength
steel. On the one hand, these materials require special machinery due to
their high strength quality. On the other hand, the demands toward
precision increases continuously. In this field of tension - the flow
behavior on the one side and the precision on the other - in most cases a
more cost intensive cutting technology is chosen instead of the better
profile rolling method.
In 2012, with one of the leading companies
of rolling mills and our own tool making department, we've developed a
production concept, which closed the gap in favor of profile rolling.

Interlocking with 6 segments

As an example, we took an interlocking of segments made from a HSS S6-5-2 with Rm