Precision Small Machining & Manufacturing

[lynnl]

Ever wonder how sewing needles are made? ...Yeah, me too.
Here's about a 9 minute video from Schmetz, in Aachen Germany, maker of most of the world's needles (per their claim).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYiHIKz0kn8

What's interesting, but not surprising, is that for the most part, they make their own mfg machines in-house. I guess that's common among such specialty manufacturing operations.

[Rich Carlstedt]

I have worked for two " Leading edge companies" - They made products no one in the world could manufacture .
Both were extremely creative internally -no politics- and had to build specialty tooling and machines not available anywhere.
Fun places to work in
Rich

[Noitoen]

What's interesting, but not surprising, is that for the most part, they make their own mfg machines in-house. I guess that's common among such specialty manufacturing operations.

Use to do some work for Mustad fish hook and the also made their own machines without patenting them. The reason, they said, once you apply for a patent you submit your machine's description an drawings and also, patents expire. This way it´s easy to keep the secrets in house.

[dian]

so today needles are better than 20 years ago?

[QSIMDO]

The Torrington Co. actually started as the Excelsior Needle shop.

[lynnl]

so today needles are better than 20 years ago?

I would imagine that in some respects, but not all, that is generally true, though you might have to go back a bit farther than 20 years.
My guess would be that the greater advances have probably been in the manufacturing efficiency.
Of course, as with all technologies, advances in external related areas, e.g. metallurgy, metrology, etc. also contribute substantially to improvements.

[dian]

i was thinking electropolishing. the big question remains: what kind of steel?

[Paul Alciatore]

"This way it´s easy to keep the secrets in house."

Only if you do not have disgruntled employees. Not many companies can say that. Most of them go out of their way and spend a lot of money in creating them. And a non-disclosure agreement expires a lot faster then a patent.

But will they learn?

Use to do some work for Mustad fish hook and the also made their own machines without patenting them. The reason, they said, once you apply for a patent you submit your machine's description an drawings and also, patents expire. This way it´s easy to keep the secrets in house.

[PS4steam]

I use needle ends for my adjusting needle in mixers for hit miss engines. These are standard hand sewing needles size 6,7,8,9. My wife is into quilting big time and gave me what she considered the best needle made. They were from England and on the box said they were imported from Germany, no name given from Germany. She also is a collector of antique sewing items. She gave me some needles from around the early 1900's pre WWI. I put them under a microscope. The ones from pre WWI were clearly smoother than the new ones which had barbs on them ie surface not smooth. I recently checked some newer ones and they were a bit better but not as smooth as those old ones. The old ones were probably made with processes that are totally banned now. The Schmetz is a sewing machine needle, that my wife uses exclusively in her machines, not sure they make a hand needle. Need to check, might look at one of the sewing machine needles.

Bob

[mickeyf]

I use needle ends for my adjusting needle in mixers for hit miss engines

Guessing these mate with a female part that has a very similar taper to it - how do you make that? Or is it just a plain cylindrical hole, and the needle itself completely controls the mix? A quick google search did not tell me the dimensions of hand sewing needles, just that "9 is smaller then 2", etc.