Connector components
A ring-shaped turned part with slots: bore fit and slot indexing are more critical than the outside diameter.
Part family · Turned components
Long connecting rods and tie rods
A slender tubular rod: straightness, bore alignment at both ends and end threads are the three control points.
What it is, and where it usually goes wrong
A long rod with a bore at each end is the hardest shape on a lathe: it is thin, it deflects, and both ends have to line up. If the bores are drilled from opposite ends without a common datum, the pins will bind as soon as the rod is installed.
How we machine it
- Bore one end, then indicate on that bore to machine the other — never reference the outside diameter twice.
- Support the length with a steady or follower rest and keep the finish pass light.
- Thread after boring so the thread follows the bore axis rather than the bar stock.
- Check straightness on a surface plate with the rod supported at both ends, not in the machine.
Where it is used
Equipment tie rods, adjustment linkages, sensor support rods, fixture connectors.
What we check before it ships
- Straightness over the full length
- Bore-to-bore alignment, checked with a mandrel
- Thread gauge fit and length
- Wall thickness on tubular rods
Measured against your drawing and written on the inspection sheet that ships with the parts. First article reports are available on request.
What to send for a quote
- Length, outside diameter and bore diameters at both ends
- Straightness tolerance and whether the rod works in tension or compression
- Thread specification and how much thread length is needed
- Whether the rod is solid or tubular, since it changes the machining route
A STEP file plus a drawing is ideal; a PDF with tolerances also works. Quantity, material and finishing are enough to give you a real price instead of a range.
Questions we get on this part
Solid or tubular — which do you recommend?
Tubular when weight matters and the load is tensile, because a tube is stiffer per kilo. Solid when the rod is short, when threads are cut into the end, or when the part takes a bending load that would dent a thin wall.
How straight can a 500 mm rod be?
We quote 0.1 mm over 500 mm as a normal tolerance with a steady and a light finish pass, and tighter after review of the diameter. Below about 8 mm diameter the limit is the material, not the machine.
Other turned components we machine
Motor housings
A thin-walled cylinder where bore coaxiality and face squareness determine how the rotor fits.
Precision flanges
A disc-shaped connector: bolt-hole indexing and the flatness of the sealing face are what the drawing really asks for.
Send a drawing, get a price within 24 hours
STEP, IGES, DWG, PDF or a dimensioned sketch — plus material, quantity and finishing. We reply with a price and any questions in one message.