Norstan, Inc.

United States

A client in the appliance industry approached Norstan, Inc. for the manufacturing of a brass staked assembly. Using the customer supplied drawings we were to manufacture the assembly, which was to be used within an appliance safety switch. The manufacturing processes included auto staking, cold heading, and progressive die metal stamping. Equipment used in the process included a bimetal machine-composite contact and a 45 ton punch press. The assembly was made using CDA 260 brass, the contact was composed of; 90% silver and 10% cadmium oxide on copper. The finished product measured .540" long, .300" wide, .032" thick, and weighed .64 lbs. We worked within tolerances of +.000"-.004". Upon completion of manufacturing, we performed contact torque and full dimensional testing. The client was extremely satisfied with all aspects of service and production, and we were commissioned to supply them with 1 to 1.5 million units per order of this brass staked assembly. To learn more about this project, or for more information on our other products and services, please contact Norstan.

Forming metal by bending and trimming it to various sizes Norstan, Inc. specializes in meeting customers' critical tolerances from micro sizes to large stampings. Our in house expert die makers allow us to be both competitive and maintain high quality tooling for our customer's needs. We provide improved quality control utilizing electric detectors in-die and quality inspectors checking dimensions and tolerances with computer aided photo measuring devices and equipment. Tooling is built to combine several operations thereby saving money and providing manufacturing processes with greater quality control. Norstan forms the stampings and also can in-die stake, weld and even in-die tap and perform other operations as required to meet our customers' needs. Staking is a process to secure the contacts and rivets to another part by mechanically squeezing the protruding end of its shank in a die controlling form and dimension, therefore allowing it to clinch the back of the assembly. Brazed composite heading marries two metals together by bonding them under controlled conditions in a furnace. The bonding material is called a brazing metal alloy, which is a low melting point metalalloy used to attach and metallurgically fuse two metals together after elevating the temperature beyond its melting point.

Brazed composite heading marries two metals together by bonding them under controlled conditions in a furnace. The bonding material is called a brazing metal alloy, which is a low melting point metalalloy used to attach and metallurgically fuse two metals together after elevating the temperature beyond its melting point.

A solid state rivet contact is a part with a head larger than its body or shank. It is designed to be clinched (or staked) onto another part of an assembly. Solid heading utilizes one metal throughout the entire part - all copper, brass, all silver, or alloys. Our cold heading equipment forms your parts from wire.

Globally, there are only a few companies that braze contacts made of tungsten. Of these, only Norstan, Inc. is based in the United States. Some applications of tungsten contacts include solenoids and horns.

A client in the water treatment industry came to Norstan, Inc. in need of a specialty project which required the spot resistance welding and stamping of a brass and copper terminal. The terminals were to be used within a water flow sensing application, and had to meet strict quality specifications as outlined in the customer supplied 2D CAD drawing. The manufacturing process included spot resistance welding, stamping, heading and assembly. The customer spec called for the use of beryllium copper and brass for the terminals, and silver and cadmium oxide, as well as gold plating, for the contact. The part weighed .006 lbs. It measured .842" long and .281" wide, and held tolerances of .003". Upon completion, we performed thorough testing, including a peel test, full dimensional test, and contact torque test. At Norstan we strive to give our customers the highest level of quality and customer service available. We currently produce between 50, 000 to 100, 000 per order for this client. To learn more about this project, or for more information on our other products and services, please contact Norstan.

A machine composite part is made out of silver (or certain silver alloys) cold bonded in a heading machine to a copper shank rivet backing. Special heading equipment and expertise is used to mechanically bond these two different metals together, both saving money and reducing lead-times. Norstan, Inc. refers to these as machine composites.

Solid and composite weld buttons and discs are contacts with no shank. Buttons are brazed or welded to another part, whereas disks are welded or brazed to a backing. Norstan, Inc. makes buttons and disks out of a variety of materials. Our various configurations can be utilized in a broad range of applications.

A customer in the automotive industry came to Norstan, Inc. requiring a product which required the stamping of a brass contact assembly, to be used within a pressure switch. We worked closely with the client throughout the process, ensuring all specifications of the supplied 2D CAD drawings were met. The manufacturing process included die metal stamping and cold heading the rivet in-house. The product was assembled by staking the rivet to the terminal. The state-of-the-art equipment we used included a 45 ton punch press, and a cold heading toggle. The finished product weighed .005 lbs. The terminal was made of brass-CDA260, and the rivet was made of 75% silver, 24.5% copper, .5% nickel, and was gold plated. It was .70" long, .50" wide, and .032" high. We worked within a tolerance of .002". Upon completion, our team performed full dimensional and contact torque testing. We promptly delivered the completed contact assembly to the client, who was highly satisfied with our work. To learn more about this project, or for more information on our other products and services, please contact Norstan.

A client in the automotive industry commissioned Norstan, Inc. to manufacture a copper contact assembly, which was to be used within a fuse application. Using a 60 ton punch press and inline welding equipment, we manufactured this part using progressive die metal stamping and wire welding. The finished assembly weighed .0097 lbs. It measured 1.255" long, .407" wide, and .032" thick. Materials used included pre-plate tin on CDA 110 copper and CDA 260 brass. Our skilled team and state of the art equipment were able to maintain tolerances of .0005". Performing weld presence, shear strength, and full dimensional testing we were easily able to fulfill all of the customer quality requirements. The assembly was then quickly shipped to the client. Extremely satisfied with our work, they hired us to supply them with two to three million units of this contact assembly every year.