Streamlining Your Finishing Process: Firearm Industry

2020 was a record year for gun sales. While this is great for manufacturing organizations in the firearm industry, this recent uptick in sales could be causing capacity issues for firearm and ammunition manufacturers.

According to a recent article by the Washington Post, “More than 2 million firearms were bought last month [January], according to The Washington Post’s analysis of federal gun background-check data. That is an 80 percent year-over-year spike and the third-highest one-month total on record.” With this recent sales history, 2021 is looking to be a record-breaking year.

PROCESSING BOTTLENECKS

With firearms and ammunition flying off the shelves, customers are purchasing product faster than manufacturers can produce. Using old technology and out-of-date finishing processes are a common cause of bottleneck in the deburring and polishing department.

When working with small batch parts like shell casings, the casings may have to go through numerous finishing steps before they are finished to the desired specification. Batches of casings often need to be brought to a specified machine, fed into the machine in batches, polished, rinsed, and dried.

In processes that are not as streamlined, operators have to manually run parts, separate media, and move parts to different machines. This requires more operators and increased finishing time. With an automated system, manufacturers have a more hands-free approach to finishing parts.

INCREASING FINISHING CAPACITY

Moving to a more streamlined process can help increase finishing capacity by taking the manual operations out of the middle of a finishing process. A streamlined process also allows you to increase output by limiting the number of finishing steps and the number of operators needed.

ALMCO offers automated processes and material handling systems (which may consist of conveyors, chutes, augers, etc.) to connect multiple pieces of equipment and move parts automatically from one process to the next. This eliminates the need for manual transfer of parts from machine to machine, saving you time and money.

In addition to reducing bottlenecks and capacity issues, a more streamlined finishing process also increases part consistency. With a streamlined system like the ones ALMCO offers, many processes like loading media and compound are automated. This reduces the likelihood of user-error and results in a consistent product finish every time.

ALMCO: YOUR SOLUTION SOURCE

If you’re looking to deburr, polish, wash, and dry your parts, ALMCO is your solution source and an all-in-one-stop for industrial parts finishing. In addition to providing equipment that will streamline your finishing process, ALMCO designs and creates custom equipment based on your unique project and specifications.

The following products are a few of our most-commonly purchased products by customers in the firearm and ammunition industries.

FREE PARTS PROCESSING

An essential step in determining the right equipment for your part is running samples in our lab. ALMCO offers free parts processing with no commitment.

Our process lab utilizes Millipore testing, contact surface profile measuring, as well as a Hirox Digital microscope capable of providing 3-D imaging, and edge-break and radius measuring, just to name a few capabilities.

Once we have your parts in house, we’ll determine what type of media and processing times it will take to get your desired finish. We can also work with your organization to provide a streamlined approach to your business, saving you time and money.

Let us show you what we can do for your firearm and ammunition finishing operation. Contact us today for free sample processing.