Newly Renovated Exterior

Alcon Post #16

Fresh paint!

Over the summer Alcon had an exterior makeover. All of the buildings were freshly painted white and the doors and garage doors that were once green are now painted blue. More “Alcon” signs were added and the once red brick building was painted white to match the rest of property. Alcon Tool looks better than ever with its clean, fresh white and deep blue contrasting colors. We have received countless compliments from customers who visit us that we are one of the cleanest and most presentable industrial plants they have seen.

The exterior brilliance is in direct correlation with the interior excellence that Alcon delivers. Click the link below to visit our website and let us help you with your industrial tooling needs.

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Skin Packing Machine

Alcon Post #15

In-House Machine Highlight

The skin packing machine represents the final stage of production for most of our products. The skin packer performs several duties; it provides a protective shield for each part while enhancing the safety and ease of handling for the customer and presents a uniformly sized unit for final packaging for shipment.

At the start of the process, each part is placed on a custom-cut piece of specialized corrugated skin board. Next, heat sensitive plastic sheet is rolled over the parts and attached to the frame at the perimeter. After the start button is pushed, the heating elements roll forward over the parts, the perimeter frame rises to about six inches below the heating elements until the film reaches the proper temperature. Once the film has reacted properly to the heat, the vacuum is started, the perimeter frame descends, the plastic film adheres to the skin board, and the heating element retracts away from the parts. The vacuum continues to operate after the heating element is fully retracted, ensuring that the heated plastic is properly adhered to the board and covers each part as snugly as possible. Each batch of parts sit momentarily to cool before heading off for boxing and shipment.

For a visual presentation of the process, click the link below:

View our Skin Packing Machine video on our YouTube channel

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Cooling Manifold

Alcon Post #14

In-House Tool

The pictures above and below provide examples of Alcon's manufacturing and engineering ability in producing intricate tooling. The pictured manifold will become part of a vertical spindle, rotary surface grinder in our plant. It's purpose is to increase coolant flow directly to the grinding wheel/part interface.

We can deliver the same engineering expertise and ingenuity to your product needs.

To learn more about our custom-made tools that we produce and sell direct from our plant in Akron, Ohio, visit our website and contact us today!

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Sensor Bracket

Alcon Post #13

In-House Tool

The sensor bracket, shown above, is located on the handle of a crane that lifts large pins during production. This homemade tool measures the hand position of the crane. Also, it is made of steel and powder-coated with a candy apple red finish for visibility.

Large Pivot Pins are typically too heavy to load on a machine by hand. Hence, cranes are used to facilitate handling of large parts during production. We do not sell the sensor brackets but we do manufacture and sell many different types of pins here at Alcon Tool.

To view and order custom-made, high quality pins for your company, visit our website and contact us today!

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Instructions for Removal of Score Slitters from Pneumatic Holders

Alcon Post #12

How-To for Pneumatic Knife Holders

To extract a dull score slitter from a pneumatic knife holder, follow these steps:

   

1. Insert the extraction tool (Figure A) between the side plates of the holder with the concave edge toward the slitter (Figure B, Figure C)

2. Using the holder base a fulcrum, pivot the extraction tool with enough force to eject the slitter, bearing, and axle as a unit (Figure D, below)

Should you have any questions about Alcon's pneumatic knife holders, advice on custom applications, and to learn more about how Alcon Tool can help you with your cutting needs, visit our website and contact us today!

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

The Shipping Department

Alcon Post #11

Department Highlight

Alcon has a very busy shipping department, with finished parts being packaged and shipped daily to customers all over the world. The first stop for many of our parts is the laser engraver, where we add our logo and identification numbers for future re-identification and easier ordering of replacement parts. We also offer custom engraving depending on the customer's needs.

Our laser engraving station

Here at Alcon we take steps to make sure your newly manufactured product reaches your company free from damage and rust. To combat the challenges of nature we apply rust preventative and, for many knives, apply an edge guard that ensures the cutting edge is unblemished upon arrival. We also frequently skin pack parts before shipment. Skin packing allows for cleaner boxing and increased stability while in transit.

Before skin packed

Before skin packed

After skin packed

After skin packed

We work with all major carriers on a daily basis, allowing the flexibility necessary to send your parts to you how and when you would you like. When you place your order with us, let us know what shipping options you require and we will do the rest!

For more information about the shipping department, visit our YouTube channel (link provided below) or visit our website to contact us with individual questions.

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Hydraulic Hose Blade

Alcon Post #10

Tool Highlight

Hydraulic hose blade

The Hydraulic Hose Blade is used by manufacturers and distributors to cut reinforced hose to length as required for shipment in bulk or as needed for specific pieces of hydraulically powered equipment.  In the case of distributors, they would generally attach a fitting to each end of the hose.  Due to the high pressure hydraulic fluid that is used in today's equipment, the hoses need to be reinforced with either a fabric, many times Kevlar (a DuPont product), high-strength steel wire, or both.  This presents an extremely difficult application for any steel cutting blade.  

To accomplish this difficult task, Alcon manufactures its Hose Cut-off blades from M-2 High Speed Steel, many times with a scalloped edge as shown above. M-2 has the best combination of toughness, wear resistance, and hardness that allows the blade to remain sharp and durable within the harshest cutting environments (cutting rubber, Kevlar, and steel). The scallop pattern provides a sawing action that produces a clean cut while minimizing cutting residue.

Click the link below to visit us on our YouTube channel to view the video about Hydraulic Hose Blades:

Hydraulic Hose Blade Video

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Calender Knives

Alcon Post #9

Tool Highlight

367 Calender Knife

Tire, rubber, and polymer producing companies use calender knives (see picture above, and Item 5 in schematic at the bottom) in the early stages of rubber or polymer production. After the polymer material is mixed to the required chemistry, it is next run through a calender to reduce the thickness to finished, or near finished thickness, using two or more horizontal cylindrical rolls. Calender knives are used to cut a strip of rubber or polymer from the roll for further processing downstream. Because the cylindrical rolls are expensive, the knives are sacrificed to prevent scoring (or grooving) the rolls. The knives are designed to be softer than the rolls and do not rotate. Rotation would promote scoring. Hence the need for pinholes in most calender knives. The knives are supplied sharp and as they become dull a "flat" is produced on the edge that becomes the bearing surface. As each blade becomes too dull to cut, the blade is unbolted from the handle (Item 4), indexed or rotated by hand to the next available sharp spot, and re-bolted to the handle.

2400-3 Calender Knife Carrier

Shown above is the calender knife carrier (also Item 3 in the schematic sketch below). The carrier performs several duties. It is adjustable along the calender bar (Item 2), supports the handle (Item 4), that carries the knife (Item 5) and contains the pressure adjusting the screw (Item 7). As shown in the schematic, the knife contacts the calender roll below the center of the roll. This aides in keeping the knife in the cut.

Calender Knife Bar Assembly - from our catalog

View a video about calender knives on our YouTube channel by clicking on the link: Calender Knife YouTube Video

If you have any questions, please call our customer service department at (330) 773-9171. 


Our catalog options shown on our website:

Alcon's Calender Knives Selection & Custom Ordering

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Sleeves & Slitters

Alcon Post #8

Tool Highlight

Sleeve - inside view

Sleeve - outside view

Sleeves and slitters work together to reduce -or, in industry terminology, "convert"- wide rolls of material into narrower strips. Generally, the material from the original roll is unwinds, travels over a shaft mounted with sleeves, is slit (cut), then rewound onto cores for use by the end customer/consumer. Materials that involve this method of cutting include thin paper, film, and foil.

The slitter (knives) are mounted in holders that accommodate bearings allowing the slitter to walk along the rotating sleeve. Slitters cut with pressure through a radiused edge. While a sharp edge would ship quickly, producing a jagged cut as well as scoring of the sleeve, a radiused edge performs optimally for clean, consistent cutting performance.

Sleeves require a higher hardness than the slitters thereby sacrificing the less-expensive slitter, which can be easily replaced and/or resharpened. Replacing dull knives with properly radiused ones takes only minutes while replacing entire sleeves that need reconditioned can require hours or days in total.

All Alcon sleeves are through-hardened, which permits regrinding. Regrinding extends the life of the sleeve itself which means savings for your company. Eventually, all sleeves need to be reground due to the scoring (or grooving) of the sleeves. Alcon can perform this service as well and return the sleeve surface to its original condition and can match a set of sleeves to the same diameter within .001-inch.

To achieve optimal tool life and cutting profile, and to best-fit the specific cutting application, slitters can be manufactured from a variety of steels and materials. Alcon is prepared and capable of producing the slitters that you need to the exact specifications that you require.

Slitter - top & side views

Check out our Youtube video about Sleeves and Slitters by clicking on the link below:

Sleeve and Slitter YouTube video

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

 (330) 773-9171

  Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company