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  • Products
    • Torqo 1600 Non-Destructive Cap Torque Tester
    • ST-120S Industrial Cap Torque Tester
    • Manual Torque Testers
      • ST-H0X Manual Tester
      • ST-FT1 Chuck Calibrator
    • Accessories/Options
      • Automatic Product Detection
      • Calibration Kits
      • Verification Kits
      • Custom Tooling
      • Fatigue-Resistant Cap Gripper
      • Universal EDM Chuck
      • 4-Post Cap Gripper
      • TorqueIQ – Statistical Process Control
    • Rentals
    • Other Mesa Products
  • Services
    • Calibration & Repair
    • Upgrade/ Trade-In Options
    • Torque Validation
  • Industries
    • Beverages
    • Medical Devices
    • Chemicals
    • Cosmetics
    • Food
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Spirits, Wine & Beer
  • Resources & Documents
    • Documents & Manuals
    • Manual vs. Automatic Testing
    • Torque Testing Standards
    • CAPtions Newsletter
    • Videos
    • Related Links
    • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Torque Technical Support
    • Find a Distributor

Unusual Applications: Bullet Shells & Crimping

October 13, 2015Cap Torque TestingBy Gabor Szakacs

From time to time, when we receive unique inquiries, we like to think outside of the box and try something different from the traditional cap and bottle testing Mesa is known for. With simple tooling and programming changes, we can often accommodate unusual torque testing requests. For example, recently we discovered how an automatic torque tester can help in the quality control of crimped bullets/shells.

According to americanrifleman.org, crimping bullets properly is a constant problem. Crimping too heavily could push MAPs over the limit, which affects accuracy and causes leading. Crimping too lightly can “result in erratic breech pressures, high variations in muzzle velocity, excess unburned propellant and malfunctions in semi-automatic firearms.”

This issue is well known among gun owners. According to various forums, certain ammo brands are often associated with poor quality crimps and noticeable variation in accuracy/velocity. When terms such as “loose in the case” or “problematic” are often mentioned in relation to a specific ammo brand, it is clear that they may have quality control issues. It is time to pay attention to the “crimp torque”!

Quality control of crimped bullets is possible by using a slightly modified SureTorque tester. After making the appropriate changes to parts, and programming the machine to rotate the bullet in the case 360 degrees, the machine can automatically measure the peak and average “crimp torque”. The peak value and the angle-torque profile can be used to identify issues with the crimping equipment.

Once the process limits are established, it is easy to monitor the crimping process by running a torque test on bullets every half hour or so. Measurement results out of the acceptable process range can trigger an audio/visual alarm notifying the crimping machine operator that a tooling is worn or an adjustment is due.

The video below shows how our Mesa Torque Testers, with some re-design, can fit this application.

For more information on how a Mesa Torque Tester may be able to help in your application, please contact a representative today.

Let’s talk torque analyzers!

Talk with one of our experts to get your questions answered and see how we can help you solve your torque analyzer pain points.


About the author

Gabor Szakacs

Gabor Szakacs is the Product Manager for Mesa Laboratories' Torque product line. Since 2001, he worked for SureTorque Inc. and its successors in Sarasota, FL, then moved to Lakewood, CO after Mesa Labs acquired the automated torque testing products in 2013. Gabor received his M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Budapest University of Technology and Economy. After graduating, he worked as a Business Information Systems Manager at New England Machinery, then he moved on to the industrial automation, packaging/package testing field. He has worked on various packaging machinery and automated package testing equipment designs, including those that measure pressure, force and torque. Today, he helps clients identify closure torque issues, customizes torque testing equipment and develops new test methods. Gabor is a member of the Packaging committee of the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) and the D10.32 subcommittee of The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). He is passionate about educating packaging professionals about torque testing related issues and solutions.

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