Turning of rods

The details play a very important role in design engineering. When a design is poor in detailing it is quite different with the same one designed carefully to the last screw. One may think why it is so important to design all the details. Someone who designs and builds prototypes will learn that the required details for completing the project are so many and in reality it takes a lot of time to finish the design. Rods are components which belong to above category. The rods have many applications of minor importance in respect to the complete design. Because of their shape (small diameter with relatively large length) they must be designed with internal thread or threaded ends in order to be assembled. Usually the easiest way for turning off a rod is to machining an across flats on it, although the most elegant solution is to make a small length hexagon. The across flat or the hexagonal feature should be based on standard end wrench sizes. The designing of the rod with an across flats feature, is used in all sizes (from the smallest to the largest). The use of a thread hole with a flat point set screw and a socket key is used in small rods. By applying glue and screwing completely the socket screw into the threaded hole, produces a permanent hex socket. This is a low cost solution especially when the rod is small and no milling machine is available. Another way for turning off a rod is to drill a simple hole. In heavier applications we can use custom screws with across flats or standard hexagon screws and washers. The custom screws can also function as positive abutments for components which insert in the rod. There are other more advanced solutions which are using special keys and slots like DIN1804, 1816, 14822, 44716, where the manufacturing cost is larger.