What Is the Difference Between a Round Bar, a Drill Rod, and a Shafting?

Metals are made in different shapes and sizes. Pipe and tubes look similar but somewhat different properties and use.

Round bar, drill rod, and shafting are also forms of round shapes.

Round Bar

A round bar is a long, cylindrical metal bar that is just as it looks. Round bar is available in a number of plastics, from hot rolled or cold rolled steel, stainless steel, titanium, alloy steel, brass, and more, and in a wide range of diameters from 1/4′′ to 24”.

Aluminum Round Bars

Aluminum round bars are lightweight and corrosion-resistant, and they’re simple to mill and cut. The most use of aluminum round bars includes is trim, shafts, brackets, pins, and dowels are all popular uses for aluminum round bars.

Brass Round Bars

When power, electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and spark resistance are needed, brass round bars are used. When brushed, brass has an enticing sheen and is easy to machine. Sea hardware, instruments, fasteners, and fixtures are a few instances of brass bar uses.

Stainless Steel Round Bars

Hot and cold rolled are the two types of SS Round bars. Hot rolled round bar is commonly used in building applications where a perfect finish and exact dimensions aren’t needed. Cold rolled round bar, on the other hand, is used for applications that require a superior surface finish and precise dimensions. Frameworks, supports, braces, shafts, and axles are all typical uses for steel round bar. Stainless Steel Round Bars are high corrosion resistant. The stainless steel can withstand elevated levels of acidity and can be used in chlorinated or alkaline conditions.

Drill Rods

Drill rods are made of tool steel that has been ground to a precise diameter resistance. Drill rods are usually oval, but they can also be made in square shapes. They are often tempered before being machined. This procedure entails heating the steel to soften it and make it more workable. Until machining can begin, the steel is air cooled. Drill rods are commonly used to make drill bits, taps, dowel pins, shafts, and reamers. They are also used in the production of hammers, files, and punches.

There are 2 types of Drill rods

Water Hardened Drill Rods

Water hardened drill rods are less alloyed than oil hardened drill rods, allowing them to be machined more quickly. The rod is heated until it glows red and then immersed in a vat of water to cool during the water hardening process. As a result, a hard, robust metal that is easily machined is made. It is not, though, appropriate for welding. Drill rods that have been water resistant are used in the production of hammers and files.

Oil Hardened Drill Rods

Water hardened drill rods are less alloyed than oil hardened drill rods, allowing them to be machined more quickly. The rod is heated until it glows red and then immersed in a vat of water to cool during the water hardening process. As a result, a hard, robust metal that is easily machined is made. It is not, though, appropriate for welding. Drill rods that have been water resistant are used in the production of hammers and files.

Shafts

Shafting, also known as Turned Ground and Polished Shafting, is a term used to describe circular bars that are manufactured with fine quality and accurate steel. They are brushed to ensure that the surfaces are smooth and absolutely straight. The production process is engineered to achieve exceptionally tight tolerances for surface finish, roundness, hardness, and straightness, resulting in a long service life with minimal maintenance.

Shafting bars are often used in high-accuracy applications such as temperature measurement instruments, laboratory equipment, high-speed motor shafts, drive shafts, pump shafts, and ball bushings. The bar is often expected to rotate at full speed in these situations. As a result, extreme straightness is crucial to prevent excessive vibration and bearing wear.

Induction hardening is used to harden the shafts

Induction hardening is a non-contact heating method that employs electromagnetic induction to generate the required heat. A strong alternating magnetic field is applied to the material, causing an electric current to pass through the metal and generate heat. The steel’s heart remains unaffected and maintains its physical properties throughout this process. The steel is then quenched in water, oil, or a special polymer, causing the surface layer to develop an incredibly hard martensitic structure.