Cold Heading & Thread Rolling Machines

Selection criteria

Number of stations, speed, die life.

Supply chain

Cold formers come from US and Italian makers (National Machinery, Sacma) and from Taiwanese and Chinese builders; Zhejiang (Wenzhou, Ningbo) and Taiwan are major fastener clusters. Motor makers buy standard fasteners rather than these machines.

Buyer FAQ

How are cold headers specified?

The main figures are wire diameter range, maximum blank length, number of stations and speed. Simple small screws run on one-die two-blow headers at roughly 100–300 parts per minute; longer or more complex parts need multi-station formers. Thread rolling is a separate machine, matched to the header's output.

Why are rolled threads preferred over cut threads?

Thread rolling displaces material instead of removing it, so the grain flow follows the thread profile and the root is work-hardened. Rolled threads therefore have noticeably better fatigue and stripping strength, produce no chips and are much faster. Cut threads are only used for small batches or sizes beyond rolling capability.

What should I check when auditing a screw supplier?

Check the wire grade and certificates, thread gauging to 6g, heat-treatment records and hardness, and plating thickness. Zinc-plated hardened screws (property class 10.9 or above) need hydrogen-embrittlement baking soon after plating. Also ask how die wear is tracked, because worn header dies show up as head cracks and dimensional drift.

Where it is used