How to choose an eyelet or grommet setting machine

SISKA INC.

How to determine what setting machine is best suited to your application

There are a number of factors that determine what type of setting machine you should use. The quantity of work that needs to be done is an important factor. If your eyelet or grommet setting needs are very infrequent then a hand setting tool that you hit with a mallet will do. (go to the hand setting tool page) These types of setting tools are used mostly in repair work where the repair must be done in the field. The hand setting tools are a primitive way of setting an eyelet or grommet and do not usually lead to the best setting. It is hard to determine how hard you have to hit the top driver to set the eyelet or grommet and multiple settings usually do not come out consistent. If the top driver is held at a slight angle, one side of the grommet will set more than the other result in an uneven roll setting.

If your application requires consistent pressure settings, the next option is the tabletop bench setters. These machines are equipped with an adjustable stop to regulate the exact amount of setting pressure applied. In applications such as attaching an eyelet to a computer board or making a pinwheel, over setting an eyelet would result in a crushed and broken computer board or a pinwheel that did not spin. The bench top setters deliver a straight even pressure that results in a perfect setting time after time. Once the stop is adjusted there is no fear of over setting or under setting the eyelet or grommet. These machines are totally manual and all parts (eyelets, grommets and washers) and your work are hand fed. Siska Inc has bench top hand setters that will set the smallest electronic eyelets all the way up to a #6 grommet. Since all these machines are hand feed only they are a slow method of setting an eyelet or grommet. If you application requires you to set a few thousand eyelets or grommets these machine would be sufficient. (go to the bench top eyelet setting machine page)

The next progression in machines would be the foot press setters. The advantage of a foot press is that both your hands are free to hold the work and hand feed the eyelets, grommets or washers. The foot presses also make it easier on the operator since most people's legs are stronger than their arms. Higher quantities can be set each day with a foot press versus a hand press because there is less operator fatigue. Foot presses are available to set the smallest electronic eyelet up to a #8 Rolled Rim Grommet. (go to the foot press setting machine page)

If you have a job that requires setting 10 thousand eyelets or grommets or more, then an auto-feed foot press is appropriate. The eyelets or grommets are fed into a hopper on the side of the machine and are automatically placed into your application with foot power. The advantage of the auto feed machine is speed. Only your work has to be placed on the machine as the eyelets or grommets are fed automatically. You can expect an increase in production of at least 3 to 1 over a hand feed foot press. (go to the 489 auto feed foot press setting machine page) For higher production the foot press can be air assisted or electric powered. This will all but eliminate operator fatigue and result in higher production even after 5 or 6 hours of work since only a tap of your foot activates these machines. (go to the 489 air /electric powered eyelet setting machine page)

Most hand and foot presses require that your work have a hole in it already to accept the eyelet or grommet. Setting dies can be made to pierce the work by the operator pulling the material over a sharp point. Siska Inc. can also make cut/setting dies that will require the operator to cycle the machine twice. One cycle to cut the hole in the material and another cycle to set the eyelet or grommet. Pre-cutting or punching a hole in your work is always preferred to making the hole with the dies or eyelet setting machines. This is not a problem in many applications where the application is first formed by stamping presses or die cutting. Having a precut hole in your application insures that the eyelets or grommets will be placed in the same position in each piece and not rely on the operator for placement. If pre cutting a hole is not practical, guides or gauges can be made and fitted to the eyelet or grommet machines to assist the operator in getting an accurate placement. Production speeds do suffer however since the machine has to be cycled twice and care must be taken to position the piece correctly in the machine.

The next step to increased production is the automatic two-cycle eyelet or grommet setter. These machines are electric powered tabletop models that are actuated by tapping a foot pedal. The machine quickly cycles twice cutting the hole on the first cycle and setting the eyelet or grommet on the second cycle. This entire process takes less than a second. An example of this type of machine is the "Model F". (go to the electric powered heavy duty setting machines page)

Another factor in machine selection is how far the eyelet or grommet is set from the edge of your application. Throat depths vary on all machines and some machines are only capable of setting an eyelet within 4 inches of the edge of the work. The throat depths are listed on our machine pages and are an important factor to consider.

If your application requires you to set eyelets or grommets up to a size 0 in a series, there is no finer machine on the market than the Siska Rapid eyelet machine. This machine was specifically designed to manufacture belts and shoes. The machine is capable of punching a hole, setting an eyelet and feeding the material in rapid succession and can set 5 eyelets one inch apart in less than 3 seconds. (go to the Siska Rapid eyelet machine page)

Siska Inc. has been building eyelet machines since 1938 and in its third generation of ownership can make selecting the appropriate machine easy. Just send us a sample of your job and we can recommend the right machine. For more complicated applications we can make a videotape of our machines in action with your material.

TO ORDER - We sell to companies only. Please call our Customer Service Department at 800-393-5381 for pricing and delivery information. For further information or to return to our "HOW TO" page click HERE