Custom machined change parts
Plastic star wheels
- Starting point
- Drawing, worn wheel or container
- Containers
- Round or shaped
- Grades
- Detectable available
- Quantity
- One wheel to format sets
Custom-machined star wheels and change parts for fillers, cappers, rinsers and labelers. Made to your drawing, matched to your worn wheel, or profiled for a new container.
- ±0.002"–±0.005" on critical dimensions
- Family owned in Aurora since 1986
- Expedited service for breakdowns
Where the star wheel sits
Carrying containers through the machine
A star wheel takes each container in a pocket and carries it into, through or out of a machine at the right pitch. Select a station to see its job.
01 · Upstream part
Timing screw
A helical screw that spaces and orients containers along the infeed before they reach the star wheel.
02 · Star wheel
Infeed star wheel
Receives each container in a pocket and carries it into the machine at the pitch the machine needs.
03 · Star wheel or turret
Filler, capper or labeler
Star wheels or a turret carry containers under or past the heads while the work is done.
04 · Star wheel
Discharge star wheel
Takes each finished container out of the machine and back onto the conveyor.
What defines the fit
Fit comes from the interfaces
Diameter and thickness aren’t enough. A star wheel has to match the container, the pitch and the way it’s timed on the machine.
Machine Make, model, station, and infeed or discharge position
-
A Container
- Container drawing or a sample
- Shape at the contact height
- Labels or finishes that must not be marked
-
B Pockets
- Number of pockets and pitch
- Profile, depth and relief
- Lead-in and handoff shape
-
C Wheel and mounting
- Diameter and thickness
- Bore, hub, key and locating holes
- One-piece, split or segmented
-
D Timing
- Timing marks or datum
- Direction of rotation
- Mating guides, screws and heads
Getting a quote
Start with what you have
Any one of these is enough to get a quote started. Pick yours to see what helps.
Send the drawing and we machine to it.
- Quantity
- Plastic and grade, if specified
- Detection or food-contact needs
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Send the old wheel and the container it runs.
- The container or its drawing
- Machine make, model and station
- A less-worn wheel, if you have one
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Send the container and the machine details.
- Container samples or drawings
- Machine make, model and station
- Current change parts, if any
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Plastics for star wheels
Common choices, and why
- UHMW Low friction and impact-resistant, and gentle on containers.
- Acetal Stiff and dimensionally stable, so pockets hold their shape and pitch.
- Nylon Strong and wear-resistant. It takes on moisture, which we allow for when machining.
- Detectable grades Metal- and X-ray-detectable plastics, covered below.
Food and beverage lines
Detectable star wheels
Star wheels work right next to the product, so many food and beverage lines specify detectable plastics. If a piece breaks off, the line’s inspection system has a chance to find it.
Whether a fragment is found depends on your system, its settings and the fragment size. It isn’t automatic.
Detectable plastics-
Metal-detectable
A metal additive lets fragments register on metal detectors.
-
X-ray-detectable
Dense enough for fragments to show on X-ray inspection.
Grades detectable by both are available, usually in blue for visual checks.
Tell us
- Detection method
- Metal, X-ray or both
- Conditions
- Product, cleaning and temperature
- Requirements
- Grade or documentation needed
Machined in Aurora
How your star wheels are made
±0.002"–
±0.005"
On critical dimensions, depending on the plastic. Pockets are milled on our CNC mills, with bores and hubs machined to your shaft.
-
Pockets to the container
Round or shaped pockets profiled to your container, with lead-ins and handoff shape to match the machine.
-
One-piece, split or segmented
Split and segmented wheels fit around the shaft, so they can go on without pulling it. Supplied with their hardware fitted.
-
Full format sets
Star wheels plus the matching guides and other change parts for each container, machined together.
Evaluating a supplier? See the shop and how we check the work.
Buyer questions
Star wheel FAQs
Something else? Call (630) 904-2525.
Send the machine make, model and station, the OEM part number if you have one, and the old wheel or a drawing. We machine to the interfaces your machine uses: bore, hub, locating holes and timing marks.
Food-contact documentation is available for the grades used in food zones. Tell us what your line requires and we’ll quote the right grade.
Yes. Specifications and CAD files are kept, so a new format or a reorder starts from what we already have.
We hold ±0.002" to ±0.005" on critical dimensions, depending on the plastic. We review your drawing and confirm the critical dimensions, such as pocket pitch and bore, with your quote.
Timing depends on the wheel, plastic and quantity, and comes with your quote. For an emergency breakdown, ask about our expedited service.
Not a star wheel?
Find the right part
We machine almost any plastic part. If yours isn’t listed, describe it in a quote request.
Standard quote
Ready to send your star wheel details?
Experienced help from your first quote to the finished part.