Custom machined change parts
Plastic timing wheels
- Job
- Pitch & phase handoff
- Starting point
- Drawing or worn wheel
- Containers
- Round or shaped
- Quantity
- One wheel to format sets
Pocketed wheels that take containers from one station and hand them to the next at the pitch and timing it needs. Also called timing stars or indexing stars by some machine makers. Machined to your drawing or from your worn wheel.
- ±0.002"–±0.005" on critical dimensions
- Family owned in Aurora since 1986
- Expedited service for breakdowns
What a timing wheel does
Changing pitch between stations
Containers often arrive at one spacing and need to leave at another. The timing wheel bridges the two and keeps every container in step with the next station.
In · Pitch A
From the timing screw, conveyor or previous wheel
Timing wheel
Out · Pitch B
Into the next star wheel, turret or machine
-
Receives at pitch A
Its pockets meet each container at the spacing it arrives in.
-
Hands off at pitch B
It releases each container at the spacing the next station needs.
-
Stays in phase
Each container arrives exactly when the next pocket or head expects it.
What defines a timing wheel
The machine sets it as much as the wheel
A timing wheel only works if it matches both stations. Half of what we need comes from the machine, half from the wheel itself.
From the machine
- The name used in the machine’s documentation
- Make, model and station
- Pitch coming in and pitch going out
- Phase, timing marks or timing slots
- Mating guides, dead plates, screws and sensors
From the wheel
- Diameter and thickness
- Pocket count and profile
- Direction of rotation
- Bore, hub, key and clamp
- Axial position on the shaft
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.
- Both station pitches
- Quantity
- Plastic, if specified
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
- What feeds it and what it feeds
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Send what you know. We’ll ask for the rest.
- Machine make, model and station
- A container sample or drawing
- Photos of the transfer
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Plastics for timing wheels
Common choices, and why
- UHMW Low friction and impact-resistant, and gentle on containers.
- Acetal Stiff and dimensionally stable, so pockets hold their pitch.
- Nylon Strong and wear-resistant, including cast nylon. It takes on moisture, which we allow for when machining.
- Detectable grades Metal- and X-ray-detectable plastics, for lines with inspection systems.
Machined in Aurora
How your timing wheels are made
±0.002"–
±0.005"
On critical dimensions, depending on the plastic. Pockets are milled on our CNC mills.
-
Pockets to the container
Round or shaped pockets profiled to your container and both pitches.
-
Timing features that hold phase
Bores, keyways, locating holes and timing slots machined so the wheel goes back on in phase.
-
Sets with the star wheels
Timing wheels, star wheels and guides for each container format, machined together.
Evaluating a supplier? See the shop and how we check the work.
Buyer questions
Timing wheel FAQs
Something else? Call (630) 904-2525.
Not quite. Some machine makers say timing star, indexing star or transfer wheel, and some people use “timing wheel” for a timing-belt pulley. Send the drawing, part number or where it sits on the machine, and we’ll work out what you need.
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 timing features, 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 timing 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 timing wheel details?
Experienced help from your first quote to the finished part.