Manufacturing of a ballpoint pen

Production of the ink

The ink of pens in general is formed in large batches as pens are made in mass
production. The raw materials used follow formulated percentages and are mixed
to make the "perfect" ink. Depending on the materials used and the appointed
amount of each material, the ink batches can be heated or cooled to speed up the
ink's production. Pigment, lubricant, thickener, and surfactant are some examples
of the raw materials which are commonly used.

Stamping and forming

The point and body of a ballpoint pen are formed through molds. Brass discs are
placed into a compression chamber after being stamped into their shape. When in
the compression chamber, the ram presses on the disc, making the compressor's
plunger retract with its spring and making a cast of the disc inside the
compressor's gate (excess metal is recycled). The formed pieces are then cleaned
in a bath and cut to the pen's dimensions. Outside vendors tend to supply pen
manufacturers with the actual tungsten carbide balls.

Molding the housing

The plastic components of a pen can be formed through either injection or
extrusion molding. In the extrusion method, plastic granules are fed into a hopper
where a large spiral screw spins. The spiral screw forces the plastic through a
heated chamber, making the product a thick and constant mass of plastic. It is
then died, cooled, and cut for the pen's design. For complex design pens, injection
molding is typically used. Plastic is heated to liquidation where it is then forced into
a mold. It is cooled off and then maintains the mold's shape.

Works Cited

"Ballpoint Pen." How Ballpoint Pen Is Made. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016. <http:
//www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Ballpoint-Pen.html>.