Learn More About Testing Thin Material With a Superficial Tetster:
Electro Arc purchased the Ames Portable Hardness Tester line in 1975. The Ames Precision Machine Works no longer exists as a separate company, the product line continues to be manufactured under the Electro Arc name. Stillion Industries purchased Electro Arc in 2019 and is now the parent company of both the Electro Arc and Ames product lines.
Stillion Industries continues to manufacture and calibrate Ames hardness testers. If you would like to purchase a new hardness tester, please visit the Ames website for more information. The Electro Arc website is dedicated to Electro Arc metal disintegrators. This article is designed to send you to the appropriate website for Ames testers. You can purchase Ames testers and accessories through the website, or you can contact Electro Arc to place an order. You can also send in your tester to be calibrated or repaired by our technician.
Here's a Look at the Capacity of Ames Testers:
The Ames product line consists of Standard and Superficial Hardness testers. All Ames hardness testers are machined by Stillion Industries in Dexter Michigan. We make 8 models of standard testers and 5 models of superficial testers, including the tube tester the model 1-ST. 98% of the components for Ames testers are made onsite at our facility. Every tester is hand-assembled and calibrated prior to sale. For this reason, there may be a delay when you order a new tester if we do not have that model hardness tester in stock.
The Michigan Manufacturing Association started the Coolest Thing Made in Michigan contest in 2018 to recognize innovative products from the manufacturing industry. They assist these Michigan-made products in gaining exposure. Electro Arc metal disintegrators were nominated in 2020 but did not make it to the second round. This year, We were nominated again and made it to the second round, although we did not advance to the top 3.
Thank you to those of you who took advantage of the opportunity to vote online for Electro Arc metal disintegrators. Round two voting ended on October 7, 2022, on National Manufacturing Day. You may be aware that Electro Arc is celebrating 75 years of manufacturing our Electro Arc metal disintegrators and they have always been hand-made right here in Michigan!
Why should you vote for Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators?
Many people have never heard of a metal disintegrator before. Unless you have had problems with broken bolts, drills, and taps you may have never needed one. These machines were designed to disintegrate broken tooling while saving the part it is broken in which makes it a valuable asset across industries! Originally developed to remove broken bolts from aircraft parts, these metal disintegrating machines are now made in over 40 models. Our popular model 2-S metal disintegrator is perfect for small shops with a disintegrating head that chucks up to a drill press or lathe to allow you to disintegrate using existing machine tools. Our heavy-duty Bolt Eater removes large bolts and carbide buttons in the oil and gas industry and more.
10 Reasons Electro Arc is the Coolest thing Made in Michigan
Every Metal Disintegrator is hand built in Dexter, Michigan
Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators remove broken tooling in minutes!
Our machines are built to last, we recently found a customer that has been using a machine over 60 years old!
Harry Bennett, shown above on one of his horses is well known for his association with Ford. The pictures in this blog were Bennett’s and were passed on to Harold Stark when his family bought the noteworthy Bennett castle on Geddes road in Ann Arbor. This castle came equipped with an “island” which was the location of Electro Arc operations until the early 2000s, while Harold Stark and his family lived in the Castle, which Henry Bennett sold in a private sale to Harold Stark in 1942.
Bennett was not well-liked, his dedication to Ford and the position he took was filled with violence markedly the “Battle of the Overpass” a brutal mark of his work against unions for Ford at the time. In contrast with his reputation, when Bennett met with the Stark family he gave one of his horses to Harold Stark Jr., who would eventually take over Electro Arc.
The Stark family maintained a relationship with the Ford family. Former Electro Arc employees recall parties in which the Ford family may attend, and when the Castle was sold, the Ford family purchased it for a time. The Castle was since sold to a private owner, and the Island remains the property of the Ford family.
Some rumors say, when Harry Bennet built the caste on Geddes road, materials were stolen from the River Rouge Factory. This seems unlikely since the property was a project that Ford Fully supported. This lavish home was evidence that Bennett’s salary was more than one might expect for the position he held. Apparently, Ford and Bennet planned this secret castle together, adding features like turrets, and a secret tunnel.
As Electro Arc machine owners, we understand that you need resources in addition to the owner’s manual you received with your metal disintegrator. As a company that has been producing metal disintegrating machines for 75 years, we know we have quite a few versions of our product in use with various stages of support needed.
Since Stillion Industries purchased Electro Arc, we have been striving to improve both the product and the support offered for these machines. Both of these processes are time-consuming and costly, so it has taken us a while to get to the point where we can produce new media to replace set-up and operation videos that are currently available. We have been offering new content through our YouTube channel to address common questions and demonstrate how our machines work.
We recently released a 30-page troubleshooting guide which addresses the most common issues machine owners may have with their metal disintegrator or disintegrating head. This guide is free of charge and is available for download in our store here on ElectroArc.com You may have noticed that a majority of the content from our troubleshooting section has moved. This is because we have created a new resource to assist existing machine owners.
We have also dedicated a new website to hosting all of the current setup and operation videos that we have for our metal disintegrators (yes, they are from the 90s) but they do cover the important points new machine owners may need to cover for training purposes. This website Metal-disintegrators.com is dedicated to providing a resource for machine owners through multi-media. We will continue to expand and improve the content available on this site.
Electro Arc was formed in Detroit Michigan on May 26, 1947, by Harold W. Stark, who was a metallurgist/manufacturer and investment broker. Harold’s team patented the AC metal disintegrator in 1942. The metal disintegrators were originally branded as “boring machines” while patents were pending:
In 1949 Electro Arc moved its operations to Ann Arbor, running the business on the island across from Stark’s new residence, “The Castle” on Geddes Road. Nicknamed “The Castle”, this notable location was one of many properties associated with Ford’s close associate Harry Bennett. Stark purchased this unique property in a private sale offered by Bennett in 1948. The castle and Electro Arc stayed in the family, with Harold Stark’s eldest son, Harold Stark II taking over the business in the 1960s after his father passed away and moving his own family into the castle. The castle was sold in the 1970s but Electro Arc operations remained on the Island. Stark II moved the company operations to 161 Enterprise Drive in Ann Arbor, MI in 2008 in order to accommodate expanding operations. The company remained at this address until the company was purchased by Stillion Industries.
New promotions rebranded these machines as “Electro Arcs” and later “metal disintegrators” as they are currently known and referenced pending patents as the reason for limiting prior promotion of the Electro Arc product line. Electro Arc also merged with Syncro-cut Service Co, working closely with a large university’s engineering school as mentioned below:
Electro Arc continued on to release several new products increasing its product line to over 40 bespoke machines.
The F-5 Carbide Impregnator was introduced in mid-1964, this machine improves the life of drills, milling cutters, stamping and extrusion dies, lathe turning tools, slitting saws, form tools, taps, broaches, and punches by hardening wear surfaces of these tools.
The Model 3-S lightweight portable metal disintegrator was released in November 1964. This machine was designed to remove taps of any size, drills as small as .040 diameter without distorting the hole, it cuts shapes of any shape in hardened steel without distortion. We continue to manufacture and sell these machines. This machine was updated in February of 1966 to include a coolant tank base. Later the same year, the Model 1 metal disintegrator was released.
In 1967 and 1968 Electro Arc released the 2-SE and 2-S portable disintegrator models. The Model 2-S originally featured the LBH head which has since been upgraded to the arc-er head. This versatile disintegrating head can be chucked to any machining device at any angle (as shown above) and has a pull-out coolant tank designed for easy cleaning. The 2-SE has the features of the 2-S with the addition of a 20” x 19” cast iron tabletop featuring 3 T-slots.
Between 1969 and 1972 Electro Arc introduced several of its HK machines beginning with the HK-6, which at the time was the largest and most versatile table metal disintegrator available. This machine designed for extra heavy workpieces has a capacity of 8000 pounds, features a double-barrel 27-inch cross-arm which rotates 360 degrees and offers power feed which eliminates the possibility of human error.
In 2004 When Electro Arc purchased long-time competitor Uni-Tek, the metal disintegrator line doubled, now offering both AC and DC machines. DC models like the 2-SC and all of the DC tabletop models are perfect for disintegrating carbide. The X-1 and X-2 Extract All machines are portable and ideal for use onsite. The Bolt Eater provides heavy-duty cutting power with the servo head on a portable machine.
In 1975 Electro Arc began producing the Ames Portable Hardness Tester Line, introducing the Model 8 portable hardness tester in 1975, the tube hardness testing model ST in 1977, and offering a digital tester briefly in the 90s before discontinuing it. In 2000 the company upgraded from the wooden case for hardness testers to a high-impact case.
Both Starks purchased many companies during their commitment to Electro Arc, including metal disintegration companies Elox, Vibra’Arc, Marbaix, Jiffy, and Unitek. Ames joined the Electro Arc family in 1975, adding Ames Portable Hardness Testers to the Electro Arc product offerings. Stillion Industries is a family-owned machine shop which also began in Ann Arbor. Stillion Industries opened its doors to offer machining services in 1972. Originally started by Chuck Stillion, and now run by his son Keith Stillion, who moved the company to Dexter in 2014 after purchasing Dexter Manufacturing. Stillion Industries machined parts for Electro Arc for years before Keith Stillion purchased Electro Arc in July of 2019. Now, 97% of the parts for each portable hardness tester and 50-65% of the parts for every metal disintegrator are manufactured on-site here in Dexter, Michigan. We also continue to manufacture molybdenum electrodes, and other accessories for use with Electro Arc machines, offer repair and refurbishing services for Electro Arc and Uni-Tek machines, and provide calibration and repair services for the Ames Portable Hardness Testers in addition to selling Ames accessories including test blocks which are available for purchase on our website.
At its peak, Electro Arc maintained 4 international offices. Currently, Stillion Industries is our main headquarters with our United Kingdom office managing international sales for a number of countries not serviced by our home office. As Stillion Industries celebrates 50 years of machine shop service in the community, we also celebrate 75 years of Electro Arc, a company that has maintained local manufacturing of all of our products for the life of the company and continues to offer innovative solutions across industries. To commemorate this milestone for Electro Arc, we have created a timeline of the company’s milestones over the last 75 years available for you to explore. We are also offering a limited number of Ames model 1 hardness testers in the original wood box for sale on our website.
Merging with Electro Arc has been a huge undertaking for Stillion Industries and we strive to improve the notoriety of these durable machines with hopes to donate an Electro Arc’s old machine to The Henry Ford Museum. In the past, Ford had specially built metal disintegrators, and Ford Sr. was a friend of Harold Stark Sr. What a wonderful way to celebrate the history of this company and our hopes for years to come!
When you search for the term “metal disintegrator” you will likely find ‘Electrical discharge machining’ as a result. That is because the technological breakthrough that led to metal disintegrating machines was spearheaded by a team including Harold Stark who went on to patent the idea for AC metal disintegrators and started the world’s first metal disintegration machine factory in Detroit Michigan. This process is metal disintegration machining (MDM).
You may have heard Electrical discharge machining, EDM for short, called spark machining, arc machining, and spark eroding. This is a non-conventional group of machining which now includes electrochemical machining, water jet cutting, and laser cutting. This process is limited to use with ferrous alloys because it requires the base material to be electrically conductive. A solution for high-accuracy, complex machining applications provides an efficient alternative where other methods are impossible. Using an electrical current, spark discharge erodes the workpiece using dielectric fluid as an electrical insulator. There are three main forms of EDM, wire EDM, die sinker EDM, and hole popping EDM.
EDM is usually associated with the wire EDM machine method which was developed between the 1960s and 70s to make dies from hardened steel. This EDM process uses wire wound between two spools of wire creating two electrodes, the tool-electrode, and workpiece-electrode, which are separated by dielectric fluid. With increased voltage, the fluid produces an electric arc. The wire moves in a controlled pattern and sparking occurs between the wire and the workpiece. This method removes excess material with automated technology similar to CNC providing high accuracy and precision. Commercial wire EDM capability has continued to advance substantially over the last few decades.
Joseph Priestly originally discovered the erosive effect of electrical discharges in 1770. Die sinker EDM was invented independently by two groups. In 1943 two Russian scientists Boris and Natalya Lazarenko were exploring methods to increase the lifespan of tungsten breaker points. Their research led to the discovery that erosion could be precisely controlled if the electrodes were immersed in dielectric fluid. This allowed the invention of an EDM machine tool for processing hard materials like Tungsten. This tool became known as a resistor-capacitor (R-C) circuit for EDM.
During this time, without knowledge of the experimentation taking place in Russia, a team of American scientists consisting of Harold Stark (the founding president of Electro Arc), Victor Harding and Jack Beaver were also developing a method to remove broken drills and taps from aluminum castings. This team was tasked by their employer with finding a solution because tools were being broken off in expensive aircraft parts. Initially constructing machines from electric etching tools, they were unsuccessful. After trying compressed air, they added fluid to the machines, combined with spark repetition allowing them to cut through metal quickly and efficiently while the coolant flushed away metal particles created in this process. Their research was able to produce 60 sparks per second, a breakthrough in technology at the time. Machines initially developed by this team were used during World war II and the trio patented the system for removing broken bolts, taps, and drills as well as an electronic-circuit servo system that maintained proper spacing between the electrode and the workpiece.
This led Harold Stark to develop Electro Arc’s Metal Disintegrator line of metal disintegrating machines which are still produced by Stillion Industries today (Stillion Industries purchased Electro Arc in 2019). This technology was key in the development of vacuum tube EDM machine tools capable of producing thousands of sparks per second (electric discharge machining) in the 1960s. Die sinker EDM machines are traditionally used to create three-dimensional shapes. EDM provides an advantage because the process is predictable and accurate, making it easy to reproduce, but it is slower than other methods.
Hole drilling EDM is a specialized hole-making machine sometimes called a “hole popper” which is used to create the pilot hole necessary for wire threading. Using thermal energy rather than mechanical force, these machines cut through extremely hard materials such as titanium, carbide, carbon graphite, and high alloy steel. These machines work on the same principle as wire EDM machines. Instead of wire, these machines use a tool that works like a drill bit, no physical contact takes place between the tool and the workpiece, the electrical discharge is conducted to rapidly cut the metal. This process is ideal for extremely small holes, as small as 0.010”.
In his book, ‘Electrical Discharge Machining’ Elman C. Jameson mentions working with Victor Harding and Harold Stark during the origination of the EDM process in the United States. EDM became popular in Japan as a result of damage from the war. This new method was key in rebuilding after the destruction of their infrastructure. On the other hand, The existing equipment and workers in the US caused a delay in the acceptance of EDM technology in the US. Electro Arc metal disintegrators are an appealing option because they do not require special training for operators as other EDM machines require.
Electro Arc is the original manufacturer of Metal Disintegrators based in Michigan. The company’s founder, Harold Stark patented the AC metal disintegration process in 1942 and opened Electro Arc’s doors in 1947. Stillion Industries purchased Electro Arc in 2019 and carries on the quality name that Electro Arc metal disintegrators have become synonymous with.
Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators Last a Lifetime
You can see one of Electro Arc’s original paper promotions above, featuring the following models:
Model 2-S – Still one of our most popular portable models! This basic metal disintegrator now features our Arc-er Head and portable design which make it perfect for use in small shops.
1-S (See below) – The model 1-S was the largest table top metal disintegrator offered by Electro Arc initially.
2-SA – The model 2-SA was one of the first tabletop metal disintegrators offered by Electro Arc. This self-contained unit is great for high production plants and tool shops.
3-S – The model 3-S originally offered with no built-in coolant tank offers great portability for use in confined spaces.
Not shown on this flyer, the Carbide Impregnator was another flagship product Electro Arc was known for between the 1940s and 1970s. Electro Arc is the original and best manufacturer of metal disintegrators in the world. Our machines are known for their durability and long-lasting design. Now among over 40 configurations available, we are confident you will find an Electro Arc metal disintegrator is still the best value for your application!
The location and contact information is NOT correct in this vintage promotion
Over 75 Years of Michigan Manufacturing
As you can see, the original disintegrating head is different than our current Arc-er, IQ, and Servo disintegrating heads. The features of Electro Arc metal disintegrators are the same great features allowing anyone to use our machines. Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators have castors, the choice of AC or DC, and portable or tabletop, including the option to order a custom table top size. Most models allow you to choose your KVA power rating. Additional features include support options, head options, remote start/stop, and more!
In 2004, Electro Arc purchased Uni-Tek and integrated DC metal disintegrators into our product line. Our most powerful machine, the Bolt Eater represents the heavy-duty application of metal disintegration with both portability and the power to remove large bolts!
Stillion Industries is proud to carry on the Electro Arc Metal Disintegrator legacy in Dexter Michigan! We continue to improve the metal disintegrator design and offer repair and refurbishing services for old machines. Learn more about Electro Arc’s history.
Electro Arc introduced the Carbide Impregnator in June of 1964. This bench-type carbide impregnator hardens wear surfaces of tools. You can use this process to extend tool life and reduce downtime and maintenance. Cratering, galling and chip abrasion are substantially reduced. You will find this plug-in-hand tool easy to use. A carbide tip is passed over the wear surfaces or land of the tool. The vibrating tip fuses tungsten carbide by electrical spark discharge into the metal surface. The carbide deposit adds hardness and wear resistance to the surface metal without altering toughness and other mechanical characteristics.
Examples from case studies show increased life of tools:
The carbide impregnator deposits tungsten carbide to a depth of .0005 to.001 in the metal and builds up to .0003 tolerance regardless of the length of operation. You can pass the impregnating tip over the surface many times until you are satisfied with the desired deposit. The impregnation process uses a special grade of carbide suitable for impregnation.
Electro Arc’s Carbide impregnator operates on a 120 volt, 60 cycle current. The cabinet is made with16 gauge reinforced steel with steel side handles for easier handling. A convenient expanded metal basket is used to store the plug-in hand tool and cord. The tool’s net weight is 35 pounds.
You are probably wondering what kind of applications the carbide impregnator has. We published an engineering bulletin in the 60s with a case study “Applying the Principles of Carbide Impregnation to Circular Saws” about Havey Aluminum Company’s application of the Carbide Impregnator. A prime extruder of titanium and aluminum in the United States, Harvy aluminum had a sizable investment in 36″ diameter circular saws for cutting billets. Numerous studies and reports for cutting manufacturing costs and determining shop procedures revealed that no saws of any kind would stay “on the lin” for more than 12 hours, and it was best to stop to change at six and three-quarter hours because of a variety of negative factors which thereafter started to develop.
Harvey Aluminum gave Electro Arc a 16″ circular saw with 80 teeth to carbide impregnate, the theoretically critical crescent of about 1/64 of a square inch on each side of the teeth. The carbide impregnation of the 16″ saw took about two hours. Harvey Aluminum then put the saw into operation and inspected it at the end of 80 hours of continuous operation. They found there was an increase of over 600 percent over any other saw used before.
On the strength of these results, Harvey Aluminum immediately purchased an Electro Arc Carbide Impregnator so that they could continue to receive this extraordinary increase in all of their saw operation. In addition to this, after receiving the machine they began to experiment in other areas of their plant operations. The Extrusion Department impregnated four sets of dies and reported an increase of over 1000 percent. Further use proved that the slitting saw operation was further improved by impregnating the entire tooth rather than just the crescent.
This application at Harvey Aluminum is an excellent sample of what users of the Electro Arc Carbide Impregnator experience when they have the chance to couple the impregnator with their own knowledge against wear-life problems.
As of July 1st, 2019, Stillion Industries has acquired Electro Arc Manufacturing. This is good news for our customers. Alongside Stillion Industries, Electro Arc now has state-of-the-art ISO 9001:2015 compliant machining and on-site engineering. With Electro Arc’s long history of quality product lines and Stillion Industries’ expertise in machining, we are positioned to make both companies reach new heights.
The move coincides with the retirement of Harold Stark, Electro Arc’s President/CEO since 1958, and ensures the continuation of Electro Arc’s tradition of quality. Stillion Industries, active in the Ann Arbor area since 1972, brings expertise in machining as well as manufacturing know-how from Dexter Manufacturing Incorporated, which joined Stillion in 2014.
We have retained all employees from Electro Arc, doubling our workforce to maintain the long history and experience of both companies. Electro Arc has been in the Ann Arbor area since 1947 Stillion Industries since 1972. Electro Arc Manufacturing includes the Ames Hardness Tester and Uni-tek metal disintegrator product lines. The acquisition will ensure we are here to stay and we are committed to customer service. We at Stillion Industries feel Electro Arc, Ames, and Uni-tek are time-tested superior products. We are committed to providing great customer service and a high quality product.
We look forward to your ongoing valued business as we continue to provide a quality product.
