If you are considering a metal disintegrator purchase, you have a lot of choices to make regarding which machine is best for your application. Electro Arc manufactures over 40 models of metal disintegrators. You will want to choose between a portable or tabletop model. Portable models are great for disintegrating on large parts. You can choose an AC or DC model. If you are choosing the AC option you will also need to decide what KVA you want your machine to be. Your KVA choice will determine how large a diameter you can disintegrate. Below is a guide to help you choose the correct KVA for your application:
As you can see, choosing your KVA has everything to do with the disintegration you are planning for. If you will only be disintegrating under 3/8″ taps and drills, a 3 KVA model will work out for you. One of our most popular portable models is the model 2-S which is available with the 3, 10, or 15 KVA option. The model 3-S is only available in the 3 KVA option. This model is ideal for infrequent use. If you are interested in our smallest tabletop, the 2-SE offers the same KVA options.
If you will need to disintegrate up to 5/8″ studs and bolts, you will want to go with the 10 KVA option for your AC metal disintegrator. The portable model 2-SQT offers you the option of 10, 15, or 20 KVA. The 2-SA series offers a larger tabletop size and the option of 10 or 15 KVA.
Power Supplies
3 KVA, 10 KVA, 15 KVA, 20 KVA
Larger-diameter holes require more power to maintain an effective arc.
3 KVA disintegrates taps up to 3/8″ in one single pass.
10 KVA disintegrates taps up to 3/4″ in one single pass.
15 KVA disintegrates taps up to 1-1/4″ in one single pass.
20 KVA designed for larger taps, drills, studs, and bolts.
Disintegrate up to 1 1/4″ taps and drills with a 15 KVA metal disintegrator.
Only choose the 20 KVA option if you will be disintegrating studs and bolts which are 1″ and larger.
Each machine is built to match your building power, you must specify 208, 240, 380, 480 or 550 at the time of order.
Choose a DC machine if you will be disintegrating carbide. The power input choices for a DC machine are 30 AMP 110-600. All Electro Arc metal disintegrators are single input voltage.
You can use Electro Arc’s IQ precision disintegrating head to remove taps as small as #0. If you are a watchmaker you may have broken tiny taps that you are not sure how to remove. You can use a Electro Arc metal disintegrator equipped with the IQ head such as our model 2-SEQ or 2-SQT. You will want to special order small electrodes for your tiny tap sizes. You will also need a pin vice since the smallest electrodes that we make and sell are size .040.
The model 2-SEQ features the power supply and coolant tank/system built into a cabinet on wheels. The largest power supply available will be the 20 kva-rated machine, as is the case with all of our machines. This allows you to remove taps up to 2″ in diameter in a single pass. You can use it to remove bolts up to 1 1/4″ in diameter in a single pass. If you are not removing larger size taps, you can choose to step this down to our 10 KVA or 15 KVA option:
This machine includes our heavy-duty precision disintegrating head. This head allows you to disintegrate in small and large diameters. You can use the magnetic-based fixture that the head is mounted in on any ferrous surface. The model 2-SEQT and 2-SQT feature the auto-feed system, allowing you to run the machine hands-free. You have up to 9” of uninterrupted feed for hands-free operation. Feed rate potentiometer with two selectable speed ranges for precise control. Adjustable automatic shutoff, and auto-stop capability. Plug-in integrated circuit board for serviceability. The manual spring-loaded feed is standard on all machines and assists you in feeding the disintegrator head in a continuous movement. Use the depth stop and automatic shut-off features to concentrate on the disintegration progress, and take manual control with ou simple lever at any time! Use the depth gauge with adjustable depth stop and limit switch to set your machine for automatic shutoff at your desired depth. This helps you avoid damage to parts that do not have through holes.
The IQ precision head is available in full and short sizes for use with our fixtures.
Electro Arc's Model 2-SEQT
Electro Arc’s Model 2-SEQT features the IQ disintegrating head and also offers you the convenience of our smallest work surface, with a 19 X 19″ tabletop. You also have the convenience of the cross-arm structure. While the 2-SQT fixture offers versatility, the tabletop models offer a dedicated workspace. This machine is also easy to move around and has a small profile. You can use the IQ disintegrating head for disintegrating small taps weather it is on a portable model or a table top model.
We’re following up on the original article 10 ways you can use Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators with 10 more ways you can use these metal disintegrating machines! Electro Arc metal disintegrators are designed to quickly remove broken taps, drills, reamers, studs, screws, and other broken tooling from any material without damaging the threads or the workpiece. You can also emboss identifying marks on tools, dies, steel tools, cut oil groves inside bushings. Undercut recesses in hard machine parts, cut tool bit holes in boring bars, cut dogging squares, extend oil lines, and recenter hardened shafts. Check out additional applications illustrated below!
Your die shop can disintegrate round holes for dowel pins in die plates and cut intricate shapes for slug clearance in die shoes. You can salvage piercing dies where the piercing hole has been damaged or enlarged through wear and resharpening. Use the Electro Arc metal disintegrator to cut larger holes for inserting soft plugs so that locations may be picked up and soft plugs rebored for standard hardened die bushings. Disintegrate new holes in your die-casting dies where there has been insufficient coolant circulation. Emboss identifying letters on punch heads, minimizing the stock of heading punches you need to carry.
Your metal disintegrator will help you quickly and easily correct machining errors as shown above.
Use your Electro Arc metal disintegrator to relieve the bulk of metal in die sinking to keep displacement of metal to a minimum in hobbling the master.
Drill holes as small as .080 inches
Keyways are quickly and easily cut and enlarged in cutters, gears, bushings, etc.
With any angle access, create solutions for your engineering challenges.
Use your Electro Arc disintegrator to identify various metals in wear tests by disintegrating marks with different-shaped electrodes. You can core out test samples this way.
Cemented tungsten carbide can be drilled and counterbored for any size Allen head cap screw.
Also, provide threaded holes in carbides by disintegrating a hole of approximate size, fill it with brazing material, and drill and tap the hole to give it stronger threads with minimal time and investment.
Pierce blind holes and shaped holes in carbide and any material that conducts electricity.
The disintegrating process has a rapid heating and cooling process which leaves the Rockwell Hardness of the metal around the hole unchanged. Special electrodes can be purchased to pierce blind or through holes at any angle.
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.
The Arc-er head is ideal for portable use. You can use it with portable or tabletop metal disintegrators. You can also use the Arc-er head with machine tools like CNC machines, Bridgeport, Radial drill, lathe or mill, and directly on the workpiece. This head operates at any angle. You can remove broken tooling from .079 to 3/4 inches in a single pass.
The Arc-er head is standard with the following machines:
2-S 2-SB 2-SE 2-SET 2-SA 3-S
In September of 1998, the Arc-er head was introduced as an upgrade for the previous LBH head. Although similar in design and use, the Arc-er head features an LED current monitoring system to assist you in maintaining optimal use of your Arc-er head and saves on electrode consumption.
You can also purchase the ultra-compact mini-mag 800 lb fixture or the portable magnetic base fixture which attaches to ferrous surfaces and provides 3000 lb holding power for use with your arc-er head. You can expect reliable heavy-duty service with your Arc-er Head which is designed to remove taps, drills, and studs up to 1″ diameter.
The IQ precision disintegrator head is a high-performance head engineered for heavy-duty use. You can use this head horizontally or vertically. Thermal protection prevents any potential damage from overheating. You can use the IQ head to remove taps, bolts, drills, and fasteners up to 1″ in a single pass.
The IQ head is a standard feature for the following metal disintegrators:
The IQ head body enables smooth movement with 9″ of manual or automatic travel. This head is ideal for small taps from 0-80 or extremely large taps such as 2-inch taps or larger bolts such as 1 1/4-inch bolts and up. If you need to disintegrate carbide, look at the Servo head below:
Electro Arc’s Servo Disintegrator Head
Servo Head test burn
A high-performance disintegrating head, engineered for heavy-duty precision use. You can use this with electrodes from .020 inches to 1-inch diameter. You can use this machine to take out broken tooling including taps, bolts, drills, fasteners, etc. from 2# diameter in a single pass. Larger diameters are handled with multiple passes.
We offer the full-size servo disintegrating head and a mini servo disintegrating head. The servo head is specially designed for heavy-duty use and comes standard with our most powerful machine, the Bolt Eater. This head disintegrates broken bolts 2 inches or larger. The mini servo DC disintegrator head is ideal for portable disintegration giving you ease of use at all angles and in small spaces.
Not sure what disintegrating head is best for your application? Try out our Machine Builder!
D.C. cutting is direct current cutting, which is a naturally occurring process that moves metal from a positive pole (+) to a negative pole (-) when current flow is initiated (switched on) and subsequently interrupted (switched off). You may not know that this process is as old as the storage battery. It was also responsible for the problems of the early automobile ignition points and plugs – excessive wear on the positive terminals caused by the rapid switching of a D.C. circuit.
D.C. cutting is the basis for all convention and wire EDM machine technology (not to mention Electro Arc Metal disintegrators) and predates the electric light bulb.
DC Portable Metal Disintegrators Heavy-duty power for onsite or occasional use
How Does DC Cutting Work?
D.C. cutting or EDM cutting occurs when an ionized path is established (switched on) between a positive and negative pole and then broken (switched off) to stop the current flow. The simplest example is what occurs when the (+) and (-) poles of a car battery are momentarily (with jumper cables) touched together (switched on) and then pulled apart (switched off). When the cable clamps are examined you discover a crater on the positive clamp and an equal amount of material added to the (-) clamp – EDM in action!
Harness this D.C process to remove broken taps, drills, and bolts quickly and easily. Minimum heat is generated and low power is consumed because polarity is the major moving physical property. High amperage, can waste power as a violent arc is created generating excessive heat and causing extreme electrode wear.
How do Electrodes Work in the Metal Disintegration Process?
Did you know that any conductive material can be used as an electrode? The more conductive the electrode material, the more effectively an electrical process works, and this is an electrical process.
Electro Arc machines can be used with inexpensive copper tubing. Copper has superior conductivity (next to silver), low cost, and is easy to work with. It has the added benefit of being very conductive both electrically and thermally to aid in removing residual heat from the cutting area. We use other materials as electrodes for cutting operations where higher temperature arcs are required to remove high-temperature materials such as high-temperature bolts that are alloyed with molybdenum and other elements.
You need D.C. cutting because you are constantly searching for a better, faster, cheaper way to get your job done. D.C. cutting gives it to you because it moves metal faster through polarity while minimizing heat and power consumption through lower amperage requirements that always accompany the use of polarity as the major moving physical property.
How does D.C. cutting compare to A.C. cutting?
A.C cutting is the creation of a violent arc between a high melting temperature (molybdenum/melts at 4748 degrees Farinheight and 2620 degrees Celcius) electrode material and a lower melting point material (tool/steel/melts at 2500 degrees Farinheight and 1371 degrees Celsius) and the fact that the lower melting point material (steel) will melt faster than the high-temperature material (molybdenum). You will want to use DC current with carbide because it cuts faster than AC, you may also need a DC machine if you are planning to use your metal disintegrator on larger bolts.
Electro Arc’s AC metal disintegrators were the first metal disintegrators available on the market, released to the general public for purchase in 1947. While competitors came and went over the years, Electro Arc remained the best metal disintegrator manufacturer purchasing competing brands including Elox, AC machines are generally cheaper than DC machines and provide a larger variety of options for customization.
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!
Your Electro arc Machine is durably built, thoroughly tested, and inspected at the factory. You can expect many years of service with minimal maintenance. To maintain the accuracy, dependability, and cutting speed built into your metal disintegrator, please heed these warnings and recommendations for machine and operator safety.
Warnings: When connecting your machine to power – The Installer and Electrician must confirm that a solid ground exists between the cabinet and the building ground.
NEVER CHANGE THE HEAT SETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CUT WITH AUTO FEED ON. THIS WILL SHORT OUT THE AUTO-FEED CIRCUIT BOARD
Recommendations for operator safety when operating your Electro Arc metal disintegrator:
Use a splash bag or shop towel to control coolant splashing before starting the machine.
2. Avoid touching the operating head and workpiece/table at the same time while operating the machine.
3. Fasten your workpiece securely to avoid “walk” which can damage the threads in the hole.
Disintegration works on the principle of a vibrating spindle with an electric power supply creating a series of intermittent arcs. AC machines make and break 60 arcs per second and DC machines make and break 120 arcs per second to disintegrate the hardest metals. The particles created during the disintegration process are flushed away by coolant flowing through the center of the electrode. DO NOT USE SYNTHETIC COOLANTS.
4. Always refer to the electrode chart for Electrode sizing. Electrodes from .025 to .060 diameter draw very little amperage and will show little change on the current indicator. Select an electrode that will only remove the center core of the tap. This will remove the core of the tap and leave the flutes standing in the threaded section. These may be blasted out with air or removed with a magnetic pick set. You will be left with a perfect threaded hole.
5. When you are removing broken drills, snap off the flutes after every two inches of cutting travel. This may be done quite easily using the same size drill and rotating it in the hole.
6. Removing Hardened Screws and Studs: You need to select an electrode approximately .020 under the minor diameter of the thread. For a clean cut, collapse the wall of the screw – remove the particles and retap. This will clean out the male threads without damage to the female threaded section. You may also choose to disintegrate a square or hex in the stud and turn it out with the proper size tool. Caution: Always make sure your electrode is straight
7. Replace the coolant frequently – Clean the tank every 4-6 hours of operation. The metal disintegration process creates abrasive particles which can shorten the pump life.
8. Please consult with Electro Arc if your machine is in need of repair. If your machine is under warranty, do not attempt to make repairs prior to contacting our facility as it will void your warranty, additionally always consult with your operators manual for electrical diagrams, troubleshooting steps, and part numbers.
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.
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.
