Primer Inserting Machine

Primer Inserting machine is a high-capacity rotary-type machine based on a cam mechanism. Therefore, it is reliable and easy to maintain. It has several quality check functions to ensure a precise primer insertion. Furthermore, the quality functions inserted in this machine ensure that the shell cases are good enough to continue with assembly.

The system is designed ex-proof and further safety precautions are taken. The primer feeder is placed in a safety enclosure and the machine does not operate until the feeder is safely enclosed. Primers are slid down from the feeder to the machine through a tube, creating a safety gap in the tube. Furthermore, a sound detection system is embedded in case a primer ignited to shut the system down.

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Our ammunition priming machine is equipped with functions for properly inserting the boxer or berdan primer cups into the primer pocket of the cartridge case. Primer is the most critical component of a cartridge regarding safety when handling and accuracy when firing. The highly explosive propellant in the primer cup requires safe handling during primer insertion. Nevertheless, the primer insertion must be accomplished accurately to eliminate misfiring. Besides safety and quality benefits, our ammunition priming machine allows users to produce any small arms caliber primed cases with high throughput.

Our primer insertion machine is built following the ATEX Directive and is certified ex-proof. All the safety precautions are taken when handling the primer. All the components including electronic components are chosen accordingly when introducing the primers into the priming machine and when handled by the machine. The primer feeder bowl is enclosed properly and a sound detection system is embedded in case of an unwanted ignition of a primer occurs. Furthermore, a gap is created in the primer feeding line between the primer insertion station and the primer feeder bowl to prevent any unwanted primer ignition from climbing up to the primer feeder bowl.

Ammunition Primer Inserting Machine

The ammunition primer inserting machine is designed to produce primed cases that are ensured with their high accuracy. The priming machine performs a pre-priming inspection on both cartridge cases and the primers and a post-priming inspection on the primed cases. The primer anvil and the position of the anvil is checked. Insufficient primers are ejected from the system without stopping or slowing down the primer-feeding process. In the name of proper ammunition priming the flash hole of the cartridge case is checked before inserting the primer into the primer pocket. This function assures that cartridge cases without a flash hole are ejected from the system. This function also catches any primed cases fed to the system by mistake and ejects them before the primer insertion station. This means primer insertion is only performed on the cartridge cases that have an empty primer pocket and a sufficient flash hole. Primer riveting/stake is performed right after the primer insertion. It can be a ring crimp or 3-stab stake. A post-priming inspection is performed after the riveting. Ammunition priming is completed by checking the primer depth with a probe and by checking with a camera whether the primer riveting/crimping is accomplished and whether the primer’s orientation in the primer pocket is correct.

Priming Machine

Our ammunition priming machine is built on a camshaft mechanism and operated through HMI touch screens. Therefore, it is fairly easy to operate and maintain this machine by trained operators. The multiple-caliber properties of this priming machine allow users to assemble any small arms calibers including pistol and rifle calibers. The conversion tool kits are produced and provided by Yeter Makina and fairly easy to convert the machine into the next caliber.

The high-capacity primer insertion allows users to produce 20 million pre-primed cases annually based on one shift a day and five days a week. Our priming machine has proven itself by working three shifts a day for years in the Turkish Army’s ammo production plant. All the machine parts are produced by Yeter Makina. Therefore, we can supply parts as long as the machine is in use. The priming machine is delivered turnkey including the ex-proof control cabinets, the software, and the PLC programming. HMI can be in multiple languages. Nevertheless, we provide operator training in both Yeter Makina’s factory and at the end user factory during tests. 

High-Capacity Priming Machine


High-Capacity Priming Machine operates with a machine capacity of 240 parts per minute. Thanks to its rotary-type structure it can perform inspection and controls while inserting primers at a high speed. The High-Capacity Priming Machine is also equipped with safety functions that are crucial when handling primers. The camshaft mechanism of the high-capacity priming machine allows easy use and maintenance of the machine.


In the high-capacity priming machine the primer inspection is completed while taking the primers into the system from the feeder bowl. The primers are checked with the primer anvil. If the primer anvil is missing or incorrectly positioned, the primers will be ejected from the feeding line before it reaches the primer inserting station. There is a primer buffer area between the primer inspection station and the primer insertion station so the ejected primers won’t affect the speed of the priming machine. The cartridge case inspection is completed on an index wheel also called an inspection wheel. The cartridge cases are taken into this inspection wheel and checked with case mouth circularity and flash hole existence. Insufficient cartridge cases are ejected from the system on this index wheel before they are transferred to the main index wheel also called the primer insertion wheel. Primers are inserted in the primer pocket and a primer stake (crimping) is performed on this index wheel. The crimp can be a ring crimp or a 3-stab stake based on the client’s preference. After the primer is inserted and secured inside the primer pocket, a camera inspection is performed on the case head to check whether the primer orientation inside the primer pocket is correct. The camera is also programmed to check whether the primer crimping is accomplished. After the camera inspection, the primer depth is checked with a high-accuracy probe.


The high-capacity priming machine is equipped with a safety primer feeding system. The primer feeding bowl is enclosed with an automatic safety enclosure and the feeder bowl has a capacity of 2500 primers. The primers can be added to the primer feeder bowl through a feeding window. The primers are slid down into the primer insertion station by gravity. Along the way the gravity primer feeding line is equipped with an inspection station where primers are checked with their anvils. Primers missing an anvil are ejected at this inspection station. When primers are inspected with the primer anvil, the primers come to a full stop. This full stop creates a gap between the primer inspection station and the primer insertion stations. In case of an unwanted primer ignition occurs at the primer insertion station this safety gap prevents a possible adjacent primer ignition from reaching the primer feeder bowl. The high-capacity priming machine is also equipped with a sound detection system to detect a primer ignition to shut down the system.
Thanks to its camshaft mechanism, the high-capacity priming machine performs well-synchronized at high speeds. This camshaft mechanism makes the high-capacity priming machine easy to use and maintain. All stations of the high-capacity priming machine are twin stations including the primer feeding and the cartridge case feeding stations. In case of any malfunction on any one of the twins, half of the feeding lines can be shut down and the priming machine can still perform at half capacity.

 

Functions and Advantages

  • Primer inspection. Checks for right-side-up primer and the existence of primer anvil.
  • Cartridge case inspection. Checks for the flash hole, extractor groove, and cartridge mouth circularity. (Checking for the flash hole also assures that only empty primer pockets are inserted with primer)
  • Ring crimping (Ring-crimp or 3-stab crimping based on customer’s preference)
  • Ring-crimp inspection. Camera check for the existence of ring crimping.
  • Primer depth inspection. Checks for accurate depth of primer.
  • Sound and safety enclosure
  • Dynamic, continuous primer insertion
  • Door-closed sensors
  • Durable framework
 
   

 

 

Human Interface and Safety

  • The system is built ex-proof. Further safety precautions are taken when handling the primers.
  • The primer feeder is placed in a safety enclosure and the machine does not operate until the feeder is safely enclosed. Primers are slid down from the feeder to the machine through a tube and a safety gap is created in the tube. Furthermore, a sound detection system is embedded in case a primer ignited to shut the system down.
  • Especially, it is ensured during the flash hole existing check that only empty primer pockets are inserted with a primer.
  • The machine is designed for a minimum level of physical human interaction with the machine.
  • The system is fed with shell cases at the bunker. The hopper is followed digitally and the low level is indicated on the HMI screen.
  • The doors of the machine are safely locked and the machine does not operate unless the doors are properly closed.
  • The system refuses to run when the air supply pressure is insufficient.
  • The system shuts down in case of a jam.
  • The real-time production count is displayed on the HMI screen.
  • The faults and their location and all the alarms are listed on the HMI screen.
  • All stations and their components are displayed on the HMI screen.