STEP BY STEP FROM A DRAFT TO FINAL IRON CROSS - Excursion in the Deschler&Sohn Munich

[Miro O]

III. THE CORE

18. The starting material for the iron core production are almost exclusively sheets, which are taken directly from the rolling-mill. For Iron Cross core they are usually 2.5 mm thick. Before the actual processing, the raw material is being checked once more.

[Miro O]

19. Guillotine shears are used to cut the iron sheet into appropriate strips.

Note: Mistake caused (probably) by translation. We clearly see cold saw, not guillotine shears.

[Miro O]

20. By further cutting, the strips are modified into stamping plates, which are now prepared for mintage of Iron cross core.

[Miro O]

21. Mold is formed at stamping machine on both sides. Iron cross 2nd class is double sided, 1st class is one sided mintage. Each core is minted twice to reach desired depth.

[Miro O]

22. Mintage of Iron cross core at friction press.

[Miro O]

23.- 24. Left picture: Matting (dulling) the Iron cross core. Matting comes before painting, because it makes core perfectly smooth.
At the right side picture, the Iron cross core is sprayed with black lacquer. It is a resistant, basic semi-gloss paint.

[Miro O]

25. Paint sprayed on an iron core is then fired (baked) in a gas furnace. Improved surface finish guarantees a long lasting and strong durability.

[Miro O]

IV. THE FRAME

26. The iron cross frame is struck from a piece of 0,6 mm thick nickel-silver sheet (18% nickel, 64% copper). Nickel affects higher hardness and less prone to corrosion.

[Miro O]

27. Detail of friction screw press. Clearly visible is a die on which the alpaca plate is laid. Friction screw press is capable of exerting pressure 200 tons per square centimeter.

[Miro O]

28. Detail of the friction screw press, the counter of implemented presses is on the left. Clearly seen is alpaca (nickel-silver) plate which has just been removed from the press.

[Lewis Bunker]

Very interesting, great pictures. Thanks for posting.

[Miro O]

29. Eccentric presses made by company Schuler, driven by transmission, were used for process of perforation. Company Schuler is still in the business as a leader in production of pressing machines.

[Miro O]

30.- 31. Work on the eccentric press with preformed frames of Iron Cross. The required cutting width is calculated from the actual material thickness, its circumference and even from the strength of the starting material. The picture on the left shows cutting out the outer shape. The picture on the right shows the cutting out the inner shape. We can see outside cut frames under the hand of the worker, right of them are completely cut frames.

[Miro O]

32.- 33. Frame halves of Iron Cross 2nd class are assembled into a pair and prepared for further processing. Frames are slightly drilled in. If we solder the jumpring directly to the frame, the contact area would be too small. The result: jumpring gets quickly broken off. Therefore the flange is drilled in - it is optimal when the depth of the drilled hole is one-half the diameter of jumpring wire. Then the optimum strength is reached.

[Miro O]

34. Soldering of the jumprings. A jumpring is placed exactly in the center of the frame. Thoroughly uniform distribution of solder material is prerequisite for the jumpring not become offset. For easier centering, the correct solder point at the frame is marked.