Robot Shoulder Yoke Fork Connector 2024-T351 Aluminum Bushed Pin Bores 0.008mm

The Fork Decides the Joint's Life

A shoulder yoke lives on two pin bores. If the fork arms are not parallel, the pins bind and the bushings wear on one side. If the span is off, the joint clatters. If the bores are not coaxial, the load goes through one arm only. This connector is built around those three facts: both fork arms are finished in one clamping, both pin bores are bored in the same cycle, and the span is measured before the bushings go in.

The pivot runs on replaceable bushings rather than on the aluminum itself. That keeps the wear surface serviceable: when the joint eventually develops play, you press out the bushings and press in a new set, instead of scrapping a machined fork. Bushings are graded to the bore band and pressed with force recorded.

Production Route

The sequence is written for a bushed fork. Steps are trimmed for a prototype, but the clamping and bushing order stays the same.

Precision Capability

Non-Standard Forks and Connectors

Forks are cut to your drawing. The range below is what the machines and fixtures actually handle.

• Fork span 30-400 mm, arm thickness 6-40 mm, pin bore 8-100 mm
• Materials: 2024-T351, 7075-T6, 6061-T6, 6082-T6, 304/316L stainless, 4140 steel on request
• Base options: flat pad, bolt circle, keyed slot, dowel pair, angled pad up to 45 degrees
• Pivot options: bushed bore, plain bore, needle bearing seat, rod-end interface, threaded pin
• Features: grease nipples and internal passages, hard stops, sensor pockets, cable channels, wear pads
• Bushing sets supplied loose or pressed, with the bore band recorded for later reordering
• Input formats: STEP, IGES, X_T, STL, DXF, 2D drawing with GD&T, or a sample for scanning and rebuild

Confidentiality

The Shop

Dongguan Changxinda Precision Technology Co., Ltd has machined custom parts since 2008. The floor runs 4-axis and 5-axis machining centres, turn-mill combination lathes, CNC lathes and milling machines, supported by an ISO 9001:2015 quality system and an in-house CMM room. More than 200 customers in medical equipment, robotics, automotive, aerospace, automation, laser, LED, lithium battery and precision instruments are supplied from this plant, and 50-60% of output is exported. Fork machining, bushing press work and swing trials are routine here.

Delivery

• Capacity around 10,000 pieces per month for this fork family
• Repeat orders keep the same programme, bore band and bushing grade, so a spare fork matches the installed one
• Each part number allocated across two machining centres to protect your date
• Express, air and sea freight; EXW, FOB or CIF terms; bores plugged and VCI protected
• Rush capacity for line-down situations, quoted with a date we can hold

Key Features

• 2024-T351 aluminum selected for fatigue at the fork roots
• Both fork arms finished in one clamping for 0.01 mm parallelism
• Pin bores bored in a single cycle, coaxial to 0.008 mm
• Replaceable bushings, graded to the bore and pressed with force logged
• Grease passages drilled, deburred inside and verified
• Swing trial before dispatch, with clearance recorded
• Base pad, bolt circle or keyed slot cut to your mounting
• NDA-protected handling and project-code documentation

Typical Applications

• Industrial robot shoulder and elbow forks
• Collaborative robot joint yokes
• Heavy-duty arm-to-base connectors
• Gantry and pick-and-place pivot forks
• Semiconductor handling robot pivots
• Medical and laboratory robot linkages
• Test rig and endurance bench pivots
• Automation articulated joint forks

FAQ

Q: Why bushings instead of a bearing in the fork?
A: Bushings give a serviceable wear surface with a thin wall, which suits compact forks and high radial loads. When play develops, the bushing is replaced and the fork stays in service.

Q: Can you supply replacement bushings later?
A: Yes. The bore band and bushing grade are recorded with the part serial, so a replacement set can be made to the same fit without re-measuring the robot.

Q: Will you sign an NDA before we share the shoulder assembly?
A: A mutual NDA is signed first, covering drawings, models, scans and samples, including bushing and grease details.

Q: How is fork span controlled?
A: The fork is rough machined, allowed to relax, then finished in one clamping and measured against a gauge block. Bushing shoulders are cut in the same cycle as the bores.

Q: What is the minimum order?
A: One piece, with no tooling charge and no programming fee, so a single fork for a prototype joint is a normal order.

Q: Can you machine the base pad at an angle?
A: Yes, angled pads up to 45 degrees with keyed slots or dowel pairs are cut in the same 5-axis setup as the fork.

Q: What do you need to quote?
A: 2D drawing with tolerances, 3D model, quantity, material, bushing and coating specification, and target date. Quote and DFM comments return within 24 hours.

Related Parts From The Same Plant

• Robot Yoke Housing 7075-T6 Aluminum Deep Pocket Fork Arms 5-Axis One-Setup Machined to 0.008mm
• Robot Joint Connecting Arm Dual Bearing Housing 6082-T6 Aluminum Press Fit Select 0.008mm
• U-Shape Fork Bracket Weight Reduction Slots Robot Linkage Machining 0.01mm