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Mechanical pencils are made in assembly factories using manual assembly or plastic molding. Design specs are reviewed before production, including color and size. The barrel can be made of plastic, metal, or rubber. The tip and lead advance mechanism are made by a metal forming company and assembled with the barrel. The eraser is added last before packing and shipping.
Mechanical pencils are made through an automated process in assembly factories. Most pencils are made of plastic and have a hollow barrel, writing tip, eraser, and built-in lead control method. The eraser is usually added to the top end of the pencil and is removed to access the lead cylinder. There are two methods of making mechanical pencils: manual assembly of individual parts or using a formed plastic mold.
Before mechanical pencils can be manufactured, there is a design review process. The target consumer must be identified and the key characteristics of the proposed product must be reviewed. Decisions have to be made about the color, texture and aesthetics of the outer body. At the end of this process, the schematic drawings are completed. These drawings provide exact measurements for the different components of the pencil, ranging from the size of the barrel to the mechanism used to control the lead of the pencil.
In the manual assembly process, these specification details are provided to the different part companies so that they can provide the cost and timeline to the assembly company. The design specs include details on the different lead sizes the pencil must be able to accommodate, and any other features. The components are manufactured based on these requirements.
The barrel of mechanical pencils must have enough space to hold five to ten individual leads. The barrel can be made of plastic, metal, or a combination of rubber and plastic. A mold of the required shape is created and machines are used to produce the barrel.
A metal forming company completes the construction of the pencil tip and any other metal parts. The tip is made with screw grooves, as this is the most secure method of attaching the tip to the pencil shaft. The lead advance mechanism is usually made of metal, and is made by the same company. These parts are forwarded to the assembly plant once the order is completed.
An assembler inserts the feed mechanism into the barrel, checking that it is functioning properly. The pencil barrel is added to a conveyor belt, which takes it through a machine that inserts the pencil leads into the barrel. The tip is screwed into the barrel and the rubber is inserted into the top of the barrel. The pencil is then placed in the packing material and prepared for shipping.
For a fully formed disposable model, a barrel nut, tip, and rubber holder are created as one piece. The mechanism for advancing the mechanical pencil loaded with lead and inserted into the barrel. The eraser is added to the top of the pencil as a final step before being placed in the packing material and shipped.
