Construction Balls

The right construction ball style depends primarily on how the reference point needs to be positioned and maintained within the application.

• Shoulder Construction Balls: Feature a precision height-reference shoulder that establishes the position of the ball in three dimensions. This style is ideal when a fixed, repeatable reference height is required for inspection, layout, or machining.
• Adjustable Construction Balls: Feature a straight shank without a shoulder, allowing the ball to be positioned at the required height before being secured with a set screw. Adjustable tooling balls are useful when the reference height must be established during fixture setup or installation.
• Permanently Installed Construction Balls: Provide an economical fixed-reference solution for installations where the construction ball will remain in place. They can be incorporated into fixtures and tooling that require a permanent reference point for inspection, setup, or machining operations.

Carr Lane offers construction balls in a variety of ball and shank sizes, including inch and metric configurations. Shoulder-type models are also available in steel and stainless steel for different tooling and environmental requirements.

Construction balls are used throughout manufacturing, inspection, and tooling operations wherever an accurately established physical reference point is beneficial. Common applications include:

• Dimensional Inspection: Provide a known reference location from which dimensions and feature positions can be measured or verified.
• CMM and Measurement Setups: Create accessible spherical reference points that can be located by measuring equipment when establishing or checking coordinates.
• Fixture Setup and Alignment: Help establish precise fixture locations and provide reference points for confirming proper setup before machining or assembly operations.
• Tooling Layout: Establish physical reference points for locating tooling components and verifying their relationship to specified dimensions or datums.
• Machining Operations: Provide known coordinates that can assist with setup, alignment, and dimensional verification during precision machining.
• Repeatable Production Setups: Allow reference locations to be reused when fixtures, tooling, or workpieces must be inspected or set up repeatedly across multiple production runs.
• Mirrored Fixtures: When used with Carr Lane Reversible Construction Ball Pads, construction balls can support applications where a fixture must be flipped to create a mirrored setup while maintaining accurately located reference points.

Carr Lane offers a range of accessories for mounting, locating, and protecting construction balls within jigs and fixtures.

Construction Ball Pads provide a dedicated mounting surface for installing tooling balls while helping maintain an accurately located reference position. Carr Lane offers rectangular, round, and shank-type construction ball pads for different fixture designs and mounting requirements. Selected pad styles are available in both steel and stainless steel.

Reversible Construction Ball Pads can be flipped over to help create mirrored fixture configurations while maintaining precise construction ball locations. Inch and metric versions are available, with steel and stainless-steel options.

Construction Ball Covers help protect installed construction balls from impact, damage, contamination, or unintended adjustment when the reference point is not being used. Carr Lane offers multiple cover styles to accommodate different fixture and access requirements.

Together, construction balls, mounting pads, and covers allow designers to incorporate durable, accessible reference points into inspection fixtures, machining fixtures, and other precision tooling systems.