Custom Dowel Pins
Resolute Precision Manufacturing manufactures custom dowel pins to customer print where off-the-shelf catalog sizes, materials, or tolerances do not fit the application. Dowel pins locate and align mating parts precisely and repeatably, and the pin's diameter tolerance, hardness, and surface finish directly determine how well that alignment holds up over repeated assembly and disassembly cycles. Request a QuoteWhy a Custom Dowel Pin Instead of a Catalog Part
Standard catalog dowel pins cover common diameters, lengths, and materials, but many assemblies need something outside that range a non-standard length, a specific hardness or material for a corrosive environment, a custom head or groove feature, or a tolerance tighter than catalog stock is held to. RPM turns and grinds custom dowel pins to the exact diameter, length, chamfer, and surface finish your application requires.
Our Services
Dowel Pin Types We Produce
- Standard dowel pins — straight, ground pins held to a controlled press-fit tolerance for standard alignment applications
- Oversize dowel pins — slightly larger than standard nominal diameter, used to repair a worn or enlarged hole without re-machining the mating parts
- Tapered dowel pins — a slight taper along the pin length for applications requiring easy insertion and removal, such as fixture and jig alignment
- Grooved dowel pins — longitudinal grooves that allow the pin to compress slightly for a controlled press-fit in a straight, ungrounded hole
- Headed dowel pins — a pin with an integral head for controlled insertion depth or for retrieval from a blind hole
Materials and Hardness
- Alloy steel — hardened and ground, the standard choice for wear resistance in fixtures, jigs, and production tooling
- Stainless steel — 303 or 316 for corrosion resistance in washdown or outdoor environments, at somewhat lower hardness than hardened alloy steel
- Drill rod (O-1, W-1) — ground and polished tool steel stock, hardened where wear resistance is the priority
Specifications
| Diameter Tolerance | Ground to a controlled press-fit or slip-fit tolerance per print — typically ±0.0002″–±0.0005″ |
| Surface Finish | Ground finish, Ra 8–16 microinch typical |
| Materials | Alloy steel (hardened and ground), 303/316 stainless, O-1/W-1 drill rod |
| Hardness | Rc 60+ available on hardened alloy steel and drill rod pins |
| Pin Types | Standard, oversize, tapered, grooved, headed — to customer print |
| Length Range | Short locating pins through long alignment pins — quoted to print |
| Quality | ISO 9001:2015; dimensional inspection report available on request |
Frequently Asked Questions
What tolerance can RPM hold on a custom dowel pin diameter?
Ground dowel pin diameters are typically held to ±0.0002″–±0.0005″ depending on the specified fit. Tell us whether the pin needs a press fit or slip fit and we’ll confirm the appropriate tolerance during quoting.
Can RPM make oversize dowel pins to repair a worn hole?
Yes. Oversize pins in 0.001″ increments over standard nominal diameter are a common solution for restoring a proper press fit in a hole that has worn slightly larger over repeated use.
What hardness should a dowel pin be for a production fixture?
Hardened and ground alloy steel to Rc 60+ is standard for production tooling and fixtures that see repeated assembly cycles. Softer or stainless pins are appropriate where corrosion resistance matters more than maximum wear life.
Can RPM add a custom head or groove feature to a dowel pin?
Yes. Headed pins for controlled insertion depth and grooved pins for compression press-fit are both produced to customer print, along with other custom features as needed.