Are you tired of sharpening pencils every time you start an artwork? There is a solution to your problem. The name of your solution is a Mechanical Pencil.
In America, nearly 2 billion pencils are sold every year. Sooner or later, all users have to sharpen their pencils!
Hence, many people have switched from wooden pencils to mechanical ones for the simple reason of convenience.
Yes! Mechanical Pencils have the potential to last longer than the regular ones as you don’t need to throw the pencil every time it runs out of lead. You can refill it and use it again.
Thus, you don’t worry about the shrinking length of a wooden pencil. You don’t have to face the recurring problem of sharpening the pencil and disposing of its shavings.
The only thing one needs to take care of is its delicate and fragile lead. One has to be careful while handling the lead and the pencil. Once it breaks, you will have to find a new one.
But one question that keeps getting asked is – How are mechanical pencils made? Let’s try to answer this question in this article.
Contents
Components Of A Mechanical Pencil
Mechanical pencils are made in assembly factories through an automated process.
You may think that a mechanical pencil uses only a lead, eraser, and a covering. There are other components as well. Have a look at some of these components:
- Hollow Barrel: The hollow barrel is the cylindrical cavity that fits the lead rod within it. It is usually made of plastic.
- Built-in Lead: All the mechanical pencils consist of a built-in lead. Graphite and clay come together to make this lead. The lead fits into the hollow barrel (mentioned above).
- Writing Tip: The writing tip is the main pointed tip. The tip is screwed into the bottom of the barrel. The tip is what lets us write, sketch and doodle!
- Body and Clip: The body and clip of any mechanical pencil are generally made of plastic. The barrel forms the pencil’s main body and is designed to have a large diameter to hold up to ten pencil leads. Apart from plastic, it can also be made of rubber or any hard metal.
- Chunk and Ring: All parts are attached to the assembler using a screw-on chunk and ring, which holds the parts together.
- Eraser: The mechanical pencils also consist of an eraser placed at the top end of the pencil. It can be removed whenever the user wants to access the barrel.
The Process Of Making A Mechanical Pencil
There are two main steps in making a mechanical pencil. The first step is to make all the parts and the plastic molding. The second is to assemble these parts. The process has many sub-steps. Have a brief look at some of them:
1.The first step is design preparation. The important factors to consider here are a sleek body, color, texture, and aesthetic appearance.
2. A review team evaluates this design. After approval, a different team makes a schematic drawing of the product. They use exact measurements and detailings for different components of the pencil.
3. Many units in the plant work together to make the pencil. Thus, they all need to present a cost and deadline for the completion of the assembly.
4. The team then makes detailed design specifications. This step avoids any last-minute confusion. The entire cost and assembly requirements depend on this.
5. Teams prepare individual parts of the pencil separately:
- Barrel: The barrel forms the body of the pen. It should have enough space to accommodate at least 5 to 10 pencil leads at a time. The barrel is made from plastic in most cases, but other materials such as rubber and metal are also used.
- Plastic Mold: A plastic mold is created to produce the desired shape and length, and different machines are adopted.
- Pencil Tip: The pencil tip is created using a suitable metal, decided by the metal forming firm. This tip is made with screw grooves and is attached at the end of the barrel.
- Lead: The built-in lead is not lead but a combination of graphite and clay rod. A separate team/manufacturer produces lead. The process involves grinding, hardening, blending, and graphite mixture heating.
- Advancing mechanism: The metal making firm also makes the advancing mechanism.
6. When all the main components are individually ready, they are passed onto the assembly unit. The assembler adds the advancing mechanism to fit into the barrel. The structure is tested to check if it is properly functioning or not.
7. The pencil barrel is passed onto a series of conveyor belts, which keeps on inserting pencil leads into the barrel.
8. After assembly, the pencil tip is attached to the lower end, and the eraser is added to the pencil’s top end.
9. The pencil, when ready, can be proceeded for packaging and shipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do mechanical pencils last?
Well, the life of mechanical pencils depends on the way you use them. The lead can be very delicate. You should handle it very carefully. It can break or malfunction easily. Any good mechanical pencil, if handled properly, can last for decades.
What are mechanical pencils made of?
The solid pigment core of mechanical pencils comprises the same lead as a wooden one. The only difference is that the lead is not attached or bonded with the pen’s outer casing. Thus, you can remove and replace it at your convenience.
How does the mechanical pencil work?
Mechanical pencils work by holding the lead in position and propelling it forward for writing. The other type of mechanical pencils, which consist of a screw, propel the lead by twisting the screw.
This way, the slider moves down the barrel.
Can you draw with a mechanical pencil?
Oh Yeah:) In fact drawing mechanical pencils is what our MstrSktch brand is primarily known for. If you art is gear more towards lined base art, then you’ll love our .3mm, .5mm, .7mm, and .9mm art kit. This is also great because you do not have to sharpen any pencils. You just switch between sizes as per your need.
We also carry another set the is focused on a highly rendered drawing with detail and subtle shading. Instead of line size, this drawing mechanical pencil kit uses different hardness of the lead from hard and light leads to dark and soft leads (almost like charcoal).
Why are wooden pencils better than mechanical ones?
Nostalgia.
Wooden pencils are not eco friendly and certainly don’t have the nice balance and tactile feel found in a metal mechanical pencil.
In fact, now a days, even the price difference is negligible…
What is the difference between a drafting pencil and a mechanical pencil?
Technical designers use drafting pencils. You need to place these pencils close to the template to get a proper view. Mechanical pencils are about three to five mm thick and can get in the way of the template view.
Wrap Up
Mechanical pencils are slowly taking the edge over regular wooden pencils. Mechanical pencils consist of built-in lead, which is not attached to the barrel and can thus be replaced and refilled anytime.
An assembly line method is used to create mechanical pencils. Many crucial steps are involved. Designing the pencil, manufacturing components, and assembling them are all important steps.