Customized Rod End Case Study
Table of Contents
Case Study: Customized Rod End with 90° Grease Fitting
Overview
An industrial distributor partnered with QA1 to support a prominent packaging manufacturer in need of a heavy-duty rod end solution. The OEM required a replacement for a competitor’s part with a specialized 90° grease fitting (zerk)—a unique customized rod end requirement which needed to allow maintenance access in a very tight space. QA1’s ability to quickly customize in-stock rod ends proved to be the ideal solution.
The Challenge
The OEM’s previous supplier wasn't meeting their needs—the part was difficult to source in a timely manner, putting production schedules at risk. The customer’s key requirements were clear:
- Heavy-duty rod end construction
- A specialized 90° grease fitting to allow maintenance in a particularly tight space
- Reliable delivery and long-term availability
Although the OEM had not previously used QA1 products, they entered the project with a positive impression of QA1’s rod end strength and capability. However, they still needed assurance that QA1 could meet the unique specs and deliver on performance.
The Solution
QA1 leveraged its in-stock rod end platform to provide rapid customization. The process included:
HFR10z
Standard (left) / Custom (right)
- Initial Samples: QA1 first provided the VFR10Z with the special 90° zerk. While this version turned out not to meet the load requirements—which hadn’t been initially specified—the trial quickly gave engineers clarity on the required performance threshold.
- Refined Design: QA1 then recommended the HFR10Z, customized with the same 90° zerk. This design aligned with the OEM’s newly defined load requirements.
- Engineering Partnership: The OEM’s engineering team tested the newly recommended rod end and confirmed it met the performance and durability standards.
Solution Development Timeline
- First samples provided: November
- Second round of samples: January
- Final approval: February
The full development and approval cycle took 3–4 months, largely driven by the OEM’s testing and validation process.
Ongoing Production
Once approved, QA1 began shipping production quantities of the customized HFR10Z on standard QA1 delivery schedules—much faster than the extended sourcing timelines the customer faced with their previous supplier.
Results & Outcomes
The customized HFR10Z with 90° grease fitting is now in regular production and has delivered measurable value for both the OEM and distributor:
Fast-turn solution met urgent production needs while improving performance and ensuring long-term supply stability.
Reliable delivery timelines that reduced sourcing delays and improved production efficiency.
Ongoing, profitable sales for the distributor through repeatable production orders from the OEM.
Stronger partnership confidence in QA1’s ability to deliver future customized rod end solutions quickly and effectively.
Takeaway
This case demonstrates QA1’s ability to adapt standard, in-stock products with quick modifications—meeting unique design requirements and ensuring reliable delivery. But that’s only one part of QA1’s value proposition:
- We maintain one of the industry’s largest inventories of rod ends, plain spherical bearings, and linkages—95% in-stock and ready-to-ship.
- We offer fast-turn customizations to meet specific customer needs, as shown in this project.
- And we provide the ability to design and produce fully custom solutions to customer specifications.
Together, these capabilities maximize uptime, keep production on schedule, and position QA1 as a trusted partner to industrial distributors and their OEM customers alike.
Interested in Learning More?
Take a deep dive into rod ends & spherical bearings with our TRAINING VIDEO designed to help industrial distributors and OEMs spec these important components with confidence!
