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Roller Chain “Better Than Heavy-Duty”
The first standard roller chain off the assembly line at RDM Enterprises is nearly 3,000 lbs. higher in tensile strength than competitive heavy-duty chain. To make the chain, RDM leveraged 25 years of experience in the metal stamping industry.
  Dustin Russell, RDM Enterprises, says “We expanded into roller chain about 5 years ago when my grandfather and company founder Al Rinke decided to take what we had learned and apply it to making chains.”
  What RDM came up with was 81x roller chain with a tensile strength of 27,000 lbs. Russell compares that to competitive roller chain marketed as “heavy-duty” chain with a tensile strength of 24,300 lbs.
  “Our chain is considered standard duty, but it is actually stronger,” says Russell. “Initially, we’re marketing it to sawmills and to farmers.”
  The chain comes in 10-ft. lengths. Each contains about 46 links with a pitch of around 2.6 in. Side links are made out of 1050 heat-treated steel.
  Each side link has 2 types of bushings and pins. The bushings are made out of 1020 steel that is carbonized and hardened. They’re then heat-treated to 50 Rockwell. The outside bushing is 1 in. long, and the inside bushing is 1 1/4 in. long. The pin inside the bushings is 2 in. long and made with 4140 steel.
  “If desired, we can add flights made of 1050 heat-treated steel without welding,” says Russell.
  Russell suggests the 81x is just the beginning of a new line for RDM. “I expect we will be expanding our product line and the lengths offered.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, RDM Enterprises, 4045 Griswold Rd., Port Huron, Mich. 48060 (ph 810 985-4721; dustin.russell@rdmenterprises.net; www.rdmenterprises.net).



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2016 - Volume #40, Issue #2