Bronson & Bratton Inc
Wire tools
Company Overview and History
Bronson & Bratton, Inc., established in 1948 by Walter D. Bronson and William J. Bratton, has grown into a leading provider of precision machined components. Operating from Burr Ridge, IL, the company is AS9100D and Nadcap accredited, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality and industry standards. Initially focused on wire and bar drawing dies, Bronson & Bratton has expanded its expertise into high-precision machining for aerospace and medical markets. The company's mission is to solve complex customer problems through superior materials, high-quality components, and advanced manufacturing processes, ensuring timely delivery and customer satisfaction.
Precision Manufacturing Capabilities
Bronson & Bratton offers extensive precision manufacturing capabilities, leveraging a wide array of advanced equipment. This includes over 45 CNC or manual lathes and mills (many with 5-axis capabilities), more than 27 wire or sinker EDM machines, and over 130 CNC or manual grinders. Their expertise spans EDM, contour and cylindrical grinding, 3D printing for prototyping, and water jet cutting. Utilizing advanced CAD/CAM software, the company routinely achieves extremely tight tolerances, such as +/- 0.0001 inches for lengths and diameters and 0.00004 inches for roundness. Additional services include tooling re-working, reverse engineering, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
Products and Industry Focus
The company is a key supplier for the Aerospace Industry, providing precision components like bearings, valves, and housings for jet engines and missile defense systems. Bronson & Bratton also specializes in tooling for cold drawing (standard and special shape dies, adjustable draw dies, extrusion dies, mandrels, rolls) and a wide range of wear parts made from tungsten carbide and ceramics. They manufacture specialized tooling for metal fabricating, can production, swage machines, and ammunition, meeting stringent defense requirements. A dedicated team fabricates mechanical seal faces and bearings from wear and corrosion-resistant materials, with emergency two-day delivery available for in-stock items.
Materials Expertise
Bronson & Bratton demonstrates significant expertise in machining and grinding a broad spectrum of difficult and exotic materials. This includes various grades of nickel and cobalt binder tungsten carbide, ceramic materials, and stellite alloys. They regularly process comprehensive ranges of tool steels, stainless steels, alloyed metals, Inconel alloys, and refractory metals (e.g., Tantalum, Tungsten). Their capabilities extend to advanced ceramics like silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and alumina. The company also offers diverse coatings (PVD/CVD/DLC) and treatments such as thermal diffusion, anodizing, and cryogenic treatment, ensuring optimal component performance across various demanding applications.
