Project Background
With the recovery and booming of the global amusement equipment industry, a leading amusement device manufacturer launched a 2026 customization project for 1,200 sets of sheet metal components for claw machines. These claw machines are mainly used in shopping malls, arcades, and commercial plazas, covering two models: standard commercial grade (for high-traffic areas) and mini home grade (for family entertainment). The project requires a balance of structural robustness, anti-theft performance, aesthetic consistency, and precision fitting to adapt to long-term frequent use and public environment operations.
Core requirements tailored to claw machine scenarios included:
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Anti-theft performance: Reinforced lockable structure for the main cabinet and coin/scan payment module to prevent vandalism and theft in public areas;
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Impact resistance: IK07 rating to withstand accidental collisions and intentional impacts in commercial scenarios without structural deformation;
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Precision fitting: Dimensional tolerance ≤±0.2mm to match claw mechanisms, glass panels, and internal electronic components (control board, motor);
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Aesthetic consistency: Matte black/metallic silver finish with color difference ΔE ≤1, seamless edge transition, and scratch-resistant surface to maintain brand image;
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Noise reduction: Structural optimization to reduce vibration and noise during claw operation, ensuring a comfortable environment;
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Easy maintenance: Detachable side panels and rear access doors for quick inspection and repair of internal components;
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Corrosion resistance: Protection against dust, oil stains, and occasional spills in commercial areas to extend service life.
Sanjun Hardware was selected for its proven experience in commercial amusement equipment sheet metal customization, advanced precision processing technology, and ability to balance anti-theft performance with aesthetic design—critical for claw machines that operate in high-traffic public spaces and require both reliability and brand consistency.
Manufacturing Process of Core Claw Machine Sheet Metal Components
Sanjun integrated commercial amusement equipment operating characteristics into every production link, focusing on four core components: main cabinet frame, front glass door bezel, internal claw mechanism mounting bracket, and anti-theft lock panel. The production strictly followed commercial quality standards to ensure product durability and stability in high-frequency use scenarios.
1. Material Selection & Pre-treatment
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Main Cabinet Frame: 1.5mm SPCC cold-rolled steel with high-hardness electrostatic powder coating—excellent structural strength, impact resistance, and cost-effectiveness for commercial claw machines;
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Front Glass Door Bezel: 1.2mm 304 stainless steel with brushed finish—rust-resistant, scratch-resistant, and aesthetically pleasing, matching commercial decor;
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Claw Mechanism Mounting Bracket: 1.0mm galvanized SPCC steel with reinforced ribs—enhanced load-bearing capacity (≥20kg) to support the claw mechanism and repeated movement;
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Anti-theft Lock Panel: 0.8mm high-strength alloy steel with anti-pry structure—improves anti-theft performance to protect internal electronic components and coins;
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Pre-treatment: Automated degreasing + phosphating + passivation—removes surface impurities, improves coating adhesion, and enhances corrosion resistance against dust and oil stains in commercial areas.
2. Core Manufacturing Craftsmanship
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Precision Laser Cutting: 3000W fiber laser cutting machine (±0.08mm tolerance)—processes cabinet frames, lock panels, and mounting brackets, including precision holes for claw mechanism installation, coin slots, and wiring. Dust collection equipment ensures surface cleanliness to avoid affecting coating and fitting accuracy;
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CNC Bending & Forming: 8-axis CNC bending machine with custom 3D jigs—forms cabinet contours and glass door bezels. Springback is controlled within ≤0.1mm via parameter optimization, ensuring tight fit with glass panels and internal components. All external edges are bent into rounded structures (R2.5mm) to prevent user injury;
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Laser Welding & Reinforcement: 1200W fiber laser welding with argon protection—joins cabinet joints and mounting brackets with weld width ≤0.8mm, minimizing thermal deformation and maintaining aesthetic appearance. Reinforced welds are added at stress points to improve impact resistance;
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Anti-theft & Noise Reduction Optimization: Anti-theft lock panels are equipped with integrated anti-pry flanges, and rubber gaskets are installed between detachable panels and cabinet bodies to reduce vibration noise during claw operation. The internal mounting bracket is designed with shock-absorbing pads to reduce mechanical noise;
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Surface Treatment:
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Main Cabinet Frame: Electrostatic powder coating (70μm thickness)—adopts scratch-resistant commercial-grade powder, 9H hardness, and matte finish to avoid fingerprint residue and hide minor scratches;
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Glass Door Bezel: Brushed finish + anti-fingerprint coating—enhances corrosion resistance and maintains a metallic luster;
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Post-treatment: Edge deburring, polishing, and anti-rust treatment for internal components—ensures no sharp edges and extends service life in commercial environments.
3. Quality Control & Testing
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Dimensional & Fit Testing: Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) and 3D scanning—100% inspection of component dimensions and fitting accuracy with glass panels, claw mechanisms, and electronic components, ensuring no gaps or misalignment;
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Anti-theft & Impact Testing: Anti-pry test (simulating forced prying with tools, no structural damage); IK07 impact resistance test (1.5kg impactor dropped from 50cm, no deformation or damage); lock durability test (10,000 times of opening/closing, no failure);
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Noise & Durability Testing: Noise test (claw operation noise ≤60dB); 240-hour continuous operation test (simulating commercial high-frequency use, no structural loosening or noise increase);
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Aesthetic & Consistency Inspection: Color difference detection (ΔE ≤1); visual inspection of weld seams, surface finish, and rounded edges; 100% inspection for scratch or coating defects.
Project Challenges & Sanjun’s Solutions
1. Challenge: Balancing Anti-theft Performance with Maintenance Convenience
Overly complex anti-theft structures made internal component maintenance difficult, while simple structures failed to resist vandalism in public areas. This conflict affected both operational safety and after-sales efficiency.
Solution: Designed a quick-release anti-theft lock system—equipped with high-security locks on the main panel and detachable side panels, which can be opened quickly with a dedicated key for maintenance. The lock panel integrated anti-pry flanges and reinforced welds to enhance security. This design achieved both anti-theft performance and convenient maintenance, reducing maintenance time by 40%.
2. Challenge: Precision Fitting of Claw Mechanism & Structural Stability
The claw mechanism requires high-precision mounting holes to ensure smooth movement, but frequent mechanical vibration during operation easily caused structural loosening, affecting operation accuracy and service life.
Solution: Optimized the mounting bracket structure with reinforced ribs and shock-absorbing rubber pads. Used high-precision laser cutting to process mounting holes (tolerance ±0.05mm) and adopted spot welding to fix the bracket to the cabinet body, enhancing connection stability. Conducted 500-hour continuous vibration tests to adjust bracket thickness and welding points, ensuring no loosening or misalignment during long-term use.
3. Challenge: Aesthetic Consistency & Impact Resistance
Commercial claw machines require a uniform appearance to maintain brand image, but thick coatings and welds needed for impact resistance often caused color differences and unsightly surfaces.
Solution: Used batch-unified electrostatic powder and optimized the welding process to minimize weld visibility, followed by precise grinding and polishing. Adopted a two-layer coating process (primer + topcoat) to ensure color consistency (ΔE ≤0.8) and improve scratch resistance. The final product maintained a uniform appearance while meeting IK07 impact resistance requirements.
4. Challenge: Noise Reduction in High-Frequency Operation
Mechanical vibration of the claw mechanism and friction between sheet metal components generated excessive noise, affecting user experience in commercial spaces (e.g., shopping malls).
Solution: Installed rubber gaskets between all detachable panels and the cabinet body to absorb vibration. Optimized the bending angle of internal components to reduce friction during operation, and added shock-absorbing pads to the claw mechanism mounting bracket. The final product’s operating noise was controlled within 58dB, meeting commercial environmental noise standards.
Project Outcomes
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Delivery Performance: 1,200 sets of sheet metal components for claw machines (standard and mini models) were delivered 3 days ahead of the 28-day deadline, with a 100% pass rate in pre-delivery inspection;
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Market Feedback: After 7 months of operation in 200+ commercial venues (shopping malls, arcades), the components showed 0 cases of theft, structural deformation, or excessive noise. The client reported high satisfaction with durability, anti-theft performance, and aesthetic consistency, contributing to a 15% increase in claw machine sales;
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Long-Term Cooperation: The amusement device manufacturer signed a 3-year strategic cooperation agreement with Sanjun Hardware, entrusting it with sheet metal customization for 3 new series of amusement equipment (crane games, prize machines). The client recognized Sanjun’s “professional grasp of commercial amusement equipment needs and reliable precision manufacturing capabilities” as the core cooperation driver.
