How it is made · Rolling Shutter Guide
How are rolling shutter locks and guide rails CNC machined?
Roll-A-Shield machines its own lock and rail features on a CNC mill in its Tempe shop. The mill cuts the key-lock and thumb-lock openings in aluminum bottom bars, the lock notches along guide rails, the notches in slats and end slats, and acetal end guides, each from a proven program with a documented setup.
Key facts
- All of this is cut on one CNC mill, a Haas TM-1, in Roll-A-Shield's own shop. Roll-A-Shield data
- Aluminum extrusions are clamped in three vises with 0.600 in deep step jaws, torqued to 20 ft-lb. Roll-A-Shield data
- Spindle speeds run 2,600 to 3,800 RPM and feeds 10 to 50 in/min, with lock-bore finishing passes slowed to 15 to 20 in/min. Roll-A-Shield data
- Slats and end slats have been notched on the CNC as the standard method since about August-September 2025. Roll-A-Shield data
- Acetal end guides are machined from a solid 2.000 x 2.500 x 1.250 in block. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Roll-A-Shield rolling shutters built in Tempe: locking bottom bars (key lock and thumb-turn lock), guide rails in standard, mini, mini-wide and slide-lock versions, insulated and single-wall slats and end slats.
What does the CNC mill make?
The features that have to line up exactly from one shutter to the next. Roll-A-Shield runs a single CNC mill, a Haas TM-1, in its own shop and uses it for these parts:
| Part | What the mill cuts | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Locking bottom bar (base slat) | The key-lock or thumb-lock opening | Aluminum extrusion |
| Guide rails | The repeating lock notches along the rail, in standard, mini, mini-wide and mini slide-lock versions | Aluminum extrusion |
| Slats and end slats | Notches, on the CNC as the standard method since about August-September 2025 | Aluminum |
| End guides | The whole part, from a solid block | Acetal (Delrin) |
Locks are offered only on manual shutters; motorized shutters do not use bottom-bar locks. The lock types themselves are explained on how rolling shutters lock.
What is not CNC machined?
Plain cutting and drilling stay on the saw and the drill press. Slats and rails are cut to length on saws, rail fastener holes are drilled on a drill press to a layout set by the mount type, and axle strap holes are drilled at fixed spacing. When a rail is drilled, the bit travels through with only a 1/8 in pilot breaking through the back face; the exit side is then deburred and lightly countersunk. The whole sequence is on how a rolling shutter is made.
How is a lock opening cut in the bottom bar?
It is drilled, then bored out to size. The mill drills into the aluminum bottom bar, then opens the hole to its finished size by circular interpolation: the cutter works outward in small roughing steps, then makes a full-radius finishing pass.
Each bottom-bar profile has its own program for a key lock and another for a thumb-turn lock.
Before shipping, each key is tried in its lock for smooth action. Lost a key? See lost keys and rekeying.
How are the lock notches cut along a guide rail?
With a looped routine that repeats one notch cut along the rail. The program steps along the rail, plunges to cut a notch, and repeats once per notch, using a paired routine for each direction along the rail. The standard, mini and mini-wide programs for one rail family share the same three tools: a 1/4 in spot drill, a 5/16 in drill and a 1/4 in three-flute end mill.
How are the parts held and cut?
Long aluminum extrusions are clamped in three vises with step jaws 0.600 in deep, the profile hooked against the fixed jaw and centered on the middle vise, with the vises torqued to 20 ft-lb. The acetal end guide is clamped at 30 ft-lb for one of its operations.
| Setting | Roll-A-Shield standard |
|---|---|
| Spindle speed | 2,600 to 3,800 RPM |
| Feed | 10 to 50 in/min; lock-bore finishing passes 15 to 20 in/min |
| Tool set | 10 positions: spot drill, drills, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 in end mills, a countersink and an edge finder |
| Tooling | Mostly carbide and cobalt, held in collets |
How is a program proven before it is used?
Every machined part has two records: the program that runs on the mill and a setup workbook a person can read.
- The workbook lists every tool (size, flutes, type, material, holder) and has one setup sheet per operation: material, stock size, how the part is clamped, and where its zero point is.
- Optional stops between operations let the operator run and check one operation before running the rest.
- Before-and-after photos are taken of each operation as proof.
- Only then does the program join the shop's list of proven programs.
The slat notch program has not changed between production dates, so every job runs the same proven program.
What next
Replacement bottom bars, rails and locks can be ordered for Roll-A-Shield shutters: see replacing a bottom bar and guide rail types, browse the parts store, or call (480) 921-0200.
Frequently asked questions
Does Roll-A-Shield make its own lock parts?
It machines the lock features: the mill in the Tempe shop cuts the key-lock and thumb-lock openings in the aluminum bottom bar and the lock notches in the guide rails. The lock cylinder is a separate part fitted into that opening.
Why are the plastic guide parts black?
Roll-A-Shield machines its acetal guide-rail slider parts in black rather than white because black is effectively invisible on the rail at night.
Are the mounting holes in the rails CNC machined too?
No. Rail fastener holes are drilled on a drill press to a layout set by the mount type, with only a small pilot breaking through the back; the CNC mill cuts the lock notches.
Is each key lock tested before the shutter ships?
Yes. The key is tried in the bottom-bar lock for smooth insertion and removal, and a key that binds gets dry lubricant before the shutter leaves.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.