How TSA Locks Are Made

How TSA Locks Are Made: A Guide for Brands

If your brand includes TSA locks in its products, understanding how these locks are created helps you make better decisions. TSA locks enhance your product’s value and builds trust with your customers.

This guide explains the manufacturing process, so you know how locks are made to suit your product needs.

1. TSA Lock Design

Every TSA lock begins with a design that matches the product's requirements. Lock manufacturers work closely with brands to ensure the lock fits both functionally and visually. During the design stage, brands and manufacturers decide on lock design, functionality and compliance.

The design process also focuses on the proprietary lock mechanism and internal mechanisms, ensuring smooth operation and durability. The lock's exterior is designed to work with the overall design of your product. Collaborating with brands about specific design elements or custom branding usually happens in the lock design process.

2. Raw Materials: Building the Lock

The foundation of any high-quality lock is its materials. Manufacturers use a combination of durable and adaptable materials to create reliable locks. The primary materials include:

Zinc alloy: A versatile material for die-casting, zinc alloy allows for intricate molding of components like cylinders and tumblers.

Plastic granules: These are used for lightweight interior parts like dials and external casings.

Brass & Aluminum: They are used for making lock bodies of some key padlocks. 

Stainless steel: High-strength stainless steel is mostly used in making the molds for lock components.  

Before the materials are used, they are inspected and measured to ensure they meet strict standards. This step ensures consistency in production and eliminates defects that could compromise the lock’s performance.

3. Shaping the Lock: Precision Molding

Once the materials are prepared, they are shaped into the required lock components using advanced machinery. This stage includes three key processes:

CNC Molding Machines: These machines shape stainless steel into precise molds for components. CNC machining molds have high precision and efficiency, and high-precision components are the foundation of high-quality locks. Mold workshop at YiFeng Lock Company Limited:

Die-Casting: Zinc alloy is melted and poured into molds made by the CNC machine to form complex shapes such as the lock backing plate, zipper puller recesses of luggage lock and padlock shells. 

Injection Molding: Plastic granules are melted and poured into molds made by the CNC machine to form dials, casings and lightweight interior parts. Injection Molding at YiFeng Lock Company Limited:

These processes ensure every component meets design specifications and works seamlessly in the final product.

4. Assembly: Turning Components into Locks

After the components are molded, the lock manufacturer begins assembling the lock. This stage involves both skilled technicians and specialized machinery. Here’s what happens:

• A worker assembles the lock mechanism, which may include combination dials, tumblers or electronic parts.
• Internal mechanisms, like springs and cylinders, are installed to ensure the lock operates smoothly.

Assembly is a critical step that ensures the lock functions as intended. Design elements or custom branding discussed in the lock design process are added at this stage. Assembly at YiFeng Lock Company Limited:

5. Quality Control: Ensuring Reliability

Before locks are sent to brands, they undergo rigorous quality control machine testing to verify durability, security and functionality. The process includes:

Performance Testing:

• Endurance Test: The lock dials are turned, and the push button is pressed more than 10,000 times to simulate long-term use.
• Tensile and torsional testing: To ensure the padlock shackle is of sufficient strength.  

Durability & Impact Testing:

• Salt Spray Test: Simulates exposure to humidity and corrosion over time.
• Impact Test: A heavy iron ball is dropped onto the lock to test its resistance to force.
• Drop Test: A box of locks is placed in a rotating drum to simulate repeated drops.

These quality control measures guarantee that every TSA lock is reliable, durable and secure before reaching customers. Laboratory at Plum-Blossom: 

This rigorous testing process ensures every lock is ready to perform reliably in real-world conditions.