Industrial Laser Solutions - January/February 2016

14 Industrial Laser Solutions JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 www.industrial-lasers.com Avedis Zildjian Company recently installed two LNA Laser mark- ing systems in the company’s Norwell, MA factory. Zildjian is the world’s oldest cymbal man- ufacturer and one of the oldest family-owned businesses in the United States. Their customers form a who’s-who list of drummers (FIGURE 1), from jazz legends Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich to rock pioneers such as Ringo Starr of The Beatles, Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones, and Keith Moon of The Who.

History

Avedis Zildjian I was an Armenian alchemist in the city of Constantinople. While trying to make gold from base metals, he came upon an alloy of tin, copper, and trace amounts of silver that exhibited a distinctive sound and was resilient enough not to shatter. Zildjian used his new discov- ery to create his first cymbals in 1618.

The Ottoman Sultan was so impressed with the clarity that he invited the alchemist to live at the Topkapi Palace, where Zildjian made cymbals for the marching bands of the Janissaries (an elite infantry unit), which would strike fear in their adversaries with the crash of Zildjian cymbals. Avedis was held in such high regard, the Sultan gave him the name Zildjian, which means “son of a cymbal maker” in Armenian. In 1623, Zildjian received the Sultan’s permission to leave his charge to set up his own business, which he located in Psamatia, a suburb of Constantinople.

In 1929, one month before the Great
Depression, Avedis III received the
secret Zildjian cymbal formula from his
uncle and began making cymbals in
Quincy, MA. Subsequently, he moved
the family business to their current loca-
tion in Nor well. Avedis III was an innova-
tor, being the first to develop cymbals for
drum sets. He also gave these new cymbals names that are
still used today—crash, splash, ride, and hi-hat.

The business is now 392 years old, having been passed down through the Zildjian family for 15 generations. Interestingly, the manufacturing process has remained secret, only being passed down to the heirs. Currently, Avedis III’s granddaughters Craigie and Debbie run the business in America.

Cymbal formula

To make cymbals, they start with castings made with a secret blend of approximately 80% copper, 20% tin, and trace amounts of silver—referred to as “Bell Bronze.” This time-tested ratio of tin to copper produces a richer, more sustaining sound from the cymbal. Another alloy consisting of only 8% tin to 92% copper produces a brighter sound with more high frequencies. “The secret is in how the alloy is produced,” according to Paul Struble, VP of operations. “In fact, the director of research and development isn’t even allowed in the foundry.” After the castings have been made, they are sorted by weight. A moving tray takes the casting to a rotary oven at 1500˚F, which softens it and allows for stress release. Workers place the castings in a rolling mill, where they are squeezed between two large metal cylinders—like rolling out a pie crust. The castings become thinner, flatter, and larger in diameter. Depending on the cymbal type, the castings can go through a heating and rolling cycle up to 12 times. The repeated heating and cross rolling creates a dense interlocking weave in the granular structure of the alloy to make them strong enough for a real beating. The interlocking weave helps transmit the sound waves more rapidly across the cymbal.

After the cymbal has been tempered and pressed to its final shape, they place it on a spindle, where circular cutters shear the edges to a set diameter. The diameters can range anywhere