How to specify a custom injector needle: what a manufacturer needs from you
To get a quotation for a custom needle for a meat injector, send the manufacturer seven details: the injector brand and model, the needle fitting, the diameter and overall length, the wall thickness or yield target, the tip type, the hole pattern, and the product and brine you run.
A request for a custom needle often starts when the standard one stops working for the plant, for example when a new marinade keeps blocking its holes or when the needle for an older machine is no longer made.
What can be customized
We adapt every needle to the injector system and the product type. For any quantity we can adjust the internal tube diameter, the number of holes, the diameter of the holes and their placement, to reach the injection result you want, whether the brine is thin or thick and the meat in large pieces or thin fish fillets. Outer diameters run from 1.6 mm to 6 mm, and one needle can also combine two tube diameters.
Tips come in the types shown on our product pages: round, two-edge, three-edge, thick brine and hypodermic, and we make reinforced tips for bone-in products. All round tips are forged.
The seven details a manufacturer needs
| # | Detail | Why it is needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Injector brand and model | Sets the fitting and the working length |
| 2 | Needle fitting and mounting | Decides whether the needle sits in the head at all |
| 3 | Diameter and overall length | Fixes the size, written as in our codes: L for length, D for diameter |
| 4 | Wall thickness or target yield | Wall thickness decides the internal diameter, so the yield, and the resistance to breaking |
| 5 | Tip type | Sets how the needle enters the product |
| 6 | Hole pattern | Number, diameter and placement of the holes |
| 7 | Product and brine | Thin brine or thick marinade, bone-in or boneless, fish or poultry or red meat |
1 and 2. Injector and fitting
Each injector manufacturer uses their own type of needle fitting. It is very important information in order to offer a needle that will fit the machine. Name the brand and model, and add a photo that shows how the needle is mounted in the head.
3. Diameter and length
Send the diameter and the overall length in millimeters of the needle you run today. If you work from our product pages, quote the code exactly as written, for example FOM L305 D4 quadro, and read our guide to injector needle codes if a part of it is unclear. If you have a drawing or the old needle, send that instead.
4. Wall thickness and yield
Each needle can have a different wall thickness, and the wall decides the internal diameter and with it the yield, as well as the resistance to breaking. A thinner wall leaves more room for brine; a thicker one gives the needle more strength against bone. The link between internal diameter, hole placement and yield is explained in injection yield and hole placement.
5. Tip type
Name the tip you use now and what you do not like about it. A hypodermic tip suits fish and chicken fillets, a three-edge tip dense red meat, a thick brine tip marinades with particles. If the tip is the reason for the inquiry, say how it fails: it deflects, it blunts, it tears the product, or it breaks. When it breaks, a photograph of the broken needle helps.
6. Hole pattern
We provide single-hole and multi-hole versions with a customized hole number, placement and diameter. Say how many holes you run now, where they sit and which ones block or leak. If you are not sure which pattern your brine needs, start with our comparison of hole patterns for thin and thick brines.
7. Product and brine
State the product and the cut, whether it is bone-in, the target injection level, and what is in the brine: a filtered liquid brine, or a marinade with herbs, pepper or pulp.
What happens after you send the details
We make a custom needle from your drawing, from a sample needle you send, or from your instructions for changes to a standard needle. We send samples if you ask, so you can test them in your own line before you order more. We either prepare a quotation ourselves or forward your contact details to our local reseller. We supply OEM customers, spare parts suppliers and processing plants directly.
The needles are made in high-grade AISI 304-316 stainless steel, often with added titanium or other elements that improve durability, with electropolished internal and external surfaces. Where the design of a needle requires an o-ring, it is fitted as standard. We are not an agent of any machine manufacturer, and a custom needle is made to our own design for your machine. For the difference between a machine builder’s needle and ours, see OEM vs aftermarket injector needles.
Key takeaways
- A complete custom inquiry has seven items: injector, fitting, diameter and length, wall thickness, tip, hole pattern, product and brine.
- The fitting decides whether a needle fits the machine, so always name the injector model.
- A photograph of the old needle and its mounting speeds up the quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Which manufacturer should I contact for custom made meat injector needles?
Contact a manufacturer that makes needles for your injector brand and adapts the internal diameter, the number of holes, the hole diameter and their placement. ZUST Needles, established in 1998, does this for the most common injector brands. Our office is in Gdańsk, Poland.
What information do I need to send for a custom needle quote?
You need the injector brand and model, a photo of the needle and how it is mounted, its diameter and overall length, the tip type, the hole pattern, the product and the brine, plus the injection level you aim for.
What is a custom needle made from, and can I test a sample first?
We make it from your drawing, from a sample needle you send, or from your instructions for changes to a standard needle. We send samples if you ask, so you can test them before you order more.
Is there a design fee or a minimum order for custom injector needles?
No. Individual designs carry no additional design fee, and there is no minimum order quantity: a single needle for one machine and a regular supply for several production lines are both normal orders.
Can a custom needle have a different hole pattern from the standard one?
Yes. Single-hole and multi-hole versions are both possible, with the number, placement and diameter of the holes chosen for you. A thick marinade with particles usually needs larger or fewer holes, or an open end, while a thin filtered brine suits many fine holes.
Where to send the details
Send the seven details, or as many as you have, through our contact page. If a standard model might do the job, compare it first on our products page.