Content tagged with "cost"
Results: 18
Article
February 12, 2004
Gaining from friction and formability data
Figure 1 Business owners now are paying closer attention to forming lubricants. Why? Because new data has linked lubricants to an important driver of business profits—steel efficiency. With metal representing close to half of a company's total operating cost and manufacturing... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Investing in lubricants
Raw materials and overhead account for 75 percent (see Figure 1) of an average metal forming company's total operating cost. Improving these two areas can make the biggest impact on your bottom line. But what if you've optimized your material costs by paying the lowest price for your... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Predicting springback in air bending, straight flanging
Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/ NSM), The Ohio State University, Professor Taylan Altan, director. Air bending and straight flanging are the most prevalent types of bending in sheet metal forming.... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Roll formers look for a win
Many systems enable users to download a DXF drawing directly into the roll forming line's computer. Not everyone can be the New York Yankees, or even the roll forming version—especially in today's economic climate. It would be nice, though. The Bronx Bombers have used a fat wallet... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Inverter versus transformer power supplies for aluminum GTAW
I'm looking for a new GTAW power supply for AC aluminum welding. I had intended to buy a conventional transformer unit, but several people have told me to buy an inverter-based power supply. Which one is better for my application? Inverter-based power supplies do have some advantages over... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2003
Siege planning or strategic planning
Soon after that comment, toward the end of a globalization workshop titled China and the Middle Market Manufacturer, organized by GSSC and Harris Bank/Bank of Montreal, one frustrated attendee, likely representing a company that had never before been affected, lamented what many... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Substance abuse in the workplace—Part 2
Editor's Note: Part 1 of this series outlined the sobering facts of substance abuse in the workplace. The toll that substance abuse takes on the abuser, his or her family and friends, and those who become victims of substance abuse-induced accidents and crimes is well-documented. So... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Slash maintenance inventory costs
Typically, managers hesitate to initiate a cost-cutting project in this area because they fear that critical parts may not be available when they are needed. And the number of parts that can be reduced—typically one or two—may seem too few to yield meaningful cost savings. In fact,... Read more...
Article
July 25, 2002
Estimating your cutting costs
The recent recession has created a new standard for many fabricators: When capacity exceeds work, the reality is that cost does matter—more than ever before. Many fabricators bid on jobs simply to fulfill short-term needs: to keep personnel employed and machinery running so they... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Gettin' down with downtime
The pressures of increased competition and the need for stampers to stay competitive affect every aspect of their operations. One of the key ways stampers can create an efficient and cost-effective operation is to reduce downtime on the shop floor. One of the principal causes of downtime... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Abrasive control factors for mass finishing systems
Figure 1: Literally hundreds of media compositions, sizes, and shapes are available. With the advent of the Clean Air Act in the early 1970s, a new playing field for the coating industry began evolving. Simply providing better service and possibly better economics with the... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Article
April 24, 2001
Article
April 24, 2001
Article
April 24, 2001
Increasing productivity on your cutoff saw
If you are sawing tube or pipe in substantial quantities, you most likely have a cutoff saw to do the work. As with all of your machinery, your goal is to get the most out of it, and that takes some special consideration. Tubes and pipes are hollow workpieces, so each cut consists of three... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2001
Exploring upgrades in stamping presses
Model Ts are an example of a once-modern mode of transportation that have become a collector's possession and museum lore. Industrialist Henry Ford gave the world access to mobility and freedom to travel; however, vehicles today have improvements that make the formerly innovative Model T an... Read more...
Article
March 5, 2001
Article
March 5, 2001
The basic elements of tubular hydroforming
Tube hydroforming has been well-known since the 1950s. However, with recent advancements in computer controls and high-pressure hydraulic systems, the process has become a viable method for mass production, especially with the use of internal pressures of up to 6,000 pounds per square inch... Read more...
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