Article
January 10, 2006
Cutting to the chase - Integrating secondary operations
Many tube cutoff machines have evolved to integrate end forming and bending capabilities that normally are considered secondary operations. Considering the tube industry's need to reduce costs to stay competitive, the concept of integrating more operations may sound appealing. An inline system... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2004
Having a safe office party
Editor's Note: Originally published on December 11, 2003. It's that time of year when companies celebrate the holidays. Whether the celebration involves a lavish holiday party held off-site or a casual get-together in the office, both party organizers and attendees should follow safe... Read more...
Article
October 12, 2004
Preventing welding-related fires
In 2002 in Irving, Texas, 1.4 percent of the city's residential fires and 10 percent of its commercial fires were welding-related. These and welding-related fires elsewhere probably could have been prevented if welders had been more diligent in adhering to safe welding practices. Before... Read more...
Article
July 13, 2004
Job Burnout—Part 2
If the amount of feedback Part I of this series generated is a good barometer, job burnout is a huge problem potentially affecting many workers at all levels. This article will help you determine if you're at risk or suffering from the condition. It also offers suggestions for actions... Read more...
Article
July 13, 2004
Where the welders are
Making sense of the skilled labor shortage in the welding industry is like having conversations with five different people simultaneously while trying to walk a tightrope with a vase on your head and juggle at the same time. Several perspectives play prominent roles in this issue, from... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Job Burnout—Part 1
If you are employed, you're lucky to have a job. Perhaps you've heard this, thought it, or both. And it's true. With so many people out of work, it seems almost like biting the hand that feeds you to complain about your work conditions and expect your employer to care. If you're... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Spraying it right
For coil-fed applications, spray cabinets can be mounted to the feeder to accommodate passline changes. Most stampers understand the need for lubricants, but many apply as little as possible so they don't have to deal with the mess. Others take an opposite approach and flood the tool... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Welding fume health hazards
In 2003 NIOSH published a comprehensive review of scientific literature on health effects associated with welding. The article, "Health Effects of Welding,"1 noted that past investigations have found bronchitis, airway irritation, and other respiratory illnesses in large numbers of... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Gear up for welding
I'm sitting here at this computer realizing how much I hate sitting here at this computer. I'm just not a sit-in-a-chair type of guy. I tried it once between jobs. I interviewed for an inside sales position for a company that sold welding supplies. I'll be danged if they didn't hire me,... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
US. DOC Offers Export Assistance
Editor's Note: This article—a companion piece to Goin' Global , which appeared in the March 2004 issue of The FABRICATOR® magazine and is reprinted on thefabricator.com—lists some of the export assistance available from the U.S. Department of Commerce . Market Research... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Implementing open-book management
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from Larry Dunville's workshop presented at the STAMPING Journal® Forum: Strategies for Stamping Success, Feb. 5-7, 2003, Orlando, Fla. U.S. manufacturing is experiencing the most significant threats in its history. Since World War II, U.S.... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Goin' Global
Welding photo courtesy of Fronius Intl. GmbH, Austria. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), the U.S. trade deficit for the 12-month period from December 2002 to November 2003 was $489.1 billion.... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Selecting the right tungsten
But this isn't as true anymore, as the welding industry has shifted toward using inverter-based AC GTAW machines that incorporate square wave technology. Selecting the right tungsten becomes an increasingly critical issue with inverter technology to maximize its benefits. In the past pure... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Metal Art Takes on the Fireplace
Figure 1 After tracing the fireplace screen pattern on 12-gauge mild steel plate, Jim Truett performed his intricate cuts with an air plasma cutter. Truett knows his way around a welding power source and its allied tools, consumables and equipment. His job mandates it. But it's... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Cutting through five myths about modern lasers
The following five myths about modern laser cutting machines can help the experienced user stay on top of the game and give the prospective laser user a few things to keep in mind. Myth 1: Automated laser cutting systems are too complicated, expensive, and big for small and medium-sized... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Selecting a stamping die pressure system, Part II
Selecting a stamping die's pressure system can be a critical decision. Many questions must be answered to determine what type of pressure system best suits your application. This article is Part II of a two-part series that focuses on the different systems available, as well as the advantages... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Emergency preparedness: A critical safety program component
The guy who works next to you suddenly sustains a serious injury or has a medical emergency. Do you know what to do? You are injured on the job or have a medical emergency. Do your co-workers know what to do? If you answered no to any of these questions, you and those around you are... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Article
January 29, 2004
Respirator selection as a business decision
Several factors can help employers select a respirator that meets the required level of protection while having a positive business impact. Using this approach, employers can make choosing a respirator a business decision that can increase productivity, decrease injuries, and decrease... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Taxing situation
That's why The FABRICATOR® sought out a tax expert to explain the opportunities presented by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, signed into law by the president this summer. Mark Sellner is the managing principal of tax services for Larson Allen, Weishair,... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Occupational injury and illness statistics
Statistics also were reported for cases that resulted in days away from work, a job transfer, or restriction and are grouped in two categories: those requiring at least one day away from work, with or without job transfer or restricted activity, and those requiring job transfer or... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
New Year's Resolutions
What causes us to fail to follow-through on those well-intentioned resolutions we make every year? And a more important question is, How do we make them stick? Two things cause people to dump their New Year's resolutions – daily circumstances and overplanning and underexecuting. Circumstances... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Appliancemaker reduces downtime with stamping press feed system
Most of the parts are stamped out of light-gauge metals. "On the majority of our machines, we're feeding 0.0040 inch and less," said Dan Partin, senior process engineer at Whirlpool. Partin reported that the company had noticed excessive downtime on some of its key presses that were running for... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Beating 'world' pricing
This Finn-Power Express Bending Cell, which automates complex bending and reduces tedious and costly work stages, has last bend negative capability and fully automatic operations cycles—from loading the sheet to unloading the bent parts. "I have a precision sheet metal shop and... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Rolling bolsters bolster productivity
Shown out of the press, the guided wheels on this 120,000-pound rigid chain rolling bolster are evident on the front face of the bolster. One element of changing dies in stamping presses quickly and efficiently is the use of a rolling bolster. With this equipment, the operator rolls... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Filling in the blanks
Because of sluggish economies and uncertain markets, the need to hone a competitive edge is more sharply defined. Many stampers are doing this by taking control of their material inventory and production schedules by adding a cut-to-length blank shearing line. An in-house blank... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Finding and creating value in your stamping operation
Their focus on time requires that material flow smoothly through the production processes in concert with sales orders, raw materials, and purchased parts. It also requires smaller production batch sizes. Most important, these companies have learned that the greatest waste and excess... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Family business going strong after 100 years
Editor's Note: The Peddinghaus Corporation, featured in this article, is the longest-standing active member of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.® (FMA), the company behind thefabricator.com. FMA and thefabricator.com salute Peddinghaus and wish the company continued... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
Workers' compensation—Managing the process
Editor's note: Portions of this article were published previously in an issue of FMA/TPA "Member Connections." State workers' compensation laws were enacted to ensure that covered employees who are injured on the job are provided with monetary benefits to cover medical expenses and to... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
The history of welding according to Marty
OK, so this guy back in ancient times got into a fight with another guy. He got punched in the eye and fell backward, hitting his head on a fallen tree branch. He thought to himself, "That fist hurt, but that dang tree limb hurt worse." (This was the first time the expression "dang" was... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
High-tech presses
Figure 1 Complex drive system Stampers are looking to achieve higher productivity, better component quality, longer die life, and increased flexibility. While these capabilities are essential to maintaining an edge in today's competitive environment, they come at a price. New... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Is your company a breeding ground for workplace violence?
Approximately 2 million U.S. workers are victims of workplace violence each year. In 1997 the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that an average of 20 workers are murdered each week in the U.S., and an estimated 18,000 per week are victims of nonfatal... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Choosing the right oxyfuel gas and supply system
Photo courtesy of Weldstar Inc. Cutting In oxyfuel cutting, an oxygen jet, not the preheat flame, performs the cutting. The oxygen jet oxidizes the material and expels the heated material from the kerf. The purpose of the preheat flame is to heat the material to the ignition... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Article
October 23, 2003
Tube Hydroforming Design Flexibility—Part IV
Material selection is a very important aspect of design flexibility when striving to fulfill part functionality requirements. Choosing the correct material is fundamental to making the part effectively and efficiently.
The way a material is formed and the conditions it needs to withstand for... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
Pinpointing future laser welding markets
While some laser welding equipment manufacturers are thriving right now, others still fight a battle as old as the technology itself—gaining acceptance for equipment that carries a hefty initial price tag (albeit one that can save money over time). Consequently laser welding... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
March for manufacturing
Yes, the issue is on the radar screen. People are talking about it. E-mails are racing around the Internet. Letters are being written. Industry associations are working hard to educate, raise awareness, and get attention. The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) organized a Town Hall... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
Take control of safety
Often invisible to the human eyes, airborne contaminants can have serious consequences for your health. Be familiar with the potential hazards and the effects they can have on your respiratory system. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 1910.134... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
Blast Cleaning Equipment: What you need to know before buying
Many options are available that can achieve the necessary prefinish requirements of any part. Of those options, blast cleaning can be an efficient and economical choice. Blast cleaning requires no chemicals and does not remove any surface metal in its process. Some facts however, should be... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Controlling bend angles
Spring-back Analysis All metal has a certain amount of spring-back. Spring-back, also known as elastic recovery, is the tendency for the metal to want to return to its original flat blank shape after being bent. To fully understand why metal springs back, we first must understand that metal,... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Choosing a GMAW machine for occasional aluminum welding
I want to buy a small gas metal arc welding (GMAW) machine, preferably one that runs from 120-V input power. Most of my welding will be steel, but I would like to weld aluminum occasionally. Can these machines really weld aluminum? I've heard a lot of different opinions. Some companies claim... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
The wrinkle-wiper for tube bends
Figure 1 Here's a quick quiz for you to take: What "wipes" the wrinkles from the bend in a tube and is one of the five pieces of tooling in a die set? If you guessed wiper die, you're right. A piece of tooling used to keep the inside bend of a tube from wrinkling, a wiper die... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Stamping 101
Figure 1 The Catalyst To make the facility a reality, in 2000 Mike Chester, president and co-owner of Buhrke Industries, a Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive stamper, donated 1,750 square feet of space in one of Buhrke's buildings. Once a location was established, many Chicago-area... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Protecting yourself from gases and fumes
Protecting yourself from fumes and gases often means overcoming objections. Some welders mistakenly argue that running a fan to blow smoke away eliminates risk. Others avoid using protective equipment because it's uncomfortable or takes too long to set up. Worse, your workplace might not... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Hydraulic presses make their mark
Just like hydraulics technology itself, the market for presses based on it is fluid and dynamic. And for the first time in a while, the tide may be turning in favor of its practitioners. As many manufacturers report prosperity and strong prospects for it in the near future, the hydraulic... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Making plasma cutting easier
For many people, the world of plasma cutting is a complex and daunting place, with a cryptic set of rules that can be mastered only by highly trained technicians after weeks of training. For every change of material or thickness being cut, a long process ensues of resetting gas mixtures,... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Article
July 24, 2003
Die width selection
Most designers and engineers usually place very little importance on achieving the correct inside radius of a formed part. Why? Because the functionality of the part is unaffected if the specified inside radius is 0.062 in. and actual measured inside radius is 0.078 in. So why do we care about... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Using inverter technology
Those familiar with inverters usually know they offer size, weight, and portability advantages. They also can improve reliability by overcoming primary power fluctuations, also known as dirty power. Question: Does the weight of the plasma cutter matter? Answer: Yes, because labor... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
The business of lasers
From the laser manufacturers' standpoint, the U.S. market for lasers has simply gotten smaller. This is a function of multiple market forces. The slumping manufacturing sector is a major influence, but so is the increased productivity of today's laser systems. At its peak during 1994 and... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Tuning a piano—making the most of your best resources
Editor's Note: Is your company in survival mode? There are questions you should be asking and steps you can take to improve your company's position—instead of shooting the pianist. Ever listen to someone playing a piano that's out of tune? Remember the sound? Completely sour.... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
July 10, 2003
Do you use checking jigs and fixtures?
The effect that checking fixtures have on your operating bottom line is so important that they should be given a much higher priority than most tube fabricators give them. The cost of quality checking fixtures should be included in every bid when quoting jobs. In fact, costs incurred... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Laser-integrated robotics for assembly
Recently a cell phone manufacturer set out to be the first to develop an all-aluminum flip-type package for its ultracompact cell phone. Conceptually, the manufacturing seemed feasible, except for the joining of the materials.
Overlooking the Obvious
In the early phase of... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
The end of the (welding) world as we know it?
Many across the state whose livelihoods depend on welding—shop owners, instructors, and welding equipmentmakers—are waiting to hear if all but one of the state's vocational-technical welding programs will be eliminated as the result of state budget cuts. Vocational-technical... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Press brakes: the quest for a happy ending
Cast: Press brake manufacturers and users. Genre: Suspense/Drama/Horror. Plot: Our hero, Press Brake Professional, fights a life-and-death struggle with the forces of Foreign Competition and his nefarious gang of cohorts—Tiny Orders, Slow Economy, and Skilled Labor Shortage. With... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
The little-known life of the scarfing tool
Just kidding, but I'm sure you get my point. Scarfing tools are pretty boring compared to the greater issues we face since 9/11. I pray for world peace right there with anybody who will listen. But then again, I've been asked many times why tools don't last or why they break after only a short... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Selecting a table for abrasive jet machining
Editor's Note: This article is the third in a series intended to help a prospective user evaluate abrasive jet machinery. The first article, Buying an abrasive jet machine , compared the abrasive jet process with other cutting processes. The second article, Software for abrasive waterjet... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Dealing with internal pressure in free hydraulic bulging
Finite element analysis (FEA) is a numerical process that treats a single item, such as a metal tube, as a large number of small, individual components, or finite elements. It performs calculations on each of the elements and uses the result to predict the deformation behavior... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Waste not, want not
How good are tube fabricators at finding hidden waste? Uncovering and eliminating hidden waste has as much to do with being profitable as any other manufacturing cost. We all know how to quote and define the structured costs involved in a job, but what can we do to take care of waste that... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Found art
Arnold's first job out of college was with the New Arts Foundry fabricating bronze statues. However, he quickly grew tired of following someone else's blueprints. A year later he landed a commission to design and fabricate 150 feet of ornamental iron railing for a private residence. After... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
The future of vocational education
Many of those who responded that programs are still intact expressed concern that they may be cut in the near future. A Major Issue A recent article by Marty Rice, a welding instructor concerned about the growing trend to cut vocational and technical programs and the rumors circulating... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Job shop reduces costs, improves laser's output
The Laser Station regulator can be mounted to a secured surface to eliminate movement and potential leakage at the tubing connection.
Such multilevel capabilities enable a customer to reduce the number of vendors it needs, thereby lowering handling and administration... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Robots and dials and knobs—oh my!
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. You be the judge. In the late 1950s, the U.S. Navy wanted to find a way to join heavy aluminum structural sections used to fabricate motor torpedo boat hulls. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) offered suitable process... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Don't be a hot dog with heating heads
Welders use heating heads to preheat steels before welding, maintain heat between welds, heat treat after welding, and heat before straightening or bending. Heating heads can be safe every time they're lit when you use them safely. However, heating attachments probably are the most dangerous... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Getting it Straight
Before coiled material can pass through a die to produce an acceptable part, it must be straightened. Coil straightening is accomplished by bending a strip of material around sets of rollers that alternately stretch and compress the upper and lower surfaces so that the material's yield... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Making your own punch and dies
Speaking from 30 years of experience, I'd say this situation probably is a fact of life for 99 percent of us. Whether we are doing some in-house engineering and design or working at the press brake, the thought is the same.
An End to the Dilemma
Sure enough, there is a reasonable solution... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Article
May 15, 2003
Reviving the past
When he looked at the outside of his building, Bellingham, Wash., YMCA Director Dave Harding realized he faced a challenge. The original Bellingham, Wash., YMCA building. The YMCA's main downtown facility was located in an early-1900s, four-story building. In recent years the interior... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Overcoming organizational paralysis
What if you were powerless or incapable of moving? Wouldn't it be awful if you found yourself in a situation in which you knew you had all the appropriate limbs, plus the desire for movement, but still couldn't move? Paralysis is not something any of us wants to experience or even think... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Riding on the cusp of something great
The sculptures' pieces seem only incidentally connected, barely touching, much less literally supporting and balancing each other. They appear more like glittering ornaments dangling from a mobile than weighty metal structures connected by fate and strong welds. Ironically, Robb said he... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Sick at Work?
For some workers, various symptoms of illness appear when they enter the workplace and disappear when they leave. These workers suffer from sick building syndrome (SBS). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SBS is used to describe situations in which building... 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
January 16, 2003
Job Satisfaction—Part 1
Editors Note: This is part I in a series about job satisfaction. Please read: Part II and Part III In the December 2002 issue of thefabricator.com newsletter, we asked readers to rate their job satisfaction for the year on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied).... Read more...
Article
November 17, 2002
Secrets of Using GTAW for Tools and Dies
Tool and die welding can be a very lucrative service for a fab shop to offer. However, tool and die welders are a rare breed because of lack of knowledge about the process and the extra expense for a shop. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) frequently is used for tool and die welding applications... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2002
Equipping Your Press With the Right Tonnage Monitor
Tonnage monitoring equipment has been around for several decades. The early models were sometimes finicky, hard to use, and susceptible to outside electrical interference. Today's tonnage monitors are easier to install, simpler to use, and more reliable. Many types are available to meet the... Read more...
Article
June 18, 2002
Staying lean in a lean economy
Over the past few months I've had the chance to speak at six different manufacturing conferences and trade association symposiums. Without a doubt, the most recurring topic of conversation has been the current economic slowdown. Specifically, many people have expressed concerns about how they... Read more...
Article
March 28, 2002
Taking a look at performance appraisals
As our work lives continue to become more complex, many managers are looking for assistance in the ongoing effort to achieve results—often with fewer resources. In the middle of all this, it may be helpful to develop a simpler strategy when attempting to communicate your expectations to... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2002
High-speed feeding techniques
The maximum operating speed of a stamping operation should be limited, in theory, only by the maximum number of strokes per minute (SPM) that the press can achieve. In reality, production speed is limited by other factors as well. For instance:
1. The uncoiler may not unwind... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Sawing structural and architectural tubing
Figure 1
The circular saw is a commonly used option for cutting structural materials, including (top) solid H beams, and both round (middle) and rectangular (bottom) hollow materials.
Architectural tubing is something of a mixed blessing: On the one hand, the... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Punching tips
I used to listen to an eight-track tape of Buffalo Springfield while I ran a kick punch. If you've never seen a kick punch, it basically is a lever-operated C-frame press. You cause the punch tip to lower by pushing a pedal forward with your foot.
I remember running a job on some 16-gauge... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Keeping pace with today's punching requirements
Figure 1 The punch, die, and stripper's function still is to punch holes that are a specific size and shape into sheet metal in a specific location. The quest for accurately punched holes, top-quality piece parts, and long tool life can be a positive experience when you consider your... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
It's all about precision, craftsmanship
Consider the various applications for microwelding and some of the first images that come to mind are the highly intricate weld operations performed on hardened tool steels and machined weldments—synonymous with a high level of precision and craftsmanship. An increasingly large... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Pairing a servo feed with a pull-through straightener
Servo feeds have been in use for many years now. People have become comfortable with this technology and it is becoming commonplace. What is not commonplace is the knowledge that servo feeds can be used with pull-through straighteners as opposed to a conventional feed line that uses a... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Hydraulic workholding from scratch
Hydraulic clamps can be used in place of manual or toggle clamps to hold a workpiece or tool in place during stamping. The foundation for effective hydraulic workholding is built on component selection and system connection. Whether the system is simple or complex, the job at hand basic... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
When sparks fly ...
While an arc welding unit was being used on the second floor in a Kaukauna, Wisconsin, warehouse, sparks dropped through an opening to cardboard boxes below, igniting the boxes. There was no fire watch on the first floor, and when the fire was discovered 15 minutes later, employees could... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
The basics of uncoiling
Choosing proper coil handling and processing equipment can improve material handling and jump-start your shop's overall productivity improvement effort. However, before purchasing any one component, you should consider four factors: • Material to be processed • Line speed... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Making the most of the daily grind
The design and production of abrasives have kept pace with other advances in the welding industry, making grinding and finishing products more effective than ever in helping fabricators to lower costs and improve productivity. Grinding equipment and accessories for this industry are available... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Mobilizing equipment-saving time and talent
Think about the increased production that would be possible if one operator could manage two machines simultaneously. You could make it work simply by varying access to different pieces of equipment as needed anywhere in your facility.
Of course, some machines on the shop floor cannot be... 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
November 15, 2001
Is robotic welding right for you?
Recent shortages of trained labor, combined with advances in technology, present a convincing argument to introduce robotic welding to many factory and job shop operations. When a fabricating company already operating at its highest production capacity gets a bigger contract, it is... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Article
November 15, 2001
Contract stamper increases die life and draw die productivity
Object Jancox Stampings has remained competitive by investing in link drive mechanical presses from PTC, offering value-added assembly services, and encouraging employee initiatives. The article discusses how the presses work and how reduced speed reduces springback (which allows the company... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
Common barricades on the road to lean
Shops trying to create a lean manufacturing environment within their businesses sometimes make common mistakes that could be avoided with forethought and a little knowledge of the pitfalls faced by lean pioneers past. Self-imposed Inflexibility Job shops, make-to-order shops, and... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2001
Article
September 17, 2001
Examining tube mill roll tooling, setup, and maintenance
Poor tooling setup and mill alignment can be costly, especially when they result in decreased production quality and scrap. Both areas must be maintained continuously. A secret to achieving maximum roll integrity is simple, but often forgotten: Roll tooling design is based on known parameters... Read more...
Article
September 4, 2001
Exploring complementary cutting methods
Diversification is the linchpin of running a successful business. The key to producing quality work and investing in equipment wisely is knowing which cutting method—laser, plasma, electrical discharge machining, waterjet, or another—to use for a particular application. While... Read more...
Article
August 16, 2001
