Article
April 10, 2007
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 9, 2004
On the road again
Just a missed exit away from the Caterpillar facility in Morton, Ill., contract manufacturer Morton Metalcraft Co. teems with noise and activity. It seems fitting that the company's headquarters is planted among rich, green farmland and gravel-dust-steaming road construction sites,... Read more...
Article
November 9, 2004
Successful stamping: It's a 'we' thing
As a consultant and educator, I travel to numerous die shops and stamping plants, and almost all of them have the same basic request: "Can you show these tooling guys how to make the dies run better?" I hear comments like "We sure have a lot of downtime and scrap, not to mention the usual... Read more...
Article
August 10, 2004
Slitting ultrahigh-strength steels
The automotive industry's search for stronger and lighter materials spawned new steel grades to meet higher strength-to-weight ratio requirements. While these materials allow automotive engineers to design lighter and stronger components, they present stampers and coil processors with... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
New Features in Coil-to-Coil Slitters
Productivity is at the forefront for equipment builders today because their customers demand it, and processing margins for users of coil processing equipment haven't changed from years ago. For a company to be profitable, its equipment has to produce more. It's that simple. To accommodate the... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Tube Hydroforming Design Flexibility—Part V
Combined with the information in Part III of this series that focused on cross-section expansion before hydroforming, this article discusses the most common options used in preparing tube for hydroforming and achieving the designer-intended part. Properly executing bending and cross-section... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Three optional techniques for beveling
All of these methods generate no dust or fumes and produce paintable edges without distortion or a heat-affected zone (HAZ). Finished edges have consistent angles along the bevel's entire length. Punch and Nibble Method Punch and nibble-style bevelers are portable power tools... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Laser cell system gives job shop the home field advantage
Photo courtesy of Lund Industries Inc., Wheeling, Ill. No stranger to the economic fluctuations in the industry, the 50-employee company has weathered the heavy volume demands in the economic boom of the late '90s as well as the current intense global tournament that has forced U.S.... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Why should you care about inside bend radii?
Photo courtesy of TRUMPF Inc.
A minimum bend radius is a function of the material and has little or nothing to do with the press brake punch tip. A minimum bend radius for one material thickness is not the same for another material thickness. In cold-rolled mild steel,... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Troubleshooting compression bending
Most compression bending problems are one of three types: Flattening or collapsing on the outside of the bend. Crimping or wrinkling on the inside of the bend. Dimpling on the inside of bend. Generally you can prevent these problems by implementing these standard solutions:... 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
Folding technology makes sweeping changes
In particular, sheet metal was used extensively for roofing and building cladding. These applications were well-suited to the swing bending machine's geometry, and the modern metal folding industry was born. A number of German manufacturers began adding powered backgauges with... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
Handling appliance steel
As appliance manufacturers strive to reduce costs and streamline production processes, additional pressure is placed on coil processing to produce high-quality, surface-sensitive materials. These materials include pre-painted steel products and decorative metals such as stainless steel,... Read more...
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
Material handling safety
How the material or goods are unloaded or loaded is a key factor in reducing employee injuries. Persons involved in material handling should be able to lift and hold the weight of the material or goods used in their operations. They also must be properly trained in the correct way to lift... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Using finite element analysis to roll-form tubes
Figure 1 Roll forming causes yield stress, flow stress, and hardness variations in material properties around a tube's circumference. These variations may lead to premature bursting or excessive thinning in hydroformed parts. This makes it necessary to determine the effect roll forming... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
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 28, 2003
Article
August 28, 2003
Designing an off-road sport truck
They're big. They're mean. They growl and snarl. Untamed beasts, they're at home anywhere, regardless of the terrain or the climate. They prowl over mountains or deserts or backwoods trails, whether the conditions are warm or cold or wet or dry. They're custom-made off-road trucks, and... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Notching tube and pipe
The Hole Saw Using a hole saw is an inexpensive way to make the occasional notch for a weld joint. More for the hobbyist, hole saws can be used with a drill press or, for portability, with a hand-held drill. Multiple corresponding hole saws must be used to make notches with... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Selecting the right abrasives for your operation
The Nitty Gritty For each weld configuration and material there is an abrasive wheel that ensures optimal grinding results. The first step in determining the right wheel for the job is to identify the material being welded. Most abrasives manufacturers offer wheels made of three... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Stamping out bad parts
One option for stamping quality control to help fabricators determine shape, strains, and thinning is full-field optical vision technology. Based on the principles of circle grid analysis and photogrammetry—the science of making precise measurements by recording and analyzing... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Article
August 14, 2003
Virtual tryout
In this era of global warp speed and virtual reality, calculating the deep draws of progressive dies or the springback of metal is performed by simulation software instead of the earlier trial-and-error method. These software programs essentially replace the artistic methods of diemaking... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Taking the heat, keeping the current
A DaimlerChrysler powertrain control module cover/heat sink assembly needed to be thermally conductive yet electrically isolated. The populated circuit board—one with all components in place—had to be bonded to the heat sink and postcured in a vacuum laminating press. The... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Tier 1 supplier builds four-stage competitive strategy
F & P Manufacturing Inc., a Tier 1 automotive supplier, is no stranger to competitive and financial pressures. Unrelenting competitive pressures come from the many other Tier 1 suppliers looking for opportunities to increase their slice of the automotive pie. Financial pressures come from... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Maximizing a coil fed press
Modern Coil-fed Presses Stamping processes revolve around two basic styles of tooling, transfer and progressive dies. They both require feed-to-length systems but differ in many key areas. Blanking processes could be added but are progressive in nature. Transfer tooling requires material to be... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Improving blank edge conditions
Blanking—like piercing, parting, notching, and trimming—basically is a shearing process. Sheet metal that is sheared undergoes a predictable process and yields a predictable cross-sectional profile. Typically during shearing, as the punch initially engages the sheet metal, it... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Stretching metal's forming limits with HSP lubricants
The trend in metal stamping is to use more and more aluminum and other lightweight materials, such as advanced high strength steel (AHSS). The need for technology to help improve metal flow of these materials in deep-drawing applications also is increasing. In many cases, a stamper's original... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Understanding weld discontinuities
A welder's primary concern in any kind of work is ensuring his weld is sound. For this reason, it's important for an inspector examining the weld to be able to spot a variety of weld discontinuities, including: Porosity. Incomplete fusion. Incomplete joint penetration. Unacceptable... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
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
Article
April 10, 2003
Establishing a die setup recipe for progressive dies
To reduce the number of mistakes, it is important to have a good die setup recipe for each progressive tool. The special setup sheet should contain numerous items in checklist form. Setup Checklist All of the following items are crucial to your die-setup recipe. Although some of these items... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Using narrow-gap GTAW for power-generation equipment
The new shroud was welded with narrow-gap GTAW. The groove in this shroud was open by 6 degrees and 0.28 in. (7 mm) wide at the parallel section. This process allows uniform welding with first-layer penetration in all positions. The wire feed and base metal fusion rates can be... Read more...
Article
May 16, 2002
Material—Is it always a problem?
Have you ever heard the following? "If we just would purchase the right material, I would have no production problems at all." "My setup is right there, man! You just have to get me the right material!" In most cases bad material is the reason a good production run or setup suddenly does... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2002
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
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
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
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
December 11, 2001
Cutting through the obstacles
Of all the materials that can be cut on industrial band saw machines, structural steels—such as pipe and tubing, plate, angle and channel iron, and I beams—are among the most common and challenging. The challenges often arise when a blade encounters changes in the cross... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Using existing tooling for new product applications
Figure 1: This design is typical for the last fin pass for low-carbon steel using high-frequency welding. "In turbulent times, one must be innovative or be rendered defenseless." Peter Drucker said these words when addressing the Steel Service Center Institute several years ago, and... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Adaptive bending
In conventional press brake bending, the bend angle obtained often differs from the programmed angle even though it is produced on a CNC machine. To overcome this problem, the bend angle can be measured during the forming process and this information fed to the numerical control. This process... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 11, 2001
The importance of the n value in sheet forming
Figure 1: Magnitudes of elongation at the onset of necking vary with the n value. 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. Strain... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2001
Installing and maintaining coil cradles and reels
All stamping and forming operations outside of the powder or forging industries begin with coiled steel. In many fabricators' plants, the decoiler, payoff reel, recoiler, tensioner, or other coil handling equipment require constant maintenance. Installation The nature of the... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2001
Article
September 17, 2001
Designing progressive dies
Figure 1: This part was rotated in the strip to maintain critical tolerances better. The decision to produce a part progressively is usually determined by two factors: the volume of production and the complexity of the part. These two factors are instrumental in the design and... Read more...
Article
September 13, 2001
Selecting the right materials for roll forming—Part 2
Alloyed Steel In addition to carbon, large varieties of metallic and nonmetallic elements are used to achieve the desired mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The most frequently used alloying elements are manganese, cobalt, chromium, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, zirconium,... 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
September 4, 2001
Skiving strip edges for tube and pipe producing
Edge treatment of coil strip before it enters a tube and pipe mill, called skiving, is a rapidly advancing technology. Improving the coil edge before it is welded helps increase the quality of the seam join and helps prevent rejected tube or pipe. Traditional Skiving Equipment Edge skiving to... Read more...
Article
August 16, 2001
Article
August 16, 2001
Article
July 26, 2001
Article
July 12, 2001
The growing use of orbital tube welding
This trend is due partly to orbital welding's capability to make an entrapment-free, permanent connection that is highly resistant to vibration. This makes it a good choice for joints that are not intended to be disassembled in the future. However, the appeal of orbital welding also is due to... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
Turning up the power
Industry trends indicate that metal fabricators increasingly are selecting higher-power lasers for cutting applications. Two years ago, the most common power levels ranged between 1,500 and 2,000 watts. However, a statistical survey conducted by the AMT Laser System Product Group indicates a... Read more...
Article
June 15, 2001
Article
June 13, 2001
Transfer die design considerations
After receiving an assignment to design a die for a transfer operation, a die designer considers many questions and factors concerning the specific project. These questions help the designer to create the best possible design for all the factors comprising the project. If annual volume, press... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2001
Article
June 6, 2001
Protecting surface-sensitive materials in coil processing
In today's world of metal fabricating, reducing the number of steps in the production process is an ever-increasing trend. Fabricators are becoming more efficient by: Feeding production lines with materials that have been slit to the proper finished dimension. Feeding production lines with... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Key design principles for successful deep drawing
Successful deep drawing depends on many factors. Ignoring even one of them during die design and build can prove disastrous. However, regardless of the many factors involved, the most important element to a successful deep drawing operation is initiating metal flow. The following are key... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Discovering the limits of press brake tooling
One of the most important aspects of press brake forming is tooling selection. What are the tools capable of? What kinds of loads can they withstand?
Figure 1:
A standard straight press brake punch withstands more tonnage per foot than the press brake itself withstands.... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Article
May 30, 2001
Skelp edge preparation for manufacturing ERW pipe
Achieving a quality weld requires starting with good edges. In manufacturing electric-resistance- welded (ERW) pipe and tube, this is critical. Perfect edges are almost impossible to obtain consistently by rotary side trimming single-width coils or side trimming and slitting master... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Article
April 24, 2001
Predicting the outcomes of laser thermal forming
Applying a laser or any other high-density heat source to the surface of a metal sheet for a short time will distort the metal. If this distortion could be predicted, the laser could be directed so that the sheet metal would form the desired shape. This idea opens up many possibilities,... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2001
Examining electric resistance weld nuggets in tube and pipe
An in-depth examination of electric resistance welding (ERW) weld nuggets as a quality control step in the manufacturing of high-strength tube and pipe used for pressure applications has been a proprietary procedure for some manufacturers for several years. Types of pressure-application tube... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2001
Troubleshooting your stamping operation
A manufacturing process can be defined as altering the configuration or shape of raw material and/or previously manufactured components with a combination of equipment, tools, and operators to create a new product. Over time, any manufacturing process becomes vulnerable to alteration through... Read more...
Article
March 26, 2001
Producing quality ASTM A249 and ASME SA 249 pressure tubes
Object Producing quality ASTM A249 and ASME SA249 pressure tubes takes more than just applying a stencil to the product. It requires a manufacturing process and a quality system that not only provide an excellent weld, but also condition the weld through proper cold working (forging) and... Read more...
Article
March 13, 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...
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
