Article
November 20, 2009
Mild steel to HSS: Not just a spec change - Part II
Figure 1
Conventional systems require more equipment and downstream operations than a servo press with slide motion control because functions such as joining, threading, punching, piercing, and laser marking can be integrated in the press or performed in-die..
Editor's Note: This... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2009
Mild steel to HSS: Not just a spec change - Part I
Figure 1
This schematic shows what happens to a press when cutting high-strength material.
Editor's Note: This is Part I of a two-part article. This installment focuses on the press technology available to form and cut high-strength steel. Part II outlines cost efficiencies that... Read more...
Spanish
August 4, 2009
Article
April 1, 2009
10 Hot-stamping HSS FAQs
1. What Is Hot Stamping
In its simplest definition, hot stamping, also called hot forming or press hardening, is the process of forming metal while it is very hot (in excess of 900 degrees C) and then quenching it (cooling it quickly) in the die. The process converts low-tensile-strength... Read more...
Article
February 24, 2009
Stamper rebuffs recession with retool
Eagle Wings Industries, Rantoul, Ill., is a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier of large underbody assemblies and subassemblies. The company forms chassis parts (front and rear side members, floor reinforcements, I/P assemblies, side pillars, and strut houses); painted trim parts (front suspension... Read more...
Article
October 28, 2008
Article
September 15, 2008
Article
July 29, 2008
Die shop transitions to production stamper
What started as fill-in work for idle tool tryout presses has now become full-time production stamping for this die shop. Advanced feed lines and a multifunction software program helped facilitate the successful transition. Third-generation tool- and diemakers Tom and Jerry Wysoczynski broke... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
Coming to your sensors
The most difficult aspect of implementing a stamping sensor program is figuring out where to place the sensor. For example, in this application, two stamping sensors on opposing ends of the die face each other and communicate across an air gap that runs the length of the die. (Photos and... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2008
Stamping 101: Anatomy of a Mechanical Press
Stamping press functions Editor's Note: STAMPING Journal® will explore hydraulic press capabilities, the differences between mechanical presses and hydraulic presses, as well as servo and pneumatic presses in "How to select a press," which will be published in the March issue.... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2007
8 Things you should know about your hydraulic press
What should you do to keep your hydraulic press running? Know your press—when it is working properly or when it needs attention. You can extend press life and maximize your investment by keeping your eyes and ears tuned and by performing these eight preventive maintenance steps: 1.... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2007
Metalforming lessons learned abroad
Figure 1 Rolling bolsters are used to quickly change dies that might weigh many tons. The U.S. taught the world about mass production, but now it may be time for the teacher to take some notes on flexible approaches to metal forming. After World War II, consumerism in the U.S. required... Read more...
Spanish
November 6, 2007
Cómo mantener las prensas hidráulicas operando
¿Qué deben saber los operadores para el buen estado de sus prensas hidráulicas? Deben saber cuándo la prensa está funcionando bien o necesita atención, y luego, darle mantenimiento regular.
Conociendo su Prensa
Para averiguar si su prensa hidráulica está funcionando como debe,... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2007
Extend conveyor life with maintenance, modification
Forty years ago, conveyors were just expected to move items from point A to point B. They did that pretty well, but not much else. To the naked eye, conveyor design doesn't look like it has progressed much since then. Looks can be deceiving. The conveyors of today are engineered with unique... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2007
Strategic sourcing for stampers
Material is the single largest cost component for stamping companies—about 50 percent to 60 percent of annual sales. This amount may vary depending on the extent and composition of secondary operations. Direct labor represents only about 6 percent to 8 percent of sales, but it gets the... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2007
A new standard in forming bathtubs
American Standard's manufacturing facility in Salem, Ohio, invested more than $1 million to fully automate its bathtub forming line, which consists of a lubricator, two hydraulic presses for deep drawing, two mechanical presses for secondary forming activities, a flange bender, an automated... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2007
New lube gives the slip to stamper's slips, trips, and falls
KI (USA), Berea, Ky., a division of Keiaisha Co. Ltd. (Japan), stamps and produces subassembly parts for Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and other automotive OEMs (see lead image). Company President Gary Robinson requested that a team from the stamping department improve plant safety by reducing... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2007
Retrofit Rxfor automaker's aging press
Aging presses can pose challenges, from maintenance to unavailability of obsolete spare parts to performance limitations on new or complex applications. For metal forming processes requiring deep or off-center draw operations, a bed cushion retrofit can resolve some of these challenges.
Old... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
Blanking developments
Figure 1 Editor's Note: This is Part III of a three-part series on blanking developments. Part I, which appeared in the July issue, focused on fineblanking and tool design. Part II, which ran in the August issue, covered fineblanking part and process design guidelines. This column was... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
Creating a pressroom preventive maintenance program
Many fabricators rely on fire-house maintenance when a machine goes down, all available resources are marshaled to fix the problem. This approach works most of the time, but at a high cost. To minimize this cost, stampers need to design a press maintenance program that decreases downtime,... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
12 ways to boost punch life
High-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steels are revolutionizing the automotive and construction industries, and stainless steel is tremendously popular in appliances. These steels are stronger, tougher, and often more advanced than traditional materials. To be successful, manufacturers must be... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
5 ways to leaner die handling
Conventional rack, shelving, and drawer systems used in many stamping facilities are a less-than-lean method of storing dies. They consume a lot of floor space, and locating and retrieving dies encroaches on production time. In addition, these conventional methods expose dies to damage. The... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
Blanking developments - Part II
Figure 1
Editor's Note: This is Part II of a three-part series on blanking developments. Part I focused on fineblanking and tool design. Part III will cover high-speed blanking and finite element analysis.
This column was prepared by Serhat Kaya, the Center for Precision... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
Implementing a coil-end joiner
Almost all metal stampers have downtime at the end of a steel coil. The amount of time a line is nonproductive between coils can vary. It's not uncommon for downtime to exceed 20 minutes. On heavy-gauge lines, where a coil's linear footage is low, the amount of downtime can be excessive. Pax... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Cutting tooling costs: Part I
Editor's Note: This is Part I of a two-part series that discusses how to cut tooling costs without sacrificing die quality. Part II, which will appear in the August issue, will examine tool steels and using special die engineering software to save money.
To be competitive, metal stampers... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Mechanical presses primed for powerful performances
Metal stampers are using more high-strength steel, which is more difficult to form than mild steel and requires more tooling stations and press tonnage to produce parts. As a result, stampers are moving away from traditional production methods and investing in presses with higher tonnage... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Blanking developments - Part I
Figure 1
The main purpose of the ejector or counter- punch and V-ring is to generate compressive stresses and hold the material against horizontal movement. 1
Editor's Note: This is Part I of a three-part series on blanking developments. Part II focuses on part and process... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2007
Flexibility in the press shop
The influx of European and Asian automotive manufacturers into the North American market, along with increased outsourcing of stamped parts, is creating both opportunities and challenges for the tier and general stamping industry. To stay competitive, North American stampers must be prepared... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2007
Stamping research gains support
This column was prepared by the staff of the Center for Precision Forming (CPF, formerly ERC for Net Shape Manufacturing), The Ohio State University, Taylan Altan, professor and director. Global competition continues to force the metal forming industry to reduce costs, improve technology, and... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2007
Technological quantum leap
Figure 1 To generate consistent lengths and maintain flatness, Arme purchased a 60-in.-wide multiblanking line with a turnstile, coil car, payoff reel, precision leveler, crop shear, interchangeable slitter head for side trimming and multiblanking, looping pit equipment, electronic roll... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Servo press forming applications Part III
This column was prepared by Serhat Kaya, Center for Precision Forming (CPF, formerly ERC for Net Shape Manufacturing), The Ohio State University, Taylan Altan, professor and director.
Blanking Velocities, SPMs for Servo and Mechanical Presses
H1F35H
(Servo Press)... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Servo press forming applications
Editor's Note: This is Part III of a three-part series on servo presses. Part I, which appeared in the March 2007 issue, provided an introduction to servo presses. Part II, which appeared in the April 2007 issue, focused on servo press drive systems. This column was prepared by Serhat Kaya,... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
How to keep hydraulic presses running
An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but how should press operators keep their hydraulic presses healthy? By knowing when the press is running well or needs attention, and by performing regular maintenance.
Knowing Your Press
To find out if your hydraulic press is performing as it... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Liquid curves
North American automakers are producing more specialty vehicles in limited quantities for niche markets. The vehicles are stylish and sporty and lure customers into showrooms. The most economical way to put a variety of specialty cars on the road is with a common platform or chassis with... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2007
Servo press forming applications Part II
Figure 1
In a screw-type servo press, motor rotation is converted to linear movement via the ball screw.1 Press ram tilt is detected by linear sensors and corrected by adjusting the motion of each individual motor accordingly.
This column was prepared by Ajay Yadav, staff member... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2007
Steel thixoforming
In the thixoforming process, steel must be transported as quickly and as precisely as possible from the heating furnace into the press tool. As a result, highly specialized material handling and press control systems have been designed. The global automotive industry is the largest... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2007
Servo press forming applications Part I
This column was prepared by Serhat Kaya and Ajay Yadav, staff of the Center for Precision Forming (CPF, formerly ERC for Net Shape Manufacturing), The Ohio State University, Taylan Altan, professor and director.
Numerous press manufacturers have developed mechanical servomotor gap and... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2007
Roller leveling 101
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from Brownie Cox's conference presented at FABTECH® International & AWS Welding Show, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, Atlanta,© 2006 by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and the American... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2007
Appliance demand flat
Photo courtesy of Whirlpool Corp.,Benton Harbor, Mich. A sluggish housing market and high prior-year comparisons are conspiring to keep appliance shipments flat in 2007 (see Figure 1 ). U.S. appliance shipments are forecast to grow 1 percent in 2007 from an average of more than 4 percent... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2007
The big payoff
Traditional slinging and hoisting of coils for mounting on vertical dereelers or positioning them in coil cradles requires extra personnel and is time-consuming because production must be stopped. When a line isn't running—it's not making money. To keep their lines moving, some... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Detroit's reality check
Detroit had one heck of a wake up call in 2006. The days of rampant excess capacity are over as General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group are desperately trying to slim down bloated cost structures as quickly as possible. The result? GM is on track, Ford needs more work,... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Safeguarding tube benders with laser scanners
The optimal safeguarding equipment for each tube bending operation varies, depending on the application, the identified tasks, the risk level, and the applicable regulations and standards. Typically, tube bending machine safeguarding is needed in front of the machine where the tube is bent... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Protecting metal stamping dies
In most industries, improving process efficiency is an imperative part of product manufacturing. It is becoming increasingly important in metal stamping facilities throughout the world as competition requires that products to be made at a much faster rate and at a greater level of conformity.... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Cleaning up
Simpson Dura-Vent, a designer and manufacturer of gas vent and chimney products, produces stamped and drawn parts from galvanized steel, aluminum, zinc aluminum, and stainless steel with material thicknesses from 0.018 inch to 0.100 in. The stamper produces about 20 million finished goods... Read more...
Article
January 9, 2007
Draw forming
Editor's Note: This is the sixth in a series of seven articles that identify and define the need for a new processing theory for the net shape processes (of which draw forming is one) and that explain the general content and configuration that new theory must have. The first five articles in... Read more...
Article
December 12, 2006
Lubricant developments for forming high-strength steel
The features of high-strength steels (HSS) can help improve the fuel efficiency and safety of vehicle structures. However, this developing steel technology has created new challenges for the metal forming industry and, as a result, has spawned a frontier of techniques and supporting... Read more...
Article
December 12, 2006
Viking's range of choices
Viking Range Corp., Greenwood, Miss., was the first appliance-maker to popularize commercial-grade stainless steel appliances for residential kitchens with the introduction of its original range in 1987. According to the appliance-maker, it has some of the highest standards for metal forming... Read more...
Article
November 7, 2006
10 common quick die change problems
Most stampers have the same complaint concerning die changes: "Our setup time is killing us. "It seems as though the stamping industry cannot set standards to save time during die changes. The manufacturing industry has standards for safety, strength, steel, lockouts, and electrical power,... Read more...
Article
September 12, 2006
Holding the line on metal costs
Minimizing coil processing scrap maximizes yield. Nearly everyone who processes metal—aluminum, carbon, or stainless steel—is concerned about scrap loss. Scrap loss in coil processing operations, such as slitting, cut-to-length, and stamping, often is overlooked. Finding... Read more...
Article
September 12, 2006
Doing its level best
More than ever manufacturers depend on high-quality blanked and stamped parts to reduce production costs, speed up assembly time, and eliminate secondary processing requirements. The automotive market in particular is focused on consistently achieving uniform and accurately dimensioned... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Die basics 101 starts with eight basic components
Editor's Note: This article is edited from Part IV and Part V of an article series on thefabricator.com covering stamping die fundamentals and focusing on the components used in manufacturing stamping dies. A stamping die is a special, one-of-a-kind precision tool that cuts and forms... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Meeting global challenges through employee rewards
U.S. metal stampers are slow to accept the reality that free trade is now a mainstay of our foreign relations programs. Our tradition of protecting national industries behind walls of tariffs, quotas, and similar restraints of trade has eroded at an ever faster rate since post-World War II, when... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Feed to registration
Figure 1 In the mid-1980s service centers attempted to create coils slit in a scroll pattern to reduce scrap. When processing round or nested parts, most stampers use one of these three methods with varying degrees of scrap rates: Conventional coil stock feeding into a one-out... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Getting hydraulic press problems under control
Although there are many good reasons for investing in used equipment, the downside is that a used machine seldom has the exact configuration you need. And sometimes a specification decision made years earlier by someone at a different company can return to haunt the new owners, which is... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Lean implementation failures
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from Richard Kallage's presentation at Practical Lean: Successful Lean Manufacturing for Smaller & Midsized Manufacturers, Oct. 17-18, 2005, Lafayette, La., © by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA). One of the most... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
The modern mechanical press
Photo courtesy of Norlen Inc. A hydraulic press manufacturer made this statement at a recent trade event: "Most mechanical presses function via flywheel motion with a top dead center (TDC) and a bottom dead center (BDC). Full ram extension and full ram retraction always are at the... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Baled out
Figure 1 The stationary incline conveyor located in the load-out center discharges its load into a shuttle conveyor that automatically fills one of the two truck trailers located in the bays below. Jefferson Industries Corporation (JIC) in West Jefferson, Ohio, broke ground for its... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Structured sheet metal - Part II
This column was prepared by Michael Mirtsch and Ajay Yadav of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/NSM), The Ohio State University, Taylan Altan, professor and director.
Structured sheets have enhanced mechanical properties such as high rigidity, so they often are... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Evaluating dry film lubricants for automotive applications
This column was prepared by Hyunok Kim, a staff member of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/NSM), The Ohio State University, Professor Taylan Altan, director.
In stamping operations, wet (oil-based) or dry film lubricants are used to protect the surfaces of the... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Article
June 13, 2006
Die building
It is amazing how many dies stampers build completely with little or no understanding of what is truly required of the dies. Stampers process parts and build dies without even knowing the metal type or thickness, never mind the part tolerances. This is, at the very least, a risky business. The... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Implementing Press Automation
Photos courtesy of Jackie Dorris. To compete in a global market, all stampers need to adapt their manufacturing processes. Press Automation Options Electronic automation of tonnage monitoring, die protection, feed control, job programming, and counterbalance or slide adjust can be... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Structured sheet metal
Editor's Note: This article is Part II of a two-part series discussing structured sheet metal and different structuring processes. Part I compares various structuring processes.
This column was prepared by Michael Mirtsch and Ajay Yadav of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Article
May 9, 2006
Do you need a die transport system?
If your current method for transporting 5- to 100-ton dies is causing injuries and you need to reduce downtime and costs to stay competitive, now might be the time to ask whether you need a die transport system.
Determining the Need
For a stamper, the primary indications that a die... Read more...
Article
May 9, 2006
Draw forming, Part I
Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of seven articles that identify and define the need for a new theory for the net shape processes (of which draw forming is one) and that explain the general content and configuration that new theory must have. Net shape manufacturing is the... Read more...
Article
May 9, 2006
Defining material specifications
Author's Note: It has been almost six years since my first article appeared in STAMPING Journal. I would like to take a moment to thank the editors, designers, and loyal readers of SJ and the Die Science column. (Five stars to Associate Editor Kathleen McLaughlin for making me sound a lot... Read more...
Article
May 9, 2006
Structured sheet metal - Part I
Editor's Note: This article is Part I of a two-part series discussing structured sheet metal and different structuring processes. Part II, which will appear in the June issue, will discuss specific applications for and advantages of Vault-structured™ sheet. This column was prepared by... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
How to get a handle on your inventory
Interest rates and inflation are climbing, price pressures are increasing, and energy costs are rising. Some Wall Street economists say a slowdown has already started, based on the lackluster first-quarter inflation-adjusted U.S. gross domestic product growth, which is almost 20 percent... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
Guidelines for forming high-strength material
More and more stampers and die builders, both automotive and nonautomotive, are increasing their use of higher-strength materials. Grades of steel such as dual- or triple-phase; high-strength, low-alloy; and bake-hardenable are not uncommon in the automotive and appliance industries. In... Read more...
Article
March 7, 2006
The China-dominated manufacturing environment
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from William Barron's presentation, "China's growing economic influence—How are you reacting?" presented at the 3rd annual STAMPING Journal® Forum, May 10-11, 2005, Troy, Ohio. Anyone who reads the newspapers knows that manufacturing... Read more...
Article
March 7, 2006
Stamping complex parts
Wisconsin-based Tools Inc. is proud of its deep-drawing expertise for highly complex parts. In the past, however, producing highly stylized shapes posed a continual challenge. "Our in-house stamping capabilities consisted entirely of mechanical presses," said Chris Snyder, general... Read more...
Article
February 7, 2006
Machine safeguarding with optoelectronic sensors
When a metal forming machine is being designed, the potential safety risks must be analyzed and minimized. Some risks cannot be eliminated through design, however, so it is necessary to use safety devices. These devices safeguard operators and other individuals from residual hazards like... Read more...
Article
February 7, 2006
Understanding press feeds
A press feed must not only move the proper amount of material into the tool, it must position it correctly into the die—front to back, side to side, and square with the tool. In this case, it must also gently handle prepainted coil to prevent scratching it. Over the last decade... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2005
Bulletproof processes
Alpha Stamping Company is creating bulletproof processes. Sound dangerous? It is for competing medium-sized stampers and assemblers. While some stampers are filing for bankruptcy, Alpha's lean and mean processes have transformed the Detroit-based stamper into a formidable, $50 million... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2005
Achieving consistent stock lubrication with less oil
Figure 1 LVLP systems use precision spray valves and air pressure of 5 to 10 pounds per square inch (PSI) to apply a uniform film of lubricant over the stock surface. When it comes to stock lubrication, metal stampers often choose to flood their strip or sheet with oil rather than... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2005
Straight to the point
Stamping presses and coil feed lines—a match made in productivity heaven. When running smoothly and well synchronized, few manufacturing processes can outperform the stamping line for its cost efficiencies and proficiency. Then again, when individual pieces of equipment comprising... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2005
Coil feed line considerations when stamping HSS
High-strength steel (HSS) rapidly is becoming a popular material for the automotive industry. Why? With its higher tensile and yield strengths, HSS is stronger at all gauges than conventional mild steels. Initially light-gauge HSS was used to replace heavy-gauge mild steel to reduce... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2005
A need for speed
Located in 28 countries, Dana Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, is a supplier of axles, driveshafts, engines, frames, chassis, and transmissions. The automotive supplier, which delivers to major car manufacturers around the world, reported 2004 sales of $9.1 billion. Currently Dana's Chatham,... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2005
Die maintenance. Die repair.
Figure 1 When you grind tool steel sections such as D2, M4, and powdered metals, you actually are grinding small carbide pools. Photos courtesy of Bohler Uddeholm. If you find your daily activities include tasks such as fixing broken pads, welding a damaged die section after a... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2005
Article
October 11, 2005
Total transfer knowledge
Figure 1 A transfer press can produce large, complex parts or support JIT manufacturing. Historically when a stamping job shop required an automated press system, its choices were limited to progressive-die operations equipped with coil feeders or transfer-die operations with... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2005
Collaboration in the stamping industry
This scenario is familiar to many metal stamping manufacturers: The customer's new product, designed to be an entry-level model, is struggling even before it enters the market. Tooling is completed, but costs have spiraled out of control, and the projected profit margins look... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2005
The benefits of materials engineering
OEMs and Tier 1 manufacturers are moving business to global low-cost suppliers. As a result, U.S. stampers are trying to remain competitive by cutting costs or offering more services. U.S. stampers are missing an opportunity to gain a competitive edge by offering materials engineering... Read more...
Article
September 13, 2005
Pressing through power failures:
Transfer presses are used in the automobile industry primarily to produce sheet steel body panels. In traditional transfer presses, the press slide and the part transport mechanics are coupled using mechanical transfer. As a result, the vertical motion of the press ram must be coordinated... Read more...
Article
September 13, 2005
Taking a look at automated spray control:
Figure 1 Wasted chemicals, scrap, and other related costs can increase the negative financial impact of poor spray performance. After years of working hard to improve efficiency, you've wrung every bit of available savings out of your production line. From automation to staffing to... Read more...
