Article
June 8, 2004
Selecting a shielding gas for joining stainless steel
The use of stainless steel has grown significantly over the past decade in North America. As its use has grown, so has the number of different consumables required to join it. Because stainless steels are used in applications that are different from carbon steels, it follows that their... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Advanced lubricant technology for high-strength steel
Figure 1 As if the recent rise in steel prices weren't enough, now automotive stamping suppliers are faced with the difficult task of getting high-strength steel (HSS) to form parts with tooling designed for mild steel. In an effort to reduce vehicle weight and improve gas mileage,... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Revving up weld quality
Before introducing new resistance welding systems, Ford Motor Company's New Model Product Development Center was cluttered and dark, and it was difficult to work there because of the high number of weld controls and weld guns being used (left). Installing weld controls and associated... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Article
March 11, 2004
Flying high with orbital welding
The first machines developed were large, upright, stationary systems that could be used only for workshop applications. These systems also had to make several rotations to complete a joint because only single-level power supplies were available. To make consistent welds, they had to make... 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
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 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
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
December 11, 2003
Selecting a stamping die pressure system, Part I
Selecting the 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. Controlling Factors 1. Pressure requirements Simple conventional metal cutting dies, such as those used in blanking... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Taking tubular aluminum scaffolding to new heights
Photo courtesy of Fred R. Tannery Photography, Brooklyn, N.Y. Universal Builders Supply, a temporary-structures company with headquarters in Mount Vernon, N.Y., designs and constructs scaffolding, hoisting, and platforms—big ones. It was the company's proposal for a unique... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Getting the best results in gas-shielded FCAW
The demand for flux cored arc welding (FCAW) has grown significantly over the past 10 years. Manufacturers who weld carbon, stainless, low-alloy, and high-alloy steel are turning to this process primarily because: It has a high deposition rate. It can be used to weld in all positions... 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
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
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
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
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
Using a gel-type tube lube
As one manufacturer of automotive exhaust assemblies recently discovered, selecting the most appropriate lubricant for a tube bending operation can have a dramatic impact on part quality, workplace cleanliness, and economic efficiency. Although the liquid lubricant it was using was reliable and... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
The importance of storage planning
In its most basic form, a fabricator's storage area must be a secure, dry place of sufficient size to house required items. Location and ambient conditions are the critical factors. Considering the Criteria In today's fast-paced material handling world, fabricators must... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Identifying the right cutting and welding tips
The tip of a welding or cutting torch is where the action is (see Figure 1 ). Welding tips usually produce positive pressure (higher than 1 pound per square inch ) and are used at equal pressures of acetylene and oxygen. These single-hole copper-alloy tips are attached to a torch handle... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Eliminating final trim shearing of hydroformed tube
An alternative to trimming a tube to establish tube length is to form the tube in the preform operation to a geometry that is close to the final product and to seal it during hydroforming with caps that match its formed shape. Generally, a round tube is bent on a rotary draw bender... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Making the most of hydroforming
Figure 1 To help ensure successful part development, it is necessary to establish a multitask project team. Designers, hydroforming technologists, and material specialists should be involved in the component stage. To achieve possible economic benefits from this process, it is... 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
Getting a handle on work-related hand injuries
Of the 3.6 million work-related injuries treated annually in emergency rooms across the U.S., hands and fingers are the most commonly treated body parts, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 90 percent of all acute injuries in the workplace are... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Supporting the defense
United Defense's motto is Changing the future of defense™. One of its latest missions toward this goal was to introduce a direct diode laser into its Aberdeen, S.D., manufacturing facility. The company designs, develops, and produces combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Roll out the shelving
These units typically are used in conjunction with overhead cranes, roller arms, and powered conveyors located at the press. The operator pushes a button that rolls out a shelf, picks up the dies with an overhead crane, and takes them directly to the press. Rollout shelves can be manual... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Article
August 28, 2003
Considering thermal processes for dissimilar metals
This joint has dual characteristics—a brazed joint on the steel side and a welded joint on the aluminum side. A reliable method of joining the two most commonly used metals, steel and aluminum, would make it possible to make these joints in several applications. On one hand,... 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
Toolmaker tricks
This article focuses on a few tricks of the tooling trade that have been used for years. It is very important for toolmakers, troubleshooters, and technicians to make rational data based decisions regarding permanent corrective action. These tricks are intended solely for data gathering purposes... 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
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
Welding aluminum with inverter-based power supplies
Direct Current All welding power supplies transform relatively high-voltage, low-current incoming power to lower-voltage, high-current welding output using a transformer. In the past the transformer operated directly from 50- or 60-hertz incoming alternating current (AC). At these... 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
Advancements in waterjet technology
Stream Lag Caused Taper, Corner Problems Budd said he courted the gear processing market, but prospective customers wanted parts with a perpendicular edge, which he was not able to achieve with the 2-D abrasive waterjet equipment he was using. In 2-D abrasive waterjet cutting, the... 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
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
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
July 24, 2003
Which wire do you require?
Many fabricators overlook the efficiencies they can gain by changing a wire or process. In fact, when you ask fabricators why they're using a particular electrode, some respond with "That's the way it's always been done here," even though another way might yield significant improvement.... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
July 10, 2003
Six dangerous misconceptions about crane safety
Nearly every product today has a warning label. In fact, many products have multiple warning labels, lights, and bells. We even have warnings telling us our coffee is hot! It's little wonder, then, that many of us suffer from warning overload and just ignore the warnings. Unfortunately,... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
June 26, 2003
The Bold in Arches
Texans will remind you that things are bigger in Texas, and the Dallas Convention Center is just another example, as this computer drawing shows. Two 860-ton roof truss assemblies, fabricated from large-diameter pipe, make it possible for Dallas to boast that it currently has... 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
Phases, structures, and the influences of temperature
But phase changes can take place in many metals while still in the solid state. These phase changes are directly related to temperature and take place in the metal's crystalline structure. And while temperature is what controls these transformations, stress, cooling rate, and alloy or chemical... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Tooling tricks of the trade
Just make it work!" they scream. "I don't care how Just make it work!" As a tooling professional (whether you are a tool- and diemaker, engineer, press operator, or any other member of the team responsible for operating and maintaining that die), you quickly find that "making it work" is... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Taking an integrated build approach to stamping tool tryout
North American tool buyers are pushing to lower tool costs by: Seeking foreign suppliers with low-cost structures resulting from low labor costs and government subsidies. Aggressively advancing math-based tools, particularly in engineering, to improve design quality and reduce die rework.... 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 26, 2003
Making hands-free straight, saddle, and miter cuts
Since its inception in 1969, the company had used traditional, manual processes. Pipes were moved into and out of the work area by forklift, and pipe cutting was done with either a hand-powered mechanized torch or a hand-held torch. For straight end cuts, an operator attached a... 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
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
Al GMAW: CC or CV?
I've read that constant-current (CC) power supplies are preferred for gas metal arc welding (GMAW) aluminum, but when I visit companies that sell welding equipment, they tell me I want a constant-voltage (CV) power supply. What's the real story? Can I use the more common CV power supplies or... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Inline process auditing
Sound familiar? What are the options? Today's Audit Today the most widely accepted practice for checking part or process quality is random or, at best, controlled sampling. With these types of sampling, you hope those four parts you checked from 70 are enough to catch a major disaster.... 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
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
June 12, 2003
Designing high-strength steel stamped parts for formability
The problems associated with forming high-strength steel often are created during the design stage, when products are designed in such a way that they cannot be manufactured using conventional stamping methods. Or the product requires numerous or special offline operations, such as annealing or... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
What's that material?
An XRF system can be integrated at a detector station before final packaging. The tubes are held in place by a pneumatic clamp while the XRF detector is raised to make contact with the tube and perform the measurement. This process confirms the alloy grade of the material typically in two... 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
Article
May 29, 2003
Predicting the service life of galvanized steel
Zinc, which has been used to hot-dip-galvanize steel for 250 years, provides 50 to 75 years of corrosion protection in many environments. Empirical data collected about hot-dip galvanized (HDG) steel field performance from 1940 to 1980—in environments ranging from industrial to... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Batter up! Turning an aluminum tube into a baseball bat
Although wooden bats still are the only type used in professional baseball, aluminum bats are used extensively in nonprofessional baseball and softball leagues. In fact, nearly 95 percent of all baseball bats used in the U.S. are made of aluminum. Hillerich & Bradsby Co. (H&B),... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Roll form tooling tryout and troubleshooting
The secret to developing successful roll tooling—whether for tube production or roll forming—and achieving maximum roll integrity is a simple but often overlooked notion: a comprehensive approach. Such an approach comprises five steps: Designing the roll tooling... 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
Spinning your wheels?
Grinding wheels, rocks, stones—what's the difference? Grinding wheels used in welding and fabrication are strong, tough tools, but many in the industry have called them "rocks" or "stones," implying that they're unbreakable. This myth, or misconception, has led people to become... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Art From the Forge
It's been happening gradually over the past 25 years, but in the past four or five years, art from the forge is finding outlets in fine art and sculpture galleries, as public art and even jewelry. These motifs, techniques, designs, and objects are heading ironwork in new directions. Much of it... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Defibrillators—Should you have one in your workplace?
Photo courtesy of American Heart Science . In December 2001 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a statement encouraging employers to consider making automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available in their workplaces. This announcement followed the... 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
Mediating commercial conflict
The Family Business This case involves two blood relatives, a brother and sister who had inherited a family business. Difficulties between successors to a family business are common. In fact, probate mediation among survivors and family business conflict resolution are increasingly... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Finding the best splice for your light-duty conveyor
In most light-duty conveyor systems, one of the key factors in obtaining conveyor uptime is achieving the optimal splice. Reviewing the available alternatives in light of the realities of your conveyor system will suggest which type might serve your needs best. Belting designed for... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Producing holes in tubing
Producing holes in tubing with punch press tooling can be divided into two main processes: punching and piercing (see Figure 1 ). Tube Piercing Tube piercing is different from traditional hole punching in that a die is not employed on the underside of the material. Instead, external... 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 24, 2003
Improving the bottom line in automotive applications
Total Cost of Quality
Most people think only about the costs associated with internal failures, such as rejects or scrap, and external failures, such as shipped product that needs to be repaired, scrapped, or returned. Other costs associated with quality that can be incurred include appraisal... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2003
Applying and handling die lubricants
Effective application of die lubricants typically is overlooked in many stamping facilities. Many companies try to get by with applying as little lubricant as possible, just so they don't have to deal with the mess. However, metal stampers need to move away from thinking of in-die... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2003
The anatomy of a monster truck
It can be only one thing: a BIGFOOT® monster truck. And it contains an unbelievable amount of tube. Just a Hobby It all started innocently. Bob Chandler was a construction contractor by day, a 4x4 enthusiast by night, and a lead-foot all the time. His notoriously heavy foot led to a... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Lifting the load
Using electric lift trucks in the confines of a manufacturing facility eliminates the byproducts of combustion, resulting in better indoor air and noise quality. A range of electric lift trucks is available for manufacturing environments, including sideloaders, multidirectional trucks,... 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
October 25, 2002
Considering the benefits of pulse spray transfer GMAW
Object Pulse spray gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a versatile welding process. Sometimes welding suppliers and welding managers don't want to try it, because they don't want to change the process they're using, train users, adjust welding processes, or spend money on new equipment.While any... Read more...
Article
July 26, 2002
Repair Brazing: Fixing Faulty Jobs and worn-out components
Brazing is a versatile process used in many industries to join materials permanently. Repair brazing is an essential part of the industry and usually is done for one of two reasons—to braze repair parts in-house before they are released to customers and to perform repairs on brazed... 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
Radiographic and ultrasonic weld inspection
Radiographic and ultrasonic weld inspection are the two most common nondestructive testing (NDT) methods used to detect discontinuities within the internal structure of welds. The obvious advantage of both of these testing methods is their ability to help establish the weld's internal integrity... 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
Bending tube with an all-electric machine
In the tube bending industry, all-electric, CNC benders are a fairly new development but are gaining ground. They have been commercially available in Europe since 1995 and in the U.S. since 1998. Most manufacturers now either offer all-electric bending machines or are developing them. On... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Tooling, the key for mill production
One of the most important lessons any successful tube mill producer learns is that high-quality tooling is mandatory to achieving and sustaining top-grade production values. To put it simply, tooling is to a tube mill as an engine is to an automobile: You can't get where you need to go without... 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 15, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 11, 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
Interaction of chemicals used in forming and fabricating
Lubricants, coolants, corrosion inhibitors, cleaners, coatings, fluxes, and other chemicals all are used-and thus intermixed-in metal manufacturing, forming, fabrication, welding, and finishing. As a result, as manufacturers become more conscious of quality, safety, productivity, and disposal... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2001
Inspecting for and correcting coil reel damage
Object Q. What is the most common type of failure encountered with payoff or take-up reels? A. The most common failure is overload failure, which occurs when the reel is loaded with coils that exceed the OEM's weight rating. Often, this failure is not evident with a catastrophic event... Read more...
