- FMA
- The Fabricator
- FABTECH
- Canadian Metalworking
Categories
- Additive Manufacturing
- Aluminum Welding
- Arc Welding
- Assembly and Joining
- Automation and Robotics
- Bending and Forming
- Consumables
- Cutting and Weld Prep
- Electric Vehicles
- En Español
- Finishing
- Hydroforming
- Laser Cutting
- Laser Welding
- Machining
- Manufacturing Software
- Materials Handling
- Metals/Materials
- Oxyfuel Cutting
- Plasma Cutting
- Power Tools
- Punching and Other Holemaking
- Roll Forming
- Safety
- Sawing
- Shearing
- Shop Management
- Testing and Measuring
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Waterjet Cutting
Industry Directory
Webcasts
Podcasts
FAB 40
Advertise
Subscribe
Account Login
Search
What effect does toolroom management have on tooling life?
Extend the life of metal stamping tooling
- By Thomas Vacca
- January 27, 2023
- Article
- Bending and Forming
Q: We know that tooling life can be improved by using the right material, coating, lubricant, and press. Are there any other factors that can extend the life of stamping tooling?
A: Yes. One big, and rarely addressed, factor is toolroom management. To really have a best-in-class stamping shop, you need to implement four fundamental practices.
1. Zero First-off Part Quality Failures
On every new tool setup, it usually is standard practice to do a complete dimensional readout on the part. This takes some time and labor. If the part fails, you have to go back, adjust, and repeat the cycle, and that’s a total waste.
Before your first-article inspection (FAI), know what you need to look at. Some features generally don’t change, like trim dimensions, while others are subject to variation, like forms and true positions. Take the time to know your part is good before moving to FAI. Track the number of failures versus passes. The goal is 99% passing.
2. Zero Unscheduled Die Pulls for Service
Don’t wait until your tool has to be pulled for service. Schedule service based on the expected number of hits you know you can get repeatably. Unscheduled die pulls cause chaos; multiple tools often are pulled at the same time, and some have to wait because of labor availability.
Also, consider the length of the stamping run. If you expect a service at 300,000 hits and the total run is 500,000, service the tool around 250,000 hits. This allows the pressroom planners to manage their labor by knowing ahead of time what is running and what isn’t.
Track the unscheduled die pulls. The goal is zero.
3. Proactive Tooling Component Changeouts
With tools that do a lot of forming, the forms do not all wear at the same rate. Usually, a particular part feature goes out of spec, and then we pull the tool and replace it.
This practice can be complicated by a few factors, however. First, multiple forms in the die are interdependent when forming part features; if a new form is working with an old, worn form to produce the part features, the results might not be to spec.
Second, some form tools are so complex that it can be very challenging to get the exact same results with a replacement spare. Be sure to identify these tools in advance and start replacing them one at a time on your standard end-of-run service. Don’t wait for a part failure.
After replacement, if the next part run is good, wrap up the replaced form; label it with the date, number of hits, and condition; and store it as a spare that is good to go. If the next part run is not good, drop in the tool you removed and figure out the problem at the end of the production run. Do this for all the critical forms, one at a time, until you have a complete set of proven forms in your spare tools inventory. The goal is zero unscheduled die pulls during production runs.
4. Root Cause Discovery and Documentation
Any time you experience an unscheduled die pull, take some time to determine the root cause:
- How many hits did the tool get as compared to expected service life?
- Did the failure happen on lace-up or while the tool was running?
- Is this a new lot of raw material?
- Are there anomalies in the run data?
- Based on the lead hit, is the press ram setting correct?
- Do the slugs in the tool and scrap bin show evidence of the problem?
Keep a record of every unscheduled die pull and fill out a corrective action sheet. As your base of data grows, these records will be a great resource when future problems arise. This documentation process also forces the team to really look for a cause instead of just replacing the broken punch and moving on. Remember, Tooling Law No. 4 states, “If nothing changes, then nothing will change.”
About the Author
Thomas Vacca
Micro Co.
Has a shop floor stamping or tool and die question stumped you? If so, send your questions to kateb@thefabricator.com to be answered by Thomas Vacca, director of engineering at Micro Co.
subscribe now
The Fabricator is North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry. The magazine delivers the news, technical articles, and case histories that enable fabricators to do their jobs more efficiently. The Fabricator has served the industry since 1970.
start your free subscription- Stay connected from anywhere
Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of The Fabricator.
Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of The Welder.
Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of The Tube and Pipe Journal.
Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of The Fabricator en Español.
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 03/26/2024
- Running Time:
- 67:51
This week on The Fabricator Podcast, Jason Becker, host of the Arc Junkies Podcast and owner of Underground...
- Trending Articles
USS Midway’s tuition-free welding program a win-win
San Diego landmark becomes floating classroom for student welders
K&S celebrates 50 years in business
Guiding metal fabrication’s automation transformation
Increasing revenue by applying production concepts to sales and marketing
- Industry Events
Coil Processing Workshop & Tours
- April 2 - 3, 2024
- Corpus Christi, TX
GOLF4MFG South
- April 15, 2024
- Charlotte, NC
16th Annual Safety Conference
- April 30 - May 1, 2024
- Elgin,
Pipe and Tube Conference
- May 21 - 22, 2024
- Omaha, NE
World-Class Roll Forming Workshop
- June 5 - 6, 2024
- Louisville, KY