Plug & Play! Our target was 17 SPM and we run at 20 SPM.
Launched in 2 hours and New Plant Record.
The Project: 6 station, coil fed, two-out transfer die (New Tooling)
The Problem: Many unsuccessful launch attempts with new transfer tooling
Most setups were spread out over several days
Never had a HLRO in less than 8 hours
Multiple modifications would have to be done with the dies and transfer arms
Tooling would sometimes be shipped back to build shop for modifications
The Solution:
Being the first project with this specific transfer press, a T-SIM provider went on location to the North Carolina stamping plant to gather the basic press and transfer information. While on location, the T-SIM provider also took an inventory of the “unusable” arms that were tried in the transfer.
At that point, the T-SIM operator ran a full simulation and designed new arms/fingers using many of the “unusable” arm parts the customer had already purchased.
Once the end of arm tooling was designed, the T-SIM software operator then optimized the entire transfer system with the press, transfer, transfer bars/arms and of course, the die, to provide a new transfer timing recipe along with new setup sheets.
T-SIM Software provided proof of concept for the new arm design along with the settings to run it.
It all came together, entered production quickly and reached the maximum press speed.
We were even told there was a crowd for setup and the spectators resembled those of a space shuttle launch. Everyone sitting in suspense, waiting and watching for the take off. That’s just another day a T-SIM Solutions!
The Result:
Die entered production immediately and ran above desired stroke rates
Arms were prebuilt and plug and play.
Press operator had all the information they needed (including press & transfer settings) to enter production immediately
An hour to set die, and an hour to set fingers.
Target was 17 SPM and it ran it at 20 SPM
This wasn’t a homerun, it was a GRAND SLAM! -Don Mekkes, Tooling Engineer