Page 18 - MetalForming February 2019

In-Die Fastening
16 MetalForming/February 2019
www.metalformingmagazine.com
Self-clinching fasteners, as part of an in-die fastening process, eliminate the need for time- and cost-con- suming secondary operations, and reduce work-in-
process inventory.
• Is the floor solid and flat? Positioning the cart on uneven or unstable surfaces adversely affects feed rates and feed reliability.
• Can the die layout be designed to accom- modate optimal feed-tube routing?
• Do we have an adequate clean and dry air supply?
Specific to die layout and design: • At which station does mount- ing-hole piercing occur—are any folding, bending or stretching operations conducted after the hole pierce but prior to the fastener install? Any such operations may neg- atively affect mounting- hole position, size or
shape.
• Is chassis alignment
adequate at both the hole- pierce and the install stations?
• Are the fastener-install tools mounted appropriately?
• Are tailored tooling designs required to facilitate multiple fasteners being installed at the same station? In certain circumstances, pressing mul- tiple fasteners at the same time opti- mizes the dimensional integrity of the die chassis.
• Is the installation-tooling design compatible with press stroke, stripper stroke, pad lift and strip lift?
• Can personnel access installation- tooling subassemblies for in-press maintenance and repair?
• Do splice-block mounting posi- tions account for correct feed-tube routing, both from the feed cart and to the injector heads?
• Where will the flag-sensor post and junction box be positioned?
• What are the optimum routings for the various sensor cables—can channels be provided to guide and pro- tect cables from inadvertent damage?
MF