Page 18 - MetalForming December 2016

2016 Awards of Excellence
The Innovation and Technology Award, sponsored by Plex Systems, Inc., Troy, MI, recognizes a metalforming company that has implemented cloud technology to drive innovation from a product or business perspective, transform business operations or leveraged it in order to scale and grow from a size or product perspective in order to emerge as a leader in their industry.
Excellence in Product Development— Pentaflex
Pentaflex, Inc., Springfield, OH, received the 2016 Ulbrich Award for Excellence in Product Development for developing and processing a stamped brake spider for use in Class 8
Pentaflex used its manufacturing and design expertise to help develop a weight- and cost-saving stamped heavy-truck brake part (left) that replaces a cast part (right).
trucks. Pentaflex, a contract stamper specializing in deep- drawn, heavy-gauge stampings and welded assemblies for the heavy-truck market, also services the automotive, agri- cultural, off-highway and defense industries.
Pentaflex’s customer had noted an opportunity to intro- duce a stamped brake spider to replace an existing cast spider, to obtain a significant cost and weight advantage. Because brake loads can exceed 26,000 lb., the spiders typi- cally have been manufactured as castings.
Pentaflex was integrally involved in supporting the devel- opment effort via its manufacturing capabilities in forming, welding, machining and assembling. As developed, the stamped spider is made from high-strength low-alloy steel, offering improved stiffness, strength and durability.
To stamp the parts, Pentaflex refurbished a 1600-ton mechanical press, and outfitted the press with a new part- transfer system to support volume production and tight design requirements. Additionally, it acquired new gas- metal-arc welding equipment for assembling straps to the spider, and a new CNC machining center for drilling and aligning the close-tolerance bushing and wheel-mounting holes, and optional ABS-brake slot. A second existing press was then tooled for stamping the wheel-attachment hole
pattern into each spider. Pentaflex also undertook a weld- development project, to establish the necessary weld param- eters and provide the optimum weld pattern strength and quenching requirements.
From release of the first prototypes to the program’s launch in the summer of 2015, Pentaflex has undertaken a continuous product-development effort. It has produced more than 100,000 spiders and now includes more than 80 spider variations for different OEM customers.
The cost and weight savings achieved with the develop- ment of the stamped spider were significant. Cost savings total nearly $2/part, and the final stamped spider assembly in production results in weight savings of 3 to 6 lb./vehicle.
The Product Development Award is sponsored by Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc., North Haven, CT. It acknowledges a manufacturing company that demonstrates outstanding innovation in developing and manufacturing a product that best uses metal in place of a nonmetal com- petitive material, or that develops a product using flat-rolled material that was previously manufactured using costlier manufacturing processes.
Excellence in Training and Education —DeWys Manufacturing Inc.
DeWys Manufacturing Inc., Marne, MI, received the 2016 A.R. Hedberg Training and Education Award. The company specializes in lean manufacturing, offering customers com- plete custom metal-fabrication services, including custom engineering and product development.
DeWys Manufacturing won the award for its DeWys Uni-
DeWys University, developed by DeWys Manufacturing, offers training in key technology areas including welding, press-brake forming, machining and powder coating.
versity, developed to meet the company’s growing human- resources requirements. The university offers training in key technology areas including welding, press-brake forming, machining and powder coating. These programs provide DeWys with a strong pool of trained and motivated team members with skills that are in high demand.
Each of the DeWys University training programs can accommodate one or two trainees per session. The weld-
16 MetalForming/December 2016
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