Page 28 - Metallforming Magazine December 2020

Fabrication: Automotive Blanking Without Stamping Dies
With laser blanking, vehicle-model changes can be accom- plished within only a few hours using advanced CAM software. And, laser blanking systems can retrofit to existing coil-process- ing equipment.
required production throughput. And, importantly, when considering the other benefits of laser blanking, it’s an invest- ment worth making. Remember: Not having to produce dies already has gained at least 6 months in launch time.
In a real-life scenario involving a recent customer instal- lation, and presuming a 5-min. die change, using a two- head laser blanking system to produce simple chevrons requires only 48 additional production hours for a 50,000- vehicle run across a 5-yr. span when compared to mechanical blanking. With an assumed operational cost of $1000/hr., this
translates to $48,000 in additional operating cost for laser blanking. But, a straight-cut die will cost much more. And, when applying a 25-min. die-change time for such a tool, production via laser blanking beats using a mechanical press.
Look Beyond Strokes/Min.
Should productivity be the only desire, then stamping blanks may be the way to go. But, in addition to all of the savings stated above, keep these things in mind: A three- head laser cutting system costs nearly the same as a servo- driven blanking-press system, and requires a similar foot- print. But, laser blanking systems often are designed for retrofit, meaning that they can work with existing coil-pro- cessing equipment. Plus, laser systems do not require a press pit or high-capacity crane for servicing, which helps to reduce overall facility costs. Additionally, not having to allocate storage for all of the die sets required to stamp the different parts running on a press line saves on floor space.
Long-term competitive advantage comes from innovative changes in strategy and/or processes that truly shift the way the game is played. This requires companies to look beyond a 1-yr. payback in order to gain a sustainable advan- tage that will last for years. Evaluate costs vs. savings over a 5-yr. period and look beyond strokes/min. This analysis shows that investment in a laser blanking line is almost like making future model changes for free. MF
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26 MetalForming/December 2020
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