Page 37 - MetalForming Magazine October 2022 - FABTECH

Walker’s new Okuma CNC fea- tures compact automatic load- ing/unloading attachments for true five-sided machining in a compact footprint. Its large work area fits the firm’s biggest die shoe, avoiding any need to dis- assemble the die to perform any recuts.
scales in North America,” Schenck adds.
The goals when selecting
the machine? “Along with
speed and accuracy, and quick
setups, we wanted a machining
center that would fit our
biggest die shoe,” shares Jeff
Umlor, director of business development. “Now we no
longer have to disassemble a die, per- form the recuts and then reassemble it. We can load a shoe, use the ATLM to measure the tools, perform the nec- essary re-cut operations, take it out and put it right back into the press.
“This capability already has proven very useful as we’ve experienced a sig- nificant rise in the number of recuts required on tooling designed and built specifically for higher-strength steels,” he adds.
The new machine came on the heels of Walker installing, in 2021, a new Makino F8 machining center, equipped with a Renishaw noncontact ATLM. The firm primarily uses that machine to fabricate Class A draw-die cavities, while also freeing up machining capac- ity to allow it to take on more contract machining for companies in the Grand Rapids area.
“Customers prefer to near-shore much of their larger work,” Umlor says,
“and there aren’t a lot of these larger machines around. While we also once outsourced some of this larger work— die-set machining for example—these new larger machines allow us to keep that work inhouse.”
Tools developed at Walker range in size from tabletop to 320 in. long. When we spoke with the team there, it had some 70 open jobs, ranging from an engineering change to outside simu- lation-only work to large-die builds.
Automotive comprises the majority of its programs (mostly body-on-white components, but some Class A work too), with appliance a close second. “Appliance is a hot market right now,” Umlor shares. “Some tooling for stamp- ing stainless steel, but mostly for cold- rolled draw-quality steel.”
Cross-Training—
in the Office and on the Floor
Eight engineers perform die-design
functions at Walker, using Siemens NX, and five others work in forming simulation, using AutoForm to perform virtual die tryout. Many on its design team have shop-floor die-making experience, “not only a huge benefit when it comes to designing tooling,” says Schenck, “but it allows us some flexibility to add to the labor force in the shop when needed. And, we’ve cross- trained some of the designers in our simulation software so that they can float back and forth as needed. We’ve cross- trained the team on the shop floor, too, to run the various
machines.”
On the shop floor, Hexagon’s
WorkNC CAD-CAM software is the driving force, where new software fea- tures deliver enhanced surface finish- ing and collision avoidance, among other benefits. “We’ve recently brought in several new cutting tools,” Schenck says, “and Work NC has allowed us to quickly create new programs for the CNC machines thanks to its advanced tool pathing. Recent software enhance- ments have reduced calculation time, and also the time spent by designers clicking on surfaces and programming. All of that has provided improved process predictability, and actually has improved our tool life in the machining centers.”
“Investing in new technology,” adds Finley, “also helps us attract good-qual- ity workers. The best machinists want to work with the best machines and with new software technology, and our investments indicate a commitment to success and longevity. We’ve also found, since adding our last two or three machines, increased interest in apprenticeships here. We can tell new apprentices that wherever their careers take them moving forward, the expe- rience they gain with these state-of- the-art machines and software will help them, whether they’re a programmer, machinist or engineer.” MF
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About Walker Tool & Die
Walker Tool & Die, Inc., launched in 1959 as Central Tool & Die by Gordon Hendricks, the late father of current company president David Hendricks, engineers, designs, builds and validates metal stamping dies and tooling. It’s expanded more than 10 times over the years to now encompass 100,000 sq. ft. under roof and 70 employees. The company performs die simulation and 3D CAD modeling; blue-light scanning (using an Atos machine from GOM Metrology), and reverse engineering via a portable CMM; as well as CNC machining, wire-EDM, software-based inspection services, rapid prototyping and low-volume production stamping.
34 MetalForming/October 2022