Page 32 - MetalForming February 2010

George Keremedjiev has been writing this column for more than 20 years. He regularly consults with metalforming companies worldwide and provides metal- formers with training on the appli- cation and implementation of sen- sors for die protection. For more information on his seminars and consultancies, contact:
Tecknow Education Services, Inc. P.O. Box 6448
Bozeman, MT 59771
phone: 406/587-4751
fax: 406/587-9620 www.mfgadvice.com
E-mail: gk@mfgadvice.com
It has come to my attention that some metalforming companies have backed off from their die-protection sensor programs. To cut costs and save money, their sensor programs have received a range of haircuts with the worst being the total elimination of an inhouse sen- sor program. On the other hand, there are metalforming companies who are aggres- sively ramping up their sensor programs for the same reason—to save the com- pany money. How is this possible? How can companies have such radically dif- ferent opinions of sensor programs?
In this challenging economy there have been lots of management person- nel shuffles in the upper ranks of our metalforming companies. Long accept- ed and established best practices with sensors for die protection are being freshly reviewed by new managerial staffs. A new vice president of finance, engineering, manufacturing or tooling who does not come from a shop fully committed to electronic sensing for mistake-proofing will perhaps not fully understand why his new employer has invested so much into a serious sensor program. Why have a fulltime sensor applications specialist? Why have a sen- sor lab to test sensor applications? Why use electronic sensors to monitor strip feed position, stripper-plate closure, cam returns, nitrogen-cylinder pres- sures, punch breakage and the like when all that is needed is to monitor the part out? In fact, why have electronic sensors at all when the experience that this new management-team member has with die protection is a simple whisker wire at the end of the die checking for short feed?
It is not hard to imagine that finan- cially driven efforts when combined with the benevolent ignorance of how elec- tronic sensors actually save the company
enormous amounts of money can lead to sensor-program haircuts. I say benevolent ignorance because I suspect that this new crop of management has not had the exposure and development with respect to mistake-proof manufacturing that the previous managerial ranks have had.
New managers may come from stamping shops that had no formal sen- sor program and thus die crashes were viewed as a normal part of doing business. Or, they may be from an unrelated industry where electronic sensing would have been an exotic venture. Or, they may be from outside manufacturing altogether. Whatever their backgrounds, it is paramount that managers receive a clear explanation of how the sensor program has saved their new employer die-repair and scrap expenses.
Once a successful sensor-based mis- take-proofing program is in place and saving money, everyone from the press operator to the owner no longer ques- tions the need for sensors. Cost justifi- cations for the first few dozen dies were mandatory at a shop years ago when a program was first started. Years later there is no need to perform detailed financial reports as it becomes clear that sensors work.
I ask that before we throw the baby out with the bath water that we have a serious conversation as to why we had the baby in the first place. Those who gave birth to a sensor program and nourished it for years need to appreciate the new manager’s lack of appreciation for such a program. I believe that a thorough presentation, with images and cost analyses, be made to all new man- agers. Give the new manager the benefit of the doubt and you may be surprised how quickly he will come onboard and support your sensor program. MF
METALFORMING ELECTRONICS GEORGE KEREMEDJIEV
Sensors and New Management
This CD-ROM presents dozens of George’s columns as well as papers and exclusive new presentations covering all aspects of die protection and part-quality inspection, starting and maintaining sensor programs, the role of controls in in-die sensing, and the benefits of a sound sensor program. Order it online at www.metalformingmagazine.com.
30 METALFORMING / FEBRUARY 2010
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