Page 32 - MetalForming April 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
For 24 years I have advocated the implementation of electronic sen- sors for error-proofing as a central path, in parallel with strong employee technical training. Looking back, I am astonished at how many shops do not see error proofing as a means toward higher profitability.
Several metalforming companies, despite the current economic challenges, are aggressively pursuing error-proofing programs with electronic sensors and controls. Among these are companies that have reached the pinnacle of automat- ic part-quality measurement within their running dies and assembly machines. They have real-time data logging with- in their company-wide manufacturing supervisory software systems providing data to all who need it for manufactur- ing planning and execution. There also are companies who still debate the mer- its of a company-wide basic die-pro- tection system. Why such a wide spec- trum of commitment to technology?
I think it boils down to one set of companies understanding the bottom- line benefits of error-proofing and another set of companies misunder- standing the same issue. It is precisely when economic times are hard that one should carefully assess the unnecessary repairs, sorting and scrapping of badly made parts and the effects of these expenses on the company’s bottom line. Die crashes occur with equal frequency in good or bad times. Misfeeds, steel strip inclusions and laminations, poor- ly adjusted shut heights, bad strip align- ment, occasional part ejection jam-ups, loss of lubrication—these and many more issues occur in good and bad eco- nomic times. The difference is that in
bad economic times we operate in a very lean manner having fewer employ- ees to deal with the consequences of little or no error proofing.
The best metalforming companies take advantage of these economic times to weed out antiquated practices and personnel unwilling to keep up with the progress of error-proof metalform- ing. These companies see tough times as a way to strengthen core disciplines through employee technical training and electronic sensor-based error proof- ing. From dies to robotic cells to heat treating to finishing, these companies understand that technological stagna- tion in a stagnant economy is a sure path to extinction.
Evolution occurs when environ- mental factors change and force an existing system to adapt to the new environment. If that system fails to do so it becomes extinct and is supplanted by others more able to change them- selves to the needs of the new environ- ment. The best metalforming compa- nies are evolving their internal best practices on an ongoing basis in a sim- ilar manner. As part volumes drop and demands for cost-downs seemingly drown out all other conversations, these companies are revisiting their stamping and value-added functions to error proof them with electronics and better trained skilled employees.
We need to not lose sight of the cycles in the economy, for surely, better times are ahead. It may be awhile before the economy returns to a healthy state of growth, but in the interim we need to evolve the shop floors.
When the going gets tough, the tough get sensing. MF
METALFORMING ELECTRONICS GEORGE KEREMEDJIEV
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Sensing
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 / APRIL 2010
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