Page 12 - MetalForming December 2010

Awards
of Excellence
2010
The Precision Metalforming Association honored 2010 award winners with a special presentation at FABTECH in November in Atlanta, GA.
The Winners
Higgins-Caditz Design Award
Trans-Matic Manufacturing Co., Holland, MI
Pitcher Insurance Agency Safety Award
E. J. Ajax & Sons, Inc., Fridley, MN
Signature Technologies Process Control Award
Pridgeon & Clay, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI
Ulbrich Award for Competitive Excellence in Product Development
Radar Industries, Warren, MI
Zierick Manufacturing Corporation Productivity Award
Anchor Manufacturing Group, Cleveland, OH
A.R. Hedberg Training and Education Award Pridgeon & Clay, Inc.,
Grand Rapids, MI
Clips & Clamps Industries Educational Institution Award
Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville, Shelbyville, TN
Waukesha Metal Products Excellence in Quality Award
No winner in 2010
Higgins-Caditz
Design Award
Electronic-Lock Spindle Spring-Cage Assembly Earns Design Award
Trans-Matic Manufacturing Co., Holland, MI, received the 2010 Hig- gins-Caditz Design Award for designing a cost-effective spindle spring-cage assembly for an electronic lock system, for Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies (Schlage). Trans-Matic began working with IR/Schlage on new design concepts for the spindle spring-cage assembly in 2008. The resulting design—which eliminated seven parts—became a self- contained assembly incorporating two deep-draw stampings, two coil springs, grease, a retaining clip, lever spring and lever catch.
Trans-Matic designed and built car- bide tooling inhouse for the spindle and spring cage. Tooling can be config- ured to produce two spring cage ver- sions and 12 different spindles, through the use of interchangeable punches and post machining for low-volume ver- sions. The spindle is formed in a 19-sta- tion transfer die, while the spring cage is formed in an 18-station transfer die; both dies run on a 400-ton Minster transfer press. A computerized vision system ensures that the combination of components has been properly select- ed and assembled.
Other results include a 31 percent
overall cost reduction, including savings related to material, component cost and lock assembly. In addition, expensive zinc die-cast components are replaced by stronger deep-drawn parts.
Pitcher Insurance
Agency Safety Award
No Lost-Time Accidents in 20+ Years
E.J. Ajax & Sons, Inc., Fridley, MN, received the 2010 Pitcher Insurance Agency Safety Award for its safety pro- gram—the company has enjoyed more than 20 years without a lost-time inci- dent and more than seven years without an OSHA-recordable incident. Among the company’s safety policies: Every new hire receives safety gear that includes safety glasses (prescription if necessary), a $200 pair of work boots with full metatarsal protection, and ear protection. Workers who handle sheet- metal also wear elbow-length Kevlar gauntlets. All safety equipment is replaced at company expense when
10 METALFORMING / DECEMBER 2010
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