Page 43 - MetalForming May 2011

Tooling Technology
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Edge quality and part flatness characterize parts punched on Red Dot’s turret presses, thanks to investing in new press tooling. New additions include a 1 by 0.250-in. trapezoid parting tool that made 1.8 million maintenance- free hits, and a 3 by 0.250-in. rectangular slitting tool mounted in a fully guided holder.
for 1.8 million hits.
“We were experiencing only 10,000
to 20,000 hits with our previous tool,” adds Cates. “And, the improved tool performance led to several other changes that dramatically improved our punching operations. For exam- ple, Mate recommended a second tool change—a 3 by 0.250-in. rectangular slitting tool in an Ultra Tec fully guided holder. In addition to improved tool life, the change improved part quality and sheet utilization, while boosting productivity from the turret press.”
Red Dot also switched a laser- processed component over to the tur- ret press, by tooling up with a 0.024-in. die clearance for punching 12-gauge mild steel. This change improved pro- cessing time by 50 percent.
Rigidity Required for Punching Galvanized and HRPP&O Steel
By itself, the tighter clearance between punch and stripper is not enough to achieve high performance results. The key is the entire tool system of guide, punch and stripper—all must align with tight tolerances to remain rigid and stable under Red Dot’s daily high-volume punching conditions. The robust Ultra fully guided design pre- vents side-loading and twisting forces from developing, which can cause pre- mature tool-edge cracks, dulling, galling and general wear.
The Red Dot team also appreciates the slug-free die design of the tooling. Previously, slug buildup posed a prob- lem during Red Dot’s long runs, pre- venting lights-out operation. The slug- free dies are designed with a slight
hourglass shape, with a 1⁄4 deg. taper entering and a 5-deg. taper exiting the die. When punching, the die’s design prevents the slug from pulling back out of the die. Once the slug is squeezed through the pressure point, it is free to fall away from the punching zone where it won’t cause problems.
The team credits the new tools with alleviating that problem, giving them the confidence to reschedule turret- press operations for lights-out opera- tion following each day shift. The change also enabled Red Dot to operate its turret presses seven days per week with reduced operator attention and without compromising part quality.
“Since reviewing and upgrading our tooling, tool life overall has increased by at least 50 percent,” says Wilson, “and turret-press productivity has increased 10 to 20 percent. Press run-time savings averages between 1 to 2 hr. per 8-hr. shift. We’ve retrained operators on the fundamentals of tool handling—when to wear heavy rubber gloves, how to protect tools from damage and making tool setups faster and easier.
“We’ve also improved tool storage and inventory,” continues Wilson. “More tooling improvements are ahead.” MF
Article contributed by Mate Preci- sion Tooling, Anoka, MN: 800/328-4492; www.mate.com.
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