Page 29 - MetalForming January 2012

die was not possible, so it sought to eliminate some secondary operations by stamping the flat blanks in a pro- gressive die. The concept, which involved running the blanks through a deburring machine and forming them in a form tool or press brake, would yield a 10 to 20 percent cost savings for the customer.
Going back to the drawing board, Waukesha’s engineering staff eventually developed a progressive-die concept to complete the cassettes, eliminating the need for additional steps to remove scratches or burrs before a final elec- tropolish process. The completed tool incorporates unique design elements, including nonmarking form details and coining stations to completely remove burrs. Sensor technology built into the tool includes short feed/long feed, part out and stripper sensors on each corner.
Waukesha also tested several tool coatings to find the optimum combi- nation of steel type and coating for the form details. These features, combined with the ability to program the servo- press ram speed during forming, have yielded burr-free finished parts stamped complete in the progressive die without any visible wipe/form marks. The improved process resulted in a six-month return on investment for the customer, and a 70-percent reduc- tion in piece-part cost has allowed the parts to immediately become compet- itive for export to the Asian market. Further, Waukesha has enjoyed a 30- percent savings in raw-material costs and reduced the number of direct labor hours needed to produce a typical order from 75 hr. to less than 3 hr.
The Productivity Award is sponsored by Zierick Manufacturing Corp., Mount Kisco, NY.
Excellence as an Educational Institution
Southwestern Illinois College
Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC), Granite City, IL, received the 2011 Clips & Clamps Industries Edu- cational Institution Award for its Pre-
cision
program, which offers a 2-yr. Associate in Applied Science degree and a 1-yr. Certificate of Technology in Precision Machining.
As recently as the 2007-2008 aca- demic year, SWIC’s industrial machin- ing program had only three students enrolled in its evening classes. The school, under the direction of its new dean Brad Sparks, developed a 3-yr. plan to restructure its technical pro- grams. Sparks hired a new coordinator of industrial technology, Mark Bosworth, to execute the plan. Bosworth, who has more than 10 years’ experience as a tool and die maker and has spent nearly 15 years teaching pre- cision machining technology, revised the outdated industrial machining cur- riculum into the new PMT program.
During his first year at SWIC, Bosworth visited nearly every high school in the college’s large district to recruit students. He would eventually visit high schools in neighboring col- lege districts as well, and then con- ducted a week-long workshop for high- school teachers that included tours of manufacturing facilities, instruction in machining skills and an exchange of curriculum.
SWIC created banners that hang in high schools marketing its manufac- turing programs and advertising its partnership with the schools. College vans transport high school students to and from the campus for tours of shops and classrooms. In addition, Bosworth
has extended an open invitation from PMA member company Ehrhardt Tool & Machine Co. to bring high school students on tours of its modern man- ufacturing facility. In recent months, 20 high schools have been contacted about the program and SWIC has increased the number of courses that students can take as dual enrollees of their high schools and SWIC.
The college’s budget alone was not sufficient to purchase the equipment needed to launch the new PMT pro- gram, so Bosworth and Sparks sought industry support. Several companies have donated equipment and supplies, and industry support for the program continues to grow. SWIC boasts a Pre- cision Machining Technology Advisory Committee that includes more than 50 representatives from industry who meet twice per year to help guide pro- gram development. With the support of the advisory committee, Bosworth applied for and received certification by the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS). To date, 12 students have earned this challenging certification.
In three years, SWIC’s PMT program has undergone a remarkable transfor- mation, evolving from an industrial machining curriculum based mostly on out-of-date manual lathes and milling machines to a program with students working on state-of-the-art equipment that they will use in the industry. Total enrollment in the pro- gram continues to grow each semester, from three students in 2007-2008 to 28 in 2010-2011.
The Educational Institution Award is sponsored by Clips & Clamps Indus- tries, Plymouth, MI, and funded by the Dul Foundation.
Are You a Winner in 2012?
Share your success—and brag a lit- tle—by submitting an entry for PMA’s Awards of Excellence in Metalform- ing 2012. It’s your chance to recog- nize employees and earn industry recognition. To learn more, visit www.pma.org/awards, or contact PMA’s Christie Carmigiano at 216/901- 8800, ccarmigiano@pma.org. MF
Machining
Technology
(PMT )
www.metalformingmagazine.com
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