Page 74 - MetalForming October 2013

Tooling Technology
Sensors
Bring More Than Just Die Protection
...to this Tennessee metalformer. Sure, die crashes will diminish and press run rate will rise at Manufacturers Industrial Group. But the firm has bigger goals in mind, such as moving secondary operations under the ram and creating a competitive advantage.
BY GEORGE KEREMEDJIEV
The best and most effective way to imple- ment a die-protection program revolves around a groundswell of support from all quarters of a metalforming shop to get the job done, coupled to the enthusiasm of a champion —an individual who mentors, drives and unwa- veringly pioneers the program. Such is the case at Manufacturers Industrial Group (MIG), LLC, Athens, TN, a manufacturer of manual seat adjusters, welded assemblies, metal stampings, and fineblanked and wire-formed parts. Here we find sensor application specialist Carlos Tilley, a tool and die maker since 1990. Tilley brings to his position critical experiences with tool design, CNC and wire-EDM programming and operation. Over the years, his leadership skills have been honed as a shift leader and apprentice mentor.
Sensor application specialist Carlos Tilley feels right at home at his test bench, where he proves out all die-protection setups before bringing them onto the shop floor.
To best tap into Tilley’s varied experience, in
August 2012 MIG promoted him to tool engineer, and in December 2012 he was tasked with launching, developing and managing the firm’s die-protection program.
Laying Out the Goals
Tilley has a healthy and positive outlook on his position
George Keremedjiev is an instructor and consultant with Tec- know Education Services, Inc., and has more than 30 years of experience implementing error-proof electronic-sensor systems in tooling, dies, molds and assembly machines; gk@mfgad- vice.com.
and the goals of the die-protection program.
“All die protection must be proved out in the lab before it’s
brought onto the shop floor,” he says. “Our goal is to reduce the amount of die crashes, increase press efficiency and reduce PPMs.”
MIG’s upper management advocates for Tilley’s sensor program, including general manager Robert Harrington and COO John Zardis. Says Zardis:
“MIG intends to use die protection to create a compet- itive advantage, by allowing us to lower overhead costs associated with sorting, die repair and customer rejec- tions, and by increasing press run rates. We also intend to
72 MetalForming/October 2013
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