Page 78 - MetalForming October 2014
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Best Practices:
In-Die Sensing
Learn from this case study how one metalformer follows industry best practices when outfitting more than 500 dies with a variety of sensors, to ensure that the sensors live long, healthy and productive lives.
BY GEORGE KEREMEDJIEV
 The highest levels of error-proof
manufacturing
are being achieved at Eagle Bend Mfg., Eagle Bend, TN. As part of Magna’s Cosma International Division, Eagle Bend has a varied portfolio of internal production processes including hot stamping, rollforming, transfer press- es/automated tandem-press lines, laser trimming and welding. These activi- ties are thoroughly supported with engineering software and technology including Catia V5, SDRC, Inventor and white-light scanning capabilities. The firm’s client base includes Ford, GM, BMW, Nissan, Honda, Toyota and Chrysler. With a plant size of 550,000 sq. ft. and more than 700 employees, the plant processes some 104,000 tons of steel per year and boasts annual sales
Eagle Bend Mfg. sensor applications specialist Mike Williams shows off his fully equipped sensor-testing laboratory, which includes precision positioning equipment to help him determine the exact location where a given sensor must be mounted within a die in order for it to properly and repeatedly detect its target.
exceeding $250 million.
Sensor Program
a Serious Undertaking
Eagle Bend Mfg.’s implementation of a professional sensor program for error proofing required a capable and dedicated leader—meet Mike Williams, a toolmaker by trade, who became its sensor applications specialist. Williams
George Keremedjiev is president of Tec- know Education Services, Inc., Boze- man, MT; 406/587-4751, www.mfgad- vice.com.
began his career at Eagle Bend Mfg. in 1988 and was selected to attend the Magna Technical Training Centre in Toronto, Canada as a tool and die apprentice. After completing the 1-yr. training program, Williams returned to Eagle Bend to complete his appren- ticeship.
As a newly minted toolmaker, Williams was assigned to the tasks of repair and maintenance of tooling, with some tool building as well. In addition to his exposure to the stamp- ing side of the plant, he garnered expe- rience in the assembly areas of the company, building and maintaining various pieces of assembly equipment.
In the summer of 2010 Williams went to work for a local tool and die
shop where he built a variety of tooling, fixtures and gages. When he returned to Eagle Bend Mfg. in the spring of 2013 as a die-assembly toolmaker, in short time management selected him to become sensor applications specialist. Since that time, Williams and his company’s error-proofing technology committee have embarked on a major initiative to outfit more than 500 existing and new tools with a variety of sensors for die protection, including part ejection, short feed and part-quality detection. As of this writing, the job is about 25 percent complete.
Test Bench Extraordinaire
With the full and uncompromising support of Eagle Bend Mfg. general
 76 MetalForming/October 2014
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