Page 44 - MetalForming September 2015

Sko-Die Gets Comfy
needed to maintain traditional con- veyor systems. Plugging into standard 110-V outlets, the shakers can function on low-volume applications as well as central scrap-removal systems that may have to move thousands of pounds of material each hour. Besides a compact footprint and quiet opera- tion, benefits of the shaker include the ability to operate without the need for maintenance, spare parts or lubrica- tion, according to Magnetic Products officials.
“We move those shakers to wherev- er they are needed,” Steininger explains, commenting on their porta- bility, a big selling point for Sko-Die.
Lamination Work Back in the Fold
One sticking point during this proj- ect: Sko-Die did not have the ceiling height to accommodate a new press. To remedy that and to fit the entire press linAe, the company built a 4000-sq.-ft. addition with a canopy over the press.
Steininger credits the work of general contractor Herron Construction Co., Island Lake, IL, in smoothing the process. Since overcoming that con- struction challenge, Sko-Die has moved full bore into the lamination big-die business.
“The new press runs jobs on six pro- gressive lamination dies right now, totaling about 130 hr. per month,” says Steininger. “That equates to a full shift. These dies measure in lengths to 75 in. and widths to 30 in., producing parts as large as 36-in. OD. We were even able to take back a job on a larg- er die that we had to originally give back to a customer. This press line was exactly what we needed.”
Each lamination die typically pro-
duces a set of two parts, stator and
rotor laminations, with individual
die stations performing blanking,
stator slot cutting, stator ID punch-
ing and perhaps rotor hole punch-
ing. From there, the parts may be

drop-shipped for rotor diecasting or
delivered to the customer for motor production.
Though exclusively producing lam- inations, Steininger notes that the new press offers the tonnage, stroke length and control capabilities to produce other types of parts using various form- ing processes should the need arise.
Besides a larger bed size and increased flexibility, the press also brings another benefit: increased die life.
“We had to outsource larger dies to another stamper who ran them on older 300-ton presses,” Steininger recalls. “Possibly due to the age of the presses and the tonnage used, the dies exhibited premature wear. With the new press, we can extend our runs, essentially doubling the time between die sharpening.”
Also, he notes, bringing the dies back inhouse means not having to send Sko-Die diemakers to perform tool maintenance offsite, which provides an additional productivity boost. MF
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42 MetalForming/September 2015
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