Page 60 - MetalForming July 2017
P. 60

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ADVERTORIAL
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metalformers can create a unique value proposition for their customers. His big three:
• 3D printing for prototyping, fixture build, fabrication of spare die parts, etc., which can become a key advantage; • Optimizing design of robotic weld cells to improve
welding capabilities; and
• Gaining working knowledge of designing tooling to take
full advantage of servo-press capabilities.
“At Pentaflex, we’re focusing on taking our servo presses
to the next level in terms of productivity and quality by opti- mizing our tool-and-die design and build process to really take advantage of what servo presses can do,” he says. “We also will look to update our press-control systems to ensure that we’re prepared for the next several years.”
And, asked to identify the characteristics that managers must have to lead their metalforming companies into a future that hinges on innovation, as Carroll notes, Arndt shares these three:
• Ability to look at the big picture as it relates to the future of the business relative to staffing, technology and the economy.
• Ability to understand the what's important to the work- ers, and then learn how to motivate them to improve pro- ductivity and quality.
• Ability to negotiate with all shareholders—customers, suppliers, owners, the community and your employees.
“I, my management team and our technical team par- ticipate in as many learning experiences as possible to stay informed on new technology—automation, tooling, 3D printing, servo presses, robotic welding, etc. This is a critical role that PMA has filled, and will continue to fill, by providing webinars and conferences, tradeshows and other learning opportunities. And, when it comes to filling the talent void, we stay actively involved in our schools and throughout the community, trying to ensure that we will be able to develop the workforce of the future capable of driving agility and competitiveness for our company.”
Automation is Top of Mind Nearly Everywhere
Automation also is on the mind of Ron Lowry, CEO of metalformer Dayton Rogers and Arndt’s predecessor as PMA chairman, who notes that in the last five years his company has reduced direct labor input into an average product by 30 percent.
“We think we can continue to improve in this area,” Lowry says, “and with these improvements we will be able to pro- duce 20 percent more with the same amount of direct labor. That will allow us to increase profitability. This not only is good business practice, but it is necessary in order to over- come the challenges presented by the lack of skilled labor and the need to attract young, motivated workers to work in manufacturing.”
Lowry expects automation to grow in use at his company, and at others in our industry, in a variety of applications— press tending, inspection and—most notably—in data
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