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Die-Design
and Simulation:
Proven Successes
BY LOUIS A. KREN, SENIOR EDITOR
Following a description of new die-design and simulation tech- nology in the March issue of Met- alForming, this month we take a look at how companies can and do use the technology to improve productivity and reduce mistakes when designing and building dies. Look for more on this topic in future issues.
Process Eased with Design- and CAM-Software Integration Trueline Inc., a 55-year-old
LaCrosse, WI, company, specializes in contract services including the design and manufacture of Class A progressive stamping dies as well as contract stamping. The company designs and builds dies for both outside customers and internal production. Its presses range from 22 to 300 tons and operate at speeds to 800 strokes/min., with in- die inspection and adjustment occur- ring simultaneously.
Looking to upgrade its capabilities and not satisfied with its current 3D die-design software, Trueline pur- chased SolidWorks-based Logopress3 software.
Wisconsin manufacturer Trueline automatically conveys programming information to its 2.5-axis CAM software through specific decimal values predefined within the company’s 3D-die-design software for each hole type, diameter and component.
20 MetalForming/April 2018
www.metalformingmagazine.com
“With the original software we expe- rienced a lot of missing holes, or we’d have two mating plates with, for exam- ple, one having a 3⁄8-in. counterbored hole and another with a 5⁄16-in. tapped hole,” explains Dale Christopherson, Trueline director of tooling. “Of course, that didn’t work very well. Due to our assembly-line-like process, often these types of mistakes would not be caught until die assembly. This caused a lot
of rework, or in some cases we had to remake parts, which really disrupted our flow in completing projects.
“We are very busy,” he continues. “Our nine wire-EDM machines have more than 80-percent uptime, so reworking or remaking parts really puts a hurt on us. In short, we looked to speed the whole process of build- ing the tool, including design and assembly.”
