Page 36 - MetalForming-Jun-2018-issue

Fabrication: Tool
Real-time production-tracking and OEE software helps keep work flowing, and will assist as Automatic Spring Products embarks on a robust predictive/preventive-maintenance (PPM) program for all of its tooling. The company is converting spread- sheets of meticulously kept tool-history records to database form in a transition from manual to automated PPM as a sched- uling aid.
material science to best match tool material to the applica- tion, Automatic Spring Products constantly seeks and imple- ments materials that will stretch tooling service life.
Identifying outside sources for effective tooling compo- nents represents another measure. Here, a relationship with
Wilson Tool International, White Bear Lake, MN, pays big dividends. Automatic Spring Products employs Wilson Tool’s Impax Tooling Solutions punches as well as coating services, especially for use in circular-tool applications for compound dies, explains Fred Beamer, master toolmaker at Automatic Spring Products. The company uses Wilson Tool’s HP Accu- Lock retainer inserts to manufacture custom retainers inhouse, which enable quick returns to production without waiting for shipment of custom retainers.
Keeps Component Supply at the Ready
As important as longer tool life is to Automatic Spring Products, keeping components stocked and at the ready is just as vital. For example, high-volume work for a major automotive OEM must stay on schedule, and parts must maintain quality through runs that last into the millions. To keep on track, Automatic Spring Products has devised a rack system, with drawers organized to hold all manner of tool components. A Wilson Tool rep- resentative arrives on a biweekly basis to meticulously assess component quality and quantity, and present detailed inventory spreadsheet.
“We receive a spreadsheet of what is low and what replace- ments will arrive,” Nichols says. “We can see what continu- ously comes up low in inventory, and then bump up the quantity of that component stored in the drawer.”
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34 MetalForming/June 2018
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