Page 46 - MetalForming-Jun-2018-issue

Reducing
Parts Cost
as Production Scales Up
OEMs turn to one-stop metal-parts shops
for transitioning to cost-effective fabrication
and machining techniques as demand increases.
Deciding on the best metalform- ing process for a part involves careful analysis of production volume versus the cost of hard tooling. While certain complex metal parts must be machined, thinner-gauge parts and enclosures typically are stamped using hard tooling or fabricated using lasers, turret presses and press brakes.
For startups or smaller companies with more modest production require- ments, avoiding the high upfront costs of hard tooling is appealing. As a result, fabrication alternatives that do not require a high tooling investment, even if the cost per piece is higher, may be the better initial choice.
But what happens when demand increases and an OEM must scale up production?
Determining the ideal time to tran- sition to a more economical alternative can be challenging, and in some cases, involves switching from a sheetmetal fabricator without stamping capabili- ties to a one-stop shop with multiple process capabilities.
By offering the full gamut of sheet- metal fabrication, stamping and machining options under one roof, these larger operations are much bet- ter positioned to scale with the cus- tomer as demand increases. This includes facilitating the transition to hard tooling, mixing and matching metalworking techniques for multi- component assemblies, and incor- porating hybrid and secondary tool- ing approaches to further reduce costs.
The Progression of Options
One such shop, Union, NJ-based DureX, Inc., operates a 120,000-sq.- ft. facility for metal stamping, sheet- metal fabrication and CNC machining. The company, founded in 1946, has more than 50 presses with capacity to 400 tons, along with laser-cutting equipment and turret presses, and offers value-added services such as powder coating, assembly, packaging and fulfillment.
According to its president Bob Den- holtz, DureX provides customers a full progression of options based on “the ROI threshold.” He explains that for a startup needing 500 units per month, stamping may not make financial sense, so the part may be fabricated. But as the part runs increase from 500
44 MetalForming/June 2018
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