Page 84 - MetalForming-Oct-2018-issue

THE PROVEN BIHLER 4 SLIDE-NC
Right out of the box it outperforms expectations to deliver maximum ROI.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR to discover how our 4 Slide-NC machine can accelerate your manufacturing success at:
Oct. 3-5, Rosemont, Illinois Booth 504
Oct. 23-26, Hanover, Germany Hall 27 - Stand E104
Nov. 6-8, Atlanta, Georgia Booth A1219
Fabrication
with the steel-reinforced forming fea- tures, they easily shaped a laser-cut sheetmetal blank. The tooling cost less than $200 to print, according to Cen- terline officials, representing an 86- percent reduction in costs for the cus- tomer as compared to a conventionally manufactured tools. Not only that, the quick print work reduced project lead time by 88 percent.
Now Ingrained in Company Culture
The press-brake-tool case study showcases AM capabilities available to metalformers and fabricators, and Cen- terline has made it a point to extend the technology’s benefits.
The company has printed every- thing from fixtures for inspection, weld- ing and assembly to custom tooling and end-use parts shipped out to larger clients. That’s a far cry from Vickery’s initial interest in 3D printing, when he thought the technology only would work for prototyping. These days, the company’s workflow now includes con- sideration of 3D-printed fixtures and tooling on many of its manufacturing projects.
Centerline engineers and machinists were skeptical early on, as well. Once Vickery proved that he could make strong parts at a fraction of the cost, his team quickly got on board. Since then, he reports regularly being approached by team members with ideas for parts and tools to be printed instead of machined.
“We're looking for tools and fixtures that help us to be more precise and efficient,” Vickery says. “Now we can take a CAD drawing, print it out and say, ‘Here’s the fixture’ within half of the time it used to take to produce using traditional methods. And, (with plastic and reinforced nonmetal mate- rials) we’re getting close to the strength of aluminum in the pieces we make. The material is much stronger than I had ever expected, and it holds up over time.” MF
Information for this article provid- ed by Markforged, Watertown, MA; 866/496-1805, www.markforged.com.
For inquiries or to request upcoming show passes, contact Chris Alexander, National Sales Manager, by calling The Future of Manufacturing 908.213.9001 or visit: 4slide-nc.com
Celebrating Female Achievers
We are looking for women in leadership positions or on the shop floor, those who represent dedication to their company and the industry, and demonstrate excellence in meeting their workplace responsibilities. And we need your help.
MetalForming magazine is seeking nominations for its
3rd Annual Women of Excellence in Metalforming section, to run in the December issue.
Nominees should be employed by a manufacturer of metal parts and components or a supplier to the industry. While past winners are not eligible, past honorable-mention honorees can be nominated. Nominations can be submitted by visiting MetalFormingmagazine.com/excellence.
Nomination deadline is October 10.
Please nominate only one person from your company.
82 MetalForming/October 2018
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