Page 25 - MetalForming-Nov-2018-issue

Fabrication: Tooling
Employing tools in new ways can elimi- nate secondary assembly. For example, marrying a louver with a tab, each pro- duced by common tools, provides a tight, secure fit when assembling panels for cabinets and chassis.
Johnson points to Wilson Tool’s EXP exchangeable-punch-tip technology.
“There’s no need to remove the whole punch from the assembly,” he explains. “Just use a torque wrench to remove the tip.”
Tool technology such as this enables punch-tip removal in about 10 sec., and has made insert-style tooling a popular option. Prior to these types of innova- tions, removal of punches could stretch past 5 min., hindering productivity.
“With skill levels an issue among fabricating operations,” Johnson says, “products that make a task easier to accomplish have been popular.”
Reduce Assembly Time via Connecting Forms
Anything that reduces secondary operations contributes directly to the bottom line. Even better when existing tools can be employed in new ways to accomplish just that. Johnson has made it his mission for the past year to educate fabricators on how punch- ing-machine tools, many already pur- chased and in use, can also help reduce assembly time.
“I call them connective forms,” he says, noting that he came up with the term in order to create conversation
with fabricators on how punching- machine tools can serve other
purposes. “They can use
common punch-forming tools such as louvers, extru-
sions and half shears to aid in the assembly of cabinets and chassis. Con- nective forms allow users to simply snap panels together, replacing
screws and fasteners.
“We mentioned to a fabricator employing conventional assembly techniques,” he continues, “that using a simple louver tool, and marrying that tab with a blanked rectangular hole, would, by sliding the pierced hole over the louver, lock the panels together. He ordered a louver tool the following week and now, this 130-yr.-old com- pany has changed its entire assembly process.”
In addition to standard forms for assist in assembly, Wilson Tool also supplies tools dedicated to the task, Johnson reports, noting that form tools also can be used as locators when assembling panels.
Revisit Time-Tested Techniques Such as Punch Tapping
Though a common practice, punch tapping remains an unknown in some quarters of the fabrication industry, explains Johnson. Traditionally under- taken as a secondary operation, tap- ping in the punching machine is a tried-and-true procedure, with tools— capable of extrusion as well as straight- through threads—able to achieve speeds from 20 to 180 threads/min.
“Tapping tools are not a low-cost investment,” says Johnson, “but for those that perform the process often and in large quantities, such a tool pro- vides huge time and money savings. And, most nesting and programming software has tapping instructions built- in, so no extra programming is required.”
Mind the Basics
Keep in mind that simple changes can pay big dividends, according to Johnson.
Specialized tools offer an alternative to screws or welding for assembly applica- tions.
“We’ve noticed an increase in fab- ricators ordering tool-storage cabinets,” he says. “The cabinets provide better tool organization, and awareness of tool location helps reduce job setup time and cuts down tool searches and replacement of misplaced tooling.”
That leads to a suggestion by John- son that fabricators employ a related lean component.
“5S the work area,” he says.
Straightening the workbench and identifying specific locations for hand tools is a simple task that produces immediate benefits.
“Who wants to pay someone to wander around looking for a tool?” he asks. “In addition, 5S in the work area ensures a smooth transition from shift to shift. Everyone knows where every- thing is.”
Shop-floor automation can be filed under the ‘Basics’ heading only because manufacturers have made it easy, given capital-equipment funding, for job shops to employ automated punching machines and related components. The list includes machines with intel- ligent, powerful software and controls; storage and retrieval systems; and auto- matic tool indexers. Automation enables job shops to tackle more work more quickly, reducing setup time while freeing employees for other tasks.
“Also, newer punching systems employ tool-ID codes whereby they can monitor tooling and indicate when maintenance or replacement is need- ed,” Johnson adds. MF
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