Saturday, October 21, 2017

Metal Stamp Experts Tell You What You Should Know

By Thomas West


Various industries utilize stamped parts for the purpose of machining and tooling. Ordering feeds, dies and the rest of the stamped metal parts is simpler when you conversant with a few crucial facts. The following is what metal stamp experts expect you to have knowledge of when you want to order stamped metal parts.

The Absolute Basics- The feed unit advances the raw material into the press and dies at a given distance, placing it in the right position to be stamped, cut or otherwise shaped. There are several different types of feed units available, each with advantages and drawbacks.

Mechanical Roll Feeds- Mechanical roll feeds are a good choice for high-speed applications. They use upper and lower conveyors to pinch the stock and roll it forward into the tool. They're low maintenance and have a high degree of accuracy. The biggest disadvantages to roll feeds or conveyors are the expense and the setup. Because they're tied to the machine crank, they can be limited in the type of part they can handle. Mechanical roll feeds also require precision adjustment to avoid misfeeds and damaged dies.

These are much more ethereal needs than the actual parts you're planning to order, but understanding what you need from the company you're hiring will help you evaluate whether the companies you review will be able to deliver.

Medical- Most medical equipment and machinery require precision engineering, stamping and die to cut. Stamping companies may create the die components used to cast metal or plastic parts, or cut, stamp and assemble cases, frames and other parts for X-ray machines and other imaging equipment, monitors and respirators. On the low end, medical supply companies use servo feeds, air feeds, conveyor belts and dies to make and package the hundreds of thousands of disposable laboratory specimen and collection cups, paper gowns and more. In short, the metal stamping industry delivers convenience, efficiency, and sanitary conditions to the medical field.

Servo Feeds- The fastest growing trend for many machining industries is the servo feed. Servo feeds are extremely versatile and are capable of feeding material in any position of the ram stroke. This allows for longer feeds. Part geometry isn't an issue because they don't require half the stroke of the machine as mechanical roll feeds do.

Lighting- From bases to hoods, the lighting industry makes use of many stamped and cut metal components. If your factory, school, public building or retail space uses fluorescent lights, you should know that the frames and backs were created using metal stamping equipment and material handling equipment. Even the shop lights you hang in your home workshop were probably touched by a stamping machine at some point.

When you partner with metal stamping gurus who are reputable in the metal fabrication equipment industry, you get the advantage of their information and reputation. They know what's likely to work best for your application, and more importantly, what definitely won't work. This can save you lots of trial and error, and get your production up and run much sooner.




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