Page 16 - MetalForming November 2019

Tooling by Design
By Peter Ulintz
Metal Stamping Evolution Brings Challenges
From the growth of automated and intelligent technology to new consumer demands, man- ufacturing faces many challenges that will require change in the way it does business, according to Laurie Harbor, president, of Harbour Results, Inc. A recent Harbour IQ Pulse Study, look- ing at performance across different manufacturing sectors, indicates that most shops are not prepared for the changing landscape of manufactur- ing. This evolution requires of indus- try best practices for delivering future success in emerging manufacturing technologies.
Industry 4.0
One example of a manufacturing technology in need of best practices is Industry 4.0, the umbrella moniker for all things related to improving process- es and products by collecting and using real-time process-related information from factory equipment with network- connected sensors, software and cloud computing. When it comes to sheet metal forming processes, Industry 4.0 best practices are lacking. Jason Rsyka, chief engineer for North American stamping operations at Ford Motor Company, and his team, are striving
Peter Ulintz has worked in the metal stamping and tool and die industry since 1978. His back- ground includes tool and die making, tool engi- neering, process design, engineering manage- ment and advanced product development. As an educator and technical
presenter, Peter speaks at PMA national seminars, regional roundtables, international conferences, and college and university programs. He also pro- vides onsite training and consultations to the met- alforming industry.
Peter Ulintz
Technical Director, PMA pulintz@pma.org
to change that by recognizing and implementing new technologies to monitor sheet metal forming in real time. That feedback will then provide real-time directives to the press equip- ment, while also providing intuitive information to multiple levels of users on the influence of inputs variables on the process.
To arrive at Industry 4.0 best prac- tices requires of teams such as Rsyka’s, concerted implementation of sensors, closed-loop process control and machine learning. Moreover, the appli-
“Another lightweighting issue...is the joining of multi-layer dissimilar materials with a single weld from a combination of materials... One promising solution: friction stir welding.”
cation of real-time nondestructive eval- uation tools that measure incoming material properties (e.g., yield strength and tensile strength), blank thickness, lubrication-film thickness, blank edge movement in the draw station, wireless monitoring of nitrogen pressure, and thermal imaging (tooling and stamping temperature), provide metal stampers with new opportunities to improve business performance, boost product quality and optimize production.
Metal AM Processes for Tool & Die
The manufacturing demonstration team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) continues working on metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes for tool and die applications, an effort that began three years ago. ORNL’s
efforts are supported by the DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), which focuses on helping “early-stage research to advance inno- vation in U.S. manufacturing and pro- mote American economic growth and energy security.” Producing metal stamping die components using AM processes such as 3D metal printing reduces raw material required to pro- duce die components by adding metal to near net shape, rather than removing material. Using AM reduces the required machining process by up to 50 percent, allowing for shorter lead times and faster reaction time to changes, helping to make U.S. tool and die makers more competitive in the marketplace.
When machining die components, whether wrought tool steel or 3D-print- ed sections, the importance of the structural dynamics of the tool hold- er—the interface to the machine spin- dle—in relation to selecting milling parameters deserves consideration. Professor Tony Schmitz, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has studied rela- tionships between the structural dynamics, cutting force, chatter and machining accuracy through the appli- cation of artificial intelligence. The goal of his work: Demonstrate how chat- ter-free milling parameters can be cho- sen at the process planning stage (pro- gramming) to provide first-time-correct performance.
Lightweighting
Sheet materials also continue to evolve due to automotive lightweight- ing initiatives. One issue: edge stretch- ability. Edge stretching is a sheet metal forming mode prevalent in various automotive stamped parts where stam- pers engineer and design the blank with strategically placed holes to allow material flow into difficult-to-form
14 MetalForming/November 2019
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