Page 16 - Metalforming Magazine April 2022

It’s Raining Pressroom Technology
...at rainwear-products manufacturer Spectra Gutter Systems, where eight new mechanical stamping presses installed in the last 2 yr., complete with new servo coil-feed lines and all delivered turnkey, have transformed the firm’s pressroom into a state-of-the-art production operation.
BY BRAD F. KUVIN, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
During the past several months, rainwear-industry manufactur- er Spectra Gutter Systems has completely revamped its pressroom, one of five buildings on its Atlanta, GA,
The Spectra Gutter Systems’ pressroom upgrade launched during the summer of 2021. To date the company has installed six new 110-ton Stamtec presses and two 160-ton models, the last installed in March 2022. With the new presses came new servo feeds— two different model numbers from Stamtec that feature two-in-one uncoiler/straighten- er (nine rolls) units; manually operated coil keepers; and loop-control light sensors, paired with separate servo feeders—with a maximum working speed of 16 m/min.
14 MetalForming/April 2022
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campus. The stamping plant is home to 30 presses, 75 employees and dozens of dies. It stamps a variety of rainware products including gutter end caps, outlets, miters and hangers in several styles and sizes.
“When we set a die, to optimize effi- ciency we run it as long as possible,” says Kevin Thompson, corporate prod- uct engineer. And lately, the firm has been setting dies in a bevy of brand- new mechanical stamping presses.
“For years we only purchased used or rebuilt presses,” Thompson adds, “which typically bring reliability con- cerns. Our goal is to be a worldclass manufacturer (Spectra also operates manufacturing facilities in Clearwater, FL, Indianapolis, IN, and Dallas, TX). To get there, we realized that we had to invest in new pressroom technology. For that we sought to partner with a
supplier that could deliver turnkey press lines, including new feeds.”
Spectra Gutter Systems’ pressroom- technology partner: Stamtec Inc. and its machine distributor Manufacturing Technology, LLC (M-Tech), Birming- ham, AL.
Grow Capacity and Throughput, and Boost Reliability
Spectra’s pressroom upgrade launched during the summer of 2021 when it installed two new press lines, anchored by a 160-ton press and a 110-ton model. To date, it has installed six 110-ton models and two 160-ton presses, with the last installed in March 2022.
“We don’t need a lot of press ton- nage,” says Thompson, “as we’re pri- marily stamping thin-gauge aluminum no thicker than 0.063 in.”