Page 79 - MetalForming October 2016

detail of each setup. For example, we can click on a stripper and the software puts the hole and bushing in automat- ically, or click on a die block and it adds the hole and bushing, all in one command.”
Die designers now also must be able to simulate their designs virtually, “or we simply won’t get the work,” says Schmit. Hence the decision, in 2014, to add FTI’s one-step Fastform Advanced and FastIncremental sim- ulation software to its collection. Fast- form Advanced is a regenerative and associative formability tool that, FTI says, identifies 90 percent of forming- feasibility issues during die develop- ment, and reduces the number of required incremental runs. FastIncre- mental then provides a detailed virtual die tryout, using features such as auto- matic blank-size calculation and auto- matic binder closing and wrap.
Support for Quoting
“The software—SolidWorks, Logopress 3 and now FTI—has allowed us to grow, and will allow us to continue to grow,” says Schmit. “And not just in design and build—we use Logopress3 every day for quoting, to calculate progression width for example, because tool size is a big price driver. We can quote more quickly (in three days or less typically), and in turn complete more quotes than ever before. And, the quotes are more accurate thanks to the preliminary work we can quickly do using the software.
“Just in the last year our output has increased 20 percent (the shop pro- duces some 120 dies/yr., with a crew of around 50 employees), without hav- ing to add another tryout press,” sum- marizes Oldenburg operations man- ager Jeff Decker. “There used to be more checking and reworking on the floor, now that’s not an issue. And, because we trust the designs, our skill level in the CNC department isn’t as critical.” To support such an increase in production, the firm recently estab- lished a wire-EDM shop with six state- of-the-art Mitsubishi machines.
“Obtaining a quick return on invest- ment in the software—Logopress3 and
FTI—is a no-brainer,” Decker contin- ues. “Yes, simulation in the design suite dramatically reduces press time for die tryout and fine-tuning, and press time is king for us. But we’ve also found that we’re earning new business because we have those capabilities inhouse. That allows us to support our cus- Vtomers’ increasing use of design for manufacturability—we can efficiently work with them on design iterations
to ensure that their part designs are in fact able to be manufactured.
“In the end, we’re able to be more selective on the work and the cus- tomers we bring onboard, focusing on higher complexity and as a result more profitable programs,” he adds. “We can work on dies other shops cannot, which favorably impacts our ability to con- tinue to grow—the top line, and the bottom line.” MF
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