Page 40 - MetalForming March 2017

Tough Coating Combats HSLA
As high-strength low-alloy steel crept into its
material mix, Universal Metal Products needed a solution to prematurely worn progressive-die tooling. A search for an effective coating ensued, and succeeded.
Tooling for this steering stabilizer bracket, formed from HSLA steel, had to be refur- bished after only 1000 to 2000 parts, according to Universal Metal Products officials. But with new tool coating, more than 80,000 parts are produced before the tooling requires repolishing and recoating.
out parts to the tune of 20 to 50,000 pieces per month spread across about 40 jobs. The parts are produced via progressive dies from material 0.118 to 0.187 in. thick. In Texas, too, the company stamps parts in similar vol- umes, also using progressive dies from material in similar thicknesses. Across Universal, HSLA has crept in, testing the tooling and the company’s efforts to keep that tooling in production. The strong material is found in stabilizer brackets for the auto/truck industry; refrigerator door hinges; and clutch discs, stack plates and spring covers, also for automotive.
“When we started to get into HSLA,
Headquartered in the Cleveland, OH, suburb of Wickliffe, Uni- versal Metal Products has leveraged its 50 years of experience to position itself as a leader in supplying precision metal parts via slideforming and stamping operations. A specialist in high-volume appliance, automotive and industrial metal stampings, the Tier Two manufacturer ships parts out of Cleveland, suburban Toledo, OH, and McAllen, TX.
With its inhouse capabilities and knowhow, few things can slow the com- pany down in meeting customer needs. But one issue has proven challenging: forming high-strength low-alloy (HSLA)
steels. Given the complex forms and tough part material, tooling for HSLA tasks takes a beating at Universal. To minimize the risk of worn and broken tooling shutting down a run, or quality issues drawing customer ire, the com- pany has sought to protect its tooling with the best-performing coatings it could find.
Tougher Material for Auto and Appliance Parts
Much of Universal’s need for tough tool coating arises from operations at its stamping facility in Pemberville, south of Toledo. Here, mechanical presses in capacities to 600 tons churn
38 MetalForming/March 2017
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