Page 39 - MetalForming August 2017

tooling, it can supplement with FDM tooling. AM fits well whether it’s pro- duction tooling or as
a bridge tool when
waiting for perma-
nent tooling. AM is
a time saver, cutting
the acquisition process
from weeks to days, which
is a game changer for getting
your manufacturing floor up and running. And, in response to a man- ufacturing problem, obtaining tooling the same day or the next day brings a real competitive advantage for many manufacturers.”
For end-of-arm robotic tooling, in some cases, FDM tooling can be a one- to-one replacement, which is true in other workholding applications as well.
“If you are simply using a nest or cradle to hold a part during a particular operation, an AM-created part may replace the traditional machined resin block,” says Wild. “You may even be
able to use the same CAD design. “Obviously, AM has differing design rules,” she continues, “but the beauty of additive is that design complexity comes free—there is no added cost. AM offers the advantage of incorporating added features and consolidating com- ponents in a fixture design. It depends on the application, but starting with the same CAD file, we may be able to
This large inspection tool, more than 3 ft. long and made
from thermoplastic material, was designed, printed
and delivered to an automotive supplier
within one week—a fraction of the time as would
be required for a traditional metal tool.
consolidate 30 components down to one or two.”
In these cases, AM can help produce what Wild calls “hybrid fixtures,” which include, for example, hard contact points for a drill
guide.
“The fixture shape will be the same,
but metal inserts are placed into the fixture component to address durability and wear concerns,” she says. “The CAD process for producing the ideal fixture in AM is very similar to tradi- tional CAD design, but incorporates the freedom and complexity that comes along with designing for additive, where design is not constrained by the
YSM is a world leader in producing vertislides for bending, stamping, and forming of strip, wire, and tubing. YSM offers mechanical, hybrid, and fully CNC vertislides, which are high speed, cost effective, and allow material savings over traditional progressive die stamping.
Michael Shapiro | mshapiro@gibraltar8.com | 847-383-5442
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