Die Guy

I mentioned in my previous post about how our die standards completely changed the way automotive dies were designed and built. Here are 13 the rules we broke to create new ones:

1. Units: went from 75 years of inch-pound to hard metric to save 30% in component costs.
2. Casting: reduced casting by 60% by going from 3 inch walls to 45 mm.
3. Coring: simplified the design by coring up from the panel instead of away from the panel.
4. Decisions: used production volume and material thickness to drive architecture.
5. Choices: gave the engineers first, second, and last choice options for design.
6. Springs: eliminated die springs and used less expensive fiber-belted springs.
7. Fitting: fitted sculptured surface at the working areas only instead of entire panel.
8. Adapters: eliminated the use of adapters for final adjustment due to NC machining.
9. Inserts: stopped fully inserting trims and forms to cut or form on cast posts.
10. Heels: eliminated heels on die sets and used guide pins only.
11. Plates: eliminated wear plates on pads and used guide pins only.
12. Lifters: adopted the “no lifter is the best lifter” policy.
13. Manifolds: abandoned nitrogen manifolds in favor of self-contained gas springs.

Clearly, all these changes favor the die shop. The tradeoff is there is more maintenance for the production source.

From an economic standpoint, it is better to spend less capital on the front end and pay for maintenance out of stamped profit during the life of the tool.

I helped reshape and redefine automotive die standards in 1991 with five other people. We revolutionized how automotive body dies were designed and built.

The dies that were designed and built up until 1992 were over-engineered and over-built.

For the next decade, I feel the die standards were competitively adequate.

I no longer feel that way. The standards have not significantly changed in nearly two decades.

While I am flattered that my ideas stood the test of time, I believe the die standards today are outdated.

I am disappointed that the standards have not evolved. They are fundamentally the same as they were when they were published in 1992.

The goal with die standards, in my opinion, is to guide decisions.

Die standards are not intended to be a paint-by-numbers approach to engineering.

They are not a step-by-step recipe.

Die standards are not to connect-the-dots.

They are not a bible to be followed until the end of time.

The intent is guide decisions of the die engineer and provide predictability on the architecture of the tool.

Period.

The automotive industry could save 30 - 60% on their tool bill with another revolution.

The casting construction is too heavy by a factor of 2X.

There are better materials on the market, like Carmo, Caldie, and Vanadis-type tool steels for the advanced high strength steels being stamped today.

The list goes on and on.

Bottom line is the standards are old and it is costing the automakers billions.

The DVD to my recent talk at Lawrence Tech just arrived.

I will carve it up and upload here next week.

Until then …

I gave the site a new coat of paint this weekend. Hope you like it!

You will notice The Daily Reviewer badge on the right. We are in the design and manufacturing categories.

Also, I added some SMORE (Social Media whore) links on the right as well.

Enjoy!

I would like to introduce you to EngCom, an engineering news aggregation website.

Engcom.net not only has all the latest engineering news from around the world, they offer engineering trivia questions and other cool stuff for engineers. Click here to check them out.

I have developed technical training courses for the past 20 years. Too many to count.

What I have learned is training development with technical content for technical people is an art. Most get it wrong.

Technical people, especially those with too many education credentials, tend to be too technical.

The result is needlessly complicated and comprehensive training classes. They try to make the trainee competent after two, three, or five days of training.

The focus should be on giving the trainee confidence. Keep it simple.

Focus on the necessary fundamentals and reinforce the basic principles.

Confidence, not competence, is the recipe for a winning training program.

A friend of mine has machine tool equipment for sale as the result of the unfortunate liquidation of a build-to-order business. Here is what is up for grabs:

Monarch 16″ x 54 Gear-Headed Engine Lathe - 1942 -3 Jaw Chuck, 13-550 RPM Spindle Speed Range: 1.5″ Dia. Spindle Bore

Bridgeport Model Series 1 - 2HP Variable Speed Verticle Milling Machine 9″ x 42″ table: Anilam 2 Axis Digital Readout

Bridgeport 1-1/2 HP Variable Speed Vertical Milling Machine, 1968, 9″ x 42″ Power Table: Mitutoyo 2 Axis Digital Readout

Wolverine 6″ x 18″ Hand Feed Surface Grinder, 6″ x 12″ Magnetic Chuck

Toshiba Shibaura Model VMC-85 3 Axis CNC Verticcal Machining Center, 1988, Tosnuc CNC Control: 31.5 x 94.5″ T slotted table,78.7 X - Axis Travel: 33.5″ Y-axis travel: 27.6″ Z axis travel: 9.8″ - 37.4 Distance table to spindle Nose; 8,820 LB table capacity: 4,500 RPM Max. Spindle Speed: 30 HP Spindle Motor, #50 Spindle taper: Coolant: 40 tool ATC: Chip conveyor

Okuma & Howa Model Millac 80V - 3 axis CNC Vertical Machining center, 1995, Fanuc Series 16-M CNC Control: 31.5 x 87″ Table: 80″ -X axis travel: 33″ Y axis travel: 23.6 - Z axis travel:  #50 Spinle Taper, 4,000 RPM maximum spindle speed: 30 Tool ATC:  Coolant: Chip auger.

HeathModel MCD/86 3 Axis CNC Propane torch, Burny 5 CNC Control:  2- 10′ x 10′Water tables, 2- 25′ long rails, 6 torch heads

Miller Model Dimension 452 -  450 Amp Constant current/Constant voltage DC Arc Welder 1998 - Miller 60 series 24V wire feed, cart, gun, leads

Ingersoll Rand - 10 HP Horizontal tank air compressor

Cat#50 Taper Boring bars, tool holders, drills, collets

Office furniture, desks, chairs, filing cabinets, etc.

Please leave a comment or use the Contact form on this site to inquire about this equipment.

My son Ryan is in Mrs. C’s first grade class at AC Elementary.

He had to write an essay for class titled “Family”. Here is what he wrote:

I love my Dad. He is funny and he helps me with my homework sometimes and he is a good cook too! He has gray hair and he has blue eyes. He is the best dad ever!

What a great kid!

Forces in a cutting die are equal and opposite. So what happens when cutting occurs on one side of a cutting component? Unbalanced thrust.

The issue with unbalanced thrust is should the cutting component be heeled or keyed to counteract the lateral force.

The first step to this decision is to quantify the magnitude of unbalanced thrust. The equation for unbalanced thrust in a cutting die is:

• Fut = dc • Fc / t

where:

• Fut = Force of unbalanced thrust (kN)
• dc = die clearance (mm)
• Fc = cutting force (kN)
• t = material thickness (mm)

For example, a die with 0.12 mm die clearance per side, 108 kN cutting force on 1.5 mm thick material has lateral force or unbalanced thrust of:

• Fut = dc • Fc / t
• Fut = 0.12 • (108 / 1.5)
• Fut =  0.12 • 72
• Fut = 8.64 kN

This means that 8.64 kN of lateral force is acting on the cutting component. Lateral force, or unbalanced thrust is perpendicular to the cutting vector and not necessarily horizontal.

Forming simulation software needs a zero thickness sheet for meshing purposes.

Oftentimes, the designer will have an IGES or STEP file of the product data at full material thickness.

We have to perform a step known as “skinning” to get just the inside of metal surface in order to setup and run a simulation.

For you AutoForm users, [Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with AutoForm but have used their products] here is a step-by-step simple way to skin your parts.

After importing the product data, with the Geometry Generator open on the Pre tab and look to the “Define objects” area:

1. Select “Face Grouping”
2. Select Angle
3. Click OK
4. Select all product data
5. Assign to Deleted
6. Click Display deleted
7. Hold the Ctrl key down and select a surface on the master side of material
8. Click Part
9. Uncheck the Display deleted box
10. Click Apply

You now have a skinned part!