|
Turnkey Tooling
Packages from mate Precision Tooling Expands Fabricators
Capacity
by Andy Spence-Parsons
Marketing Manager
Mate Precision
Tooling
FINN-POWER punch
press customers increasingly expect turnkey tooling solutions to
expand their fabrication capacity. Mate Precision Tooling
delivered a comprehensive package of high performance tooling
products for a recent FINN-POWER Shear Genius system
installation. The Package included the Mate Nova® Precision
Tooling System for the fixed punching stations, the Mate MT™
tooling system to suit the FINN-POWER Multi-Tool stations, and
custom designed special forming applications.
Mate Nova®
Tooling System Improves Hole Quality
The Mate Nova
tooling system is a fully guided tooling designed exclusively
for
use with FINN-POWER punch presses. The fully guided design of
the stripper provides the rigidity to the punch tip. Guiding the
tip of the punch improves the quality of the hole, extends tool
life, and produces flatter sheets. The Mate Nova punches are
manufactured in high-speed steel for the maximum possible
interval between sharpening. The Mate Nova tooling system also
includes patented Mate Slug Free® dies. By eliminating slug
pulling, piece part quality is improved, tool life is extended,
and machine productivity is maximized.
Mate MT™
Tooling for Multi-Tools
The Mate MT
tooling system includes tooling in three size ranges, 8mm, 16mm
and 24mm. The punches are manufactured in high speed steel with
near polished punch flanks to minimize galling (build-up on the
side of the punch) and maximize tool life. The strippers guide
the punch tip to improve piece part quality. The Mate MT system
also includes the same Mate Slug Free die geometry to eliminate
slug pulling and maximize machine up-time.
Special
Applications for Upforming Stations
Two special
applications required tooling to produce forms that would have
been impractical with conventionally designed tooling.
Both of these
assemblies were designed to fit within FINN-POWER’s innovative
Upforming station. This allows forming tools, which would
normally occupy some of the space between the upper and lower
turrets, to be fully retracted when in the press. Benefits
include; the ability to produce higher forms and the increased
reliability because all tools are below the die line and cannot
catch the sheet while it is traversing the table.
Oversized
Extrusion Assembly
The first
application required an oval extrusion with
 internal
dimensions of 0.500”(12.70mm) x 4.000”(101.60mm) in
0.054”(1.37mm) mild steel. The innovative approach from Mate
delivered an assembly capable of adding an additional 35% to the
normal press capacity for this type of form.
The design included two important elements;
-
Upper
Assembly – The Nova compatible upper punch holder assembly
fitted directly into the machine turret bore, without
modification to either the machine or the holder. The
inverted die, was machined to produce an outside diameter
compatible with the machine turret furniture and an inside
length suitable to produce the extrusion. In addition, the
upper assembly was fitted with spring loaded shedder pins to
guarantee reliable stripping.
-
Lower
Assembly – The lower assembly was more complex in order to
assure rapid material stripping from the lower forming tool
without slowing the operation of the press. This was
possible by using a custom designed die body compatible with
the FINN-POWER’s upforming station, together with a
spring-loaded metal stripper. The lower insert was machined
using a hard milling technique perfected by Mate, which
delivers the exceptionally smooth surface finish required
for successful operation of an extrusion assembly.
Oversized
Electrical Knockout
The second
application required a round electrical knockout with a diameter
of 4.125”(107.78mm). This greatly exceeded the maximum diameter
of a conventional tooling design.
Again, the
approach from Mate was innovative. The upper inverted die was
designed to be located into a standard Nova punch sleeve. It was
machined to produce an outside diameter compatible with the
machine, and an inside diameter suitable to produce the
knockout. No modification was made to the machine or tool
holder. The result is a stronger and more reliable assembly,
which produces
the required form.
The lower
assembly was of a similar design to the oversized extrusion
assembly mentioned previously. The metal stripping springs were
designed to deliver superior, more reliable, stripping force.
The lower insert also included the precise geometry of the tabs
to ensure correct operation of the knockout.
In both cases,
Dennis Lowry (Custom Engineering Manager at Mate) reported that
by designing the assemblies to fit into existing tooling
stations, two important customer benefits were served:
- The special assembly is
fully interchangeable with the customers existing tooling
inventory. Once the job requiring the specific form has been
completed, the tool can be removed and replaced with a
standard assembly. This provides maximum flexibility and
optimum machine utilization.
- Maintaining standard
holders in the machine is highly desirable from a service
perspective. By default, specialized or modified stations
require special attention to ensure compatibility. By
maintaining standard stations, these additional concerns are
eliminated.
This installation
demonstrates Mate Precision Tooling’s continued commitment to
deliver high performance tooling products and innovative tooling
solutions that empower fabricators to expand their capabilities.
For more information, see Mate Precision
Tooling on the web at
www.mate.com/finn-power
Mate Precision Tooling
1295 Lund Boulevard
Anoka, MN 55303
Phone: 800-328-4492
Phone: 763-421-0230
Fax: 800-541-0285
Fax: 763-421-0285
Email: marketing@mate.com
|
710
Remington Road 
Volume
15 Issue 1 -
July 2005