From incorporating design for manufacturing concepts at the onset of services to creating a long-term maintenance strategy, having effective strategies in place for metal stamping tooling solutions is essential.
Winco Stamping lists out five ways to better strategize for metal stamping tooling solutions.
Incorporate Design for Manufacturing From the Beginning
Design and material selection are the two most important aspects of any manufacturing process, and for metal stamping tooling solutions, incorporating DFM practices is effective. Start a dialogue with engineers early and often so proper geometries can be integrated prior to any production. When DFM practices are introduced, this can reduce any defects and the need for potential rework. Key design factors include bend radii, hole sizes and locations, and corner transitions that align with stamping considerations and limitations.
Choose the Right Tooling Concept
Knowing how many components you need in one production run is ultimately going to determine the right tooling concept for your project.
If your project is going to require high-volume runs that support tight tolerances and promote repeatability and consistency throughout, progressive stampings are a good option. For low to medium-volume projects, modular tooling should be your route. Modular tooling can be repurposed and modified without the cost constraints of a full progressive run.
Focus Engineering Tooling On Lifecycle Cost
When the perspective on tooling shifts from an immediate service to a long-term resource, critical changes can occur, and a more holistic strategy becomes available. Tooling viewed as a long-term asset means incorporating the best material selections and a better die design that can reduce unnecessary downtime, repair costs, and scrap.
Create a Maintenance Strategy
Even in the best metal stamping tooling solutions, dies are eventually going to require maintenance and regular inspections so that they can continue operating at a high level. Create a maintenance strategy early on so it can be replicated throughout the die’s service life before the first maintenance need.
Prepare for preventative and predictive maintenance checks with scheduled pulls in order to stabilize consistency and extend service life. Use standardized parts as much as possible so that when components need to be replaced, they are more readily available.
Merge Tooling Strategy With Supply Chain Management
Another best practice for metal stamping tooling solutions is incorporating tooling strategy with supply chain management. This can be achieved in a few different ways.
Manufacturers that offer in-house tooling design, build, and repair capabilities can handle both your dies and your metal stamping production all under one roof. This drastically reduces lead times and eliminates avoidable shipping costs.
Depending on the volume of your project, designed tooling that supports secondary services such as PEM insertion or embossing can be beneficial in eliminating rework.
Contact Winco Stamping Today and Enhance Your Metal Stamping Tooling Solutions
Winco Stamping is your full-service metal stamping manufacturer. Based out of our Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, facility, we create the metal stamping parts that your company needs to succeed.
Our in-house metal stamping tooling solutions offer unparalleled quality and reliability as well as turnaround times. We have held an ISO 9001 certification for over 20 years, proving that quality is more than a buzzword.
Contact Winco Stamping to better enhance your metal stamping tooling solutions with a manufacturer you can trust.
