FORMING AND FABRICATING AUTOMATION
Low-Maintenance Scrap Handling Defeats Downtime D evelopment of modular and more- reliable components allows metal formers to keep press lines running.
or moving around the scrap-handling equipment, particularly if the scrap moves above ground—forklifts moving hoppers out to empty into scrap bins, relocating hoppers, moving conveyors, etc.” Fortunately, solutions exist for op- erations that exhibit these red flags. Modular, quick-connect conveyor com- ponents and systems provide optimal options for metal formers, Rhodes reports. “Look for modular designs that allow operators to move equipment by hand without damaging the equipment or hurting themselves, and without the
According to Kyle Rhodes, Mag- netic Products, Inc. vice president of business development, metal formers should take a closer look at how they handle scrap, regardless of their target markets, as poor scrap handling can drastically cut productivity and crush the bottom line. Specifically in terms of scrap handling and conveyor use, when should metal formers realize that they can do better?
Newer, more reliable scrap- and part-handling technology has yielded systems that last much longer and require less maintenance. And, should maintenance be required, fixes come more quickly and easily.
need for forklifts,” he says, noting that such designs may feature casters for eased movement around on the shop floor, along with the use of common components and the ability to link scrap-system components together as needed.
of parts. This is the first thing I look for when I visit a stamping operation, and it should be at the top of a metal former’s list, too.” Red flag number two? Scrap-handling equipment causing a bottleneck during job changeover, according to Rhodes. “Metal formers must assess job changeovers,” he explains. “They have many ways to set up presses for changeover, de- pending on how they handle the parts and the scrap. How long does it take to change out the dies and get a press running again? A big component of changeover involves changing
“Right off the bat, check if production shuts down due to scrap causing issues in the press line,” Rhodes says. “It seems obvious, and it’s amazing that metal formers often overlook scrap-handling problems or sweep them under the rug. It’s red flag number one. Causes could include scrap buildup in the dies, clogs or backups on scrap-handling equipment, or scrap-han- dling equipment that fails due to maintenance issues. “These conditions have huge consequences,” he continues. “Scrap costs money, and the last thing a metal former wants is to shut down a stamping press because of the scrap coming off
CLICK FOR
FULL ARTICLE
Page 48
www.metalformingmagazine.com
Powered by FlippingBook