Designing and developing metal stamped components, subassemblies, and other products is a complex process, requiring an experienced, skilled workforce and close attention to accuracy. But finding ways to reduce costs and turnaround times can take a lot of the stress out of these operations.
To help companies achieve these goals, Keats Manufacturing Co., an industry-leading supplier of custom small metal stampings, wire forms, and assemblies, has put together a few tips to keep in mind.
1. Make Use of Conventional or Easily Accessible Materials
As technologies and products across all industries become increasingly smaller, demand for miniature parts is rising. These parts must perform just as efficiently and reliably as larger counterparts without incurring additional costs. To meet these new demands while staying on budget, companies must be able to make optimal use of materials.
Rather than using superalloys or exotic metals for high-performance jobs, businesses should focus on readily available, conventional materials. Exotic metals and superalloys often provide more strength or corrosion and heat resistance that is necessary, and compensating tolerances in a design can result in much higher costs. Plus, because these specialized materials are in lower demand than others and are harder to machine, tooling costs are higher, and cycle times are longer than those of conventional materials.
Working with a standard, accessible material for your next custom stamping project can significantly reduce overall costs.
2. Work with a Supplier That Has Progressive Die Stamping & Four Slide Stamping Equipment
In any type of manufacturing application, streamlining processes and cutting down the number of required steps can greatly increase efficiency while also reducing costs. Progressive die stamping, in particular, combines basic forming processes with functions usually reserved for downstream processes, thereby allowing for both increased efficiency and cost savings. Parts can be produced at extremely high speeds and process setup times can often take place in a matter of minutes.
Progressive die setup times are usually faster than Four-Slide Stamping setup times. However, Four-Slide stamping can cut down substantially on the gross weight/amount of material required to produce each part.
Because of the custom cam driven forming and bending tools on Four-Slide machines, production parts can be produced using up to 50% less material than progressive die operations. This is because there is not always a need for a carrier strip in the progression when utilizing the Four Slide manufacturing process. Carrier strips which are necessary in progressive die machines always end up being scrap/waste material in the production process. The Savings in raw material from Four-Slide Manufacturing can generate a substantial cost benefit and is always worth considering.
Companies that utilize Four-Slide stamping technology & Progressive Die Stamping have the advantage of being able to choose which type of machinery best suits the project. Therefore they can offer a competitive advantage over companies that focus exclusively on one process or the other. The flexibility to choose which type of machine to utilize is a tremendous advantage for any project.
3. Work With Reliable, Experienced Suppliers
Before embarking on any metal stamping project, ensure that you have a solid understanding of your specific application and requirements, and seek out trusted industry leaders who will be able to guide you through each step of the process. A reliable partner will be able to offer thorough design and planning assistance, from start to finish, while keeping down costs.
Ensure that the company you partner with has a comprehensive quality control program and makes use of modern, efficient stamping machines.
Partner With Keats Manufacturing Co.
For over 50 years, Keats Manufacturing Co. has been providing top-quality metal stamping and wire forming services for a wide range of industries, from automotive and electrical to military and construction.
To learn more about how to save on costs while speeding up turnaround times, check out Keats’ eBook, 10 Ways to Reduce Turnaround Time & Cost of a Metal Stamped Part, or contact them directly to discuss your project with a metal stamping expert.