Challenge
A longtime commercial laundry customer of Ashing Machine & Tool Co. (AMT). presented us with a unique problem and challenge. They had been experiencing increasing quality issues surrounding a consumer facing front panel. This component, class A brushed stainless steel, was a reflection of our customer’s brand, value, and quality. The panel consisted of several offsets, pierced openings, radial flanged hems within an embossed well, and return flanges within several product configurations. Due to the physical size of the part fabrication routing consisted of several dies spread over numerous presses each with handling and WIP burden. Blemishes, scratches, and imperfections were becoming a significant quality cost due to material handling and foreign material entering the forming dies.
Solution
Ashing Machine and Tool Co developed a concept for a four stage compound die with nitrogen over nitrogen stages allowing forming elements to disappear during latter stages in the process.
Due to the unconventional design of the die; our engineering personnel met with the customer’s management committee to present our engineering case and develop trust and buy in for the process. Ashing Machine and Tool Co home line commissioned the die, assisted the customers engineering team with route sheet modifications and work instructions, and trained the company toolmakers on maintenance and service procedures.
Our customer has realized significantly reduced handling damage while simultaneously eliminating four press operations. The initiative was so successful other product groups were converted to the new process.
