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A Finn-Power Publication
Americas Edition
Volume 17 Issue 1 July 2007
Finn-Power Draws
Crowds at Brazilian
Trade Fair
FEIMAFE…An Excellent
Forum for Introducing New
Technology to Brazilian
Market See Page 18
Standing
Room Only at
METALFORM 2007
Enthusiastic Visitors
Take Ride on the
Finn-Power Experience
Reality Ride See Page 22
C5 Express
Stove Manufacturer
Increases Productivity
with Finn-Power See Page 4
In the News…
Making
Headlines
with the
Trade
Press
See Page 10
X5 Turret
Punch Press
X5 Allows Brazilian
Manufacturer to Bring
All Contracted Work
In-House See Page 16
Laser Cutting
Technology
A Growing Force in Sheet
Metal Fabrication See Page 6
True Grit & Automation
Position Texas Fabricator
for Global Market See Page 12
Tooling Articles…
Mate Precision
Tooling See Page 9
Wila USA See Page 15
Wilson Tool
International See Page 19

TECH TIPS
Tool Management on Your
Finn-Power Turret Punch Press
by Andrew McCarlie, Applications Engineer
With the introduction of Control Link, seamless electronic
management of the tools in your Finn-Power turret punch
press has become a reality with a user-friendly Windows
interface that will replace your old “Whiteboard”.
The Old...Control Link will replace your old “Whiteboard.”
For easy creation of all the tools outside the turret (the tool crib), the tool
data can be imported directly from the NC Express programming software.
This is accomplished by using the TOOLIB.MDB and TURET.TUR files
from NC Express. Different turret layouts can also be set up if you have more
than one turret load in NC
Express. This saves
considerable time from
manual data entry in
Control Link. The import
tool data menu button also
allows for importing only
new tools once the tool
library is established again
from NC Express.
The electronic
whiteboard works in
conjunction with the NC file
generated from the
programming system (NC
Express). The tools used in a
program are output in a
standard format into the
program header of the NC
file. This information is then
compared to the electronic
whiteboard when programs
are being queued in the
automated program transfer
software Power Link. If the tool name, die clearance, station #, load
angle, or station type (Ai, AiF, etc.) in the program does not match, an
alarm in pink is instantly displayed that highlights the problem.
The electronic whiteboard exactly mirrors the physical turret with
the information entered by the operators as they change the tools.
When notified, the operator can physically change the tool to match
the program or the software will allow the operator to change the
program automatically to the tool station # to match the turret if the
tool exists in another station in the electronic white board.
This is especially useful when several programs are being queued
together. When used in conjunction with commonly-saved turret loads
in the NC Express, greatly reduced setup times can be achieved when
running multiple jobs.
Once all the tool
data has been entered
in the electronic
turret white board,
that data is instantly
available in the turret
tool control window
in Control Link.
This window
allows you to set all
your tool depths and
speeds along with special tool setup information in the comments
screen, such as H1 values for DEEP_DRAW(*) and mechanical tool
lengths for BOTTOM_STROKE(*) and UPFORMING modes.
This screen also allows the tool type setting for special tools such
as wheel and high-form tools, making sure when using auxiliary
functions such as the shear, laser, and tapping heads that these tool
stations are not active under the
ram. This avoids the problem of the
clamps passing over high form tools
when using auxiliary functions
preventing damage to the clamp and
high die.
The FINN-ISH LINE is a publication distributed to Finn-Power customers,
prospective customers, employees, dealers, suppliers, and friends.
The staff of the FINN-ISH LINE requests article ideas and letters for future
publication.
Editor Robert J. Kolcz rjk@finnpower.com
Associate Editor Tiina Alanko tiina@finnpower.com
Technical Editor Lutz Ehrlich lehrlich@finnpower.com
Contributing Editor Andrew McCarlie mccarlie@finnpower.com
All registered trademarks in this publication are property of their respective owners.
2

PRESIDENT’S CORNER
by Tomas Hedenborg, President
The Only Constant in Life is Change
The only thing constant in life is
change. While this quote is attributed
to a 17th century author, the words
still ring true today. You may have noticed a
different photo and name on this column in the
FINN-ISH LINE. As most of you know by
now, after more than 20 years of pioneering
work, Mikko Lindstrom has recently resigned
from his duties as president of Finn-Power
International, Inc. and Finn-Power Canada,
Ltd. He has chosen to begin a new phase in his
John Rogers, chief operating officer, (left) congratulates
Mikko Lindstrom for his 20 years of service to Finn-Power
at a lunch that was held in his honor.
career with a consultant business which he
recently established. On an interim basis, I will
act as president of Finn-Power International,
Inc. and Finn-Power Canada, Ltd. in addition
to my other duties as president of the Finn-
Power Group.
While I have just begun my third year at
Finn-Power, the past 24 months have been
enough for me to assess and value the type of
skill, effort, and commitment Mikko has
invested in developing Finn-Power’s position in
the American markets. If a career can be called
distinguished, here is one. As hard as the loss is,
my most important feelings are those of
gratitude for Mikko’s achievements and a
certainty of his continued success in the future.
Finn-Power is the Market Leader
Mikko’s departure comes as Finn-Power
continues its very successful rise in the sheet
metal fabrication global market. We continue to
sell many machines, cells, and systems to
customers in more than 60 countries – in both
developed and emerging markets – with the
American market accounting for 25% of total
sales. Today, Finn-Power is the established
market leader in the large, highly-automated,
and flexible systems. We also offer a wide range
of flexible manufacturing cells and stand alone
machines for all fabrication needs and budgets.
This issue of the FINN-ISH LINE contains
several customer profile articles that highlight
our product range and flexibility in each of
these categories:
EPMP Ltd., a large contract manufacturer
located in Seguin, TX, is highlighted in an
article on pages 12 -14. As The FABRICATOR
magazine points out
in a cover article in
its July, 2007 issue,
EPMP has made a
extraordinary
comeback from a
disastrous initial startup in the late 1980’s.
Global competition caused the company to reevaluate
its approach to fabricating. Today, the
company fabricates a majority of its parts on
Finn-Power equipment, including two Shear
Genius flexible manufacturing cells, an EBe
automated bender, two robotic press brakes, and
a Night Train Material Management System:
“After looking closely at the automation
lines of both companies, the only
equipment manufacturer that offered full
automation integration was Finn-Power.”
“The Finn-Power automation did not
replace employees. We reassigned
employees to more productive areas. We
can double our capacity without
doubling our head count.”
“In order to stay ahead of the
competition, you have to automate.
When we decided to automate, we raised
the bar for the rest of the industry in our
area. We changed the landscape. It’s a
tremendous risk to make that kind of
investment under that kind of scenario of
a global economy when everybody is
packing up and moving to Mexico or
China. You have to go with your gut. My
gut said that if we automate that we
would be able to compete. And we have
proven that.”
England’s Stove Works, Inc. Monroe, VA, a
fireplace manufacturer is featured on pages 4 &
5. In 1998, the company introduced a new
pellet stove and in order to meet the increased
production
requirements, it had
to invest in new
fabrication
machinery. England’s
Stove Works first
chose the Finn-Power F5 Express and later
added a C5 Compact Express:
“The Finn-Power turrets are the heartbeat
of our company. We’ve become Finn-
Power addicts because these machines
have allowed us to compete in the world
of mass merchants.”
“We’ve grown dramatically since we’ve
installed the Finn-Power turrets. We
can’t…and we don’t…ship late. Our
customers score us on our deliveries. If
you ship late, not only do you pay a
fine…you may not be there next year.”
“From the president to the service
technicians, Finn-Power has earned our
trust and our business. We had faith in
the Finn-Power equipment and service
from past experience, and we were quite
confident with our decision to invest in
another Finn-Power turret punch press.”
Prolind Industrial, Ltda., São José dos
Campos, Brazil, is highlighted on pages 16 &
17. The company has produced and assembled
components, subsets
and sets in aluminum
and steel for the
automotive, capital
goods, railroad, and
elevator sectors since
1991. In 2004, the company developed a study
in order to search for a new punching machine
to replace an older eccentric punch press.
Prolind needed newer technology for more
machine reliability and productivity. After
obtaining input from their engineers and
customers, Prolind chose the Finn-Power X5
turret punch press:
“The X5 had the best cost/ratio benefit
of any of the machines that we
considered purchasing. We are paying for
the machine with the profits that it
produces.”
“We are no longer using the services of
the contract manufacturer. It took only
three months with the X5 to bring all the
contracted work in-house.”
“At Prolind, we have a constant quality
improvement program. The X5 is an
important part of this program.”
New Technology
New equipment technology has always
been the lifeline to growth for sheet metal
fabricators. Each year, Finn-Power design
engineers in Finland and Italy either introduce
new technology or make major enhancements
to existing technology. We intend to not only
keep our technological advantage, but to
enhance it in the years to come.
Facilities Expansion
We are pleased to announce a 15,000-
square-foot expansion to our facility in
Arlington Heights, IL. This expansion is
intended to bring all departments and
employees in Illinois under one roof to allow us
to provide the best service to our customers. We
are planning a completion date of early
November, 2007.
We wish you all a safe and wonderful summer.
3

CUSTOMER PROFILE
Stove Manufacturer Dramatically Increases
Productivity with Finn-Power Turret Punch Presses
England’s Stove Works, Inc., Monroe,
VA, is a leading manufacturer of
pellet, wood, gas, and multi-fuelburning
stoves. The company was founded in
1975 by Bob and Ron England, who began
making stoves in their backyard. England’s Stove
Works has experienced steady growth from the
time when production was only one or two
Bob Dillard, vice
president & plant
manager (left) and Dan
Hammond, plant
maintenance manager.
Ron England purchased
his first Finn-Power
Express in 1998.
stoves per day to the present daily volume of
300-400 units. The company is adding a
75,000 square-foot-facility a few miles from its
existing plant for painting & finishing and
shipping operations.
Englander and Summers Heat stoves are
sold through large retailers such as Ace
Hardware, Home Depot, Lowe's, Southern
States, Sutherland's,
True Value, Ziegler
Lumber, and many
other dealers. The
company says that
the reason for its
products’ popularity
is simple: “We believe
in making available a
quality product at a
great price. Our
products are among
the most competitive
priced on the
market…and have
been for years.”
The management
of England’s Stove
Works also takes great
pride in their
advances in design
and environmental
“We’ve become Finn-Power addicts because
these machines have allowed us to compete
in the world of large retailers.”
concerns. An article in the January, 2006 issue
of HEARTH & HOME magazine listed
England’s Stoves Works as one of the wood
stove manufacturers recognized in the Certified
Stoves Hall of Fame for exceeding EPA emission
standards.
In 1998, the company introduced a new
pellet stove – the PDVC – which quickly
became a best seller. In order to keep up with
demand for that product, and stay competitive
in the industry, England’s Stove Works had to
invest in new fabrication machinery. “At the
time, we were new to punching,” explains Dan
Hammond, plant maintenance manager. “We
had an older technology single station press. We
needed to upgrade our punching and bending
operations.” After an extensive search, the
company purchased a Finn-Power F5 Express –
load, punch, unload. “We use the F5 on heavy
gauge steel,” Hammond continues. We run a
truckload of 7 gauge steel a day on the F5. We
are impressed with the longevity of the F5 – we
literally processed millions of 7 gauge sheets
through it.”
When the company needed an additional
turret punch press in 2005, England’s Stove
Works once again chose Finn-Power – this time
a C5 Compact Express. “Finn-Power has been
great to work with,” says Hammond. “From the
president to the service technicians, Finn-Power
has earned our trust and our business. We had
faith in the Finn-Power equipment and service
from past experience, and we were quite
confident with our decision to invest in another
Finn-Power turret punch press.”
C5 Express
In July, 2005, the Finn-Power C5 Compact
Express was installed at England’s Stove Works.
The C5 Express adds unmanned operation to
the C5 turret punch press through highly
compact load/unload automation. The unit’s
loading/unloading solution utilizes the space
above and below the machine – requiring
only slightly more space than a turret
punch press. It is fast, with simultaneous
loading and unloading during processing,
accurate, and it does not limit easy manual
operation.
The 20-station, 33-ton C5 hydraulic
turret punch press has a maximum sheet
capacity of 50" x 100" and is available with
either Siemens or Fanuc controls.
Tooling flexibility is also important to
England’s Stove Works. Up to 10 autoindex
and Multi-Tool ® holders may be
installed in a Finn-Power turret. England’s
Stove Works has six auto-index stations
4

and one 10-station Multi-Tool in the C5.
Unique to the C5 turret punch press, full
tonnage indexable upforming allows complex
forming operations to be made quickly by using
a single forming tool. An index mechanism is
used to turn the forming tool into an NC
programmed angle.
Another Finn-Power C5 feature important
to England’s Stove Works is the brush table.
“The brush table allows us shake out when we
want them out,” explains Hammond. “We put a
small micro-tab in the heavy material and the
brush table keeps the part in place through
unloading. Other benefits of the brush table
“The Finn-Power turrets
are the heartbeat of our
company.”
include noise reduction and no scratches when
we run aluminum or stainless steel parts.”
Finn-Power’s upforming feature provides a
precise process for knock-outs, louvers, and
other forming. Finn-Power resolved the
conventional problem of the die height
impeding free sheet movement. Finn-Power’s
design allows forming heights up to 16 mm
(0.62" ) with the forms made by the die moving
upwards and then retracting, allowing
completely free sheet movement, eliminating
scratched or jammed sheets.
Other features of the C5 turret punch press
include:
Super Fast Servo Hydraulic Punching –
Nibbling speeds up to 1100 hpm. The
servo-controlled ram, stroke speed, and
position are fully and individually
adjustable in both directions. Another
benefit is different punching modes
(punch, Quiet Punch, downforming,
and marking).
Easy Loading – Four optimallypositioned
gauge pins allow easy loading
of blanks or full-sized sheets. Sheet
loading is performed with a simple push
and always close to the table edge. Sheet
supports rise from the
table to allow easy
positioning of heavy
material.
Efficient Unloading –
The C5 delivers the
processed components to
a freely programmable
position on the table,
increasing the operator’s
efficiency. The entire
material flow on the C5
can be conducted from
just one side. This allows
simple and efficient
logistics and enables the
machine to be positioned
anywhere on the shop floor – even in a
corner.
Automatic Clamp Setting & Movement
– Finn-Power’s patented automatic clamp
setting PCS is a standard C5 feature. It
automatically positions sheet clamps
according to the numerical program,
virtually eliminating punching of the
clamps. When changing production from
full size to small sheets, clamp settings
can be made automatically without
wasting operator time.
Catch & Carry Work Chute – Finn-
Power’s “Catch & Carry” work chute is
not just a drop door or a work chute in
the ordinary sense. Its mechanism
allows the reception of several
components to 19.7" x 19.7" in size
onto a level from which they
subsequently exit from the machine as
a stack.
Around-the-Clock Operation
During the busy season – April through
December – both the Finn-Power F5 Express
and the C5 Compact Express operate 24/7.
“The Finn-Power turrets are the heartbeat of
our company,” says Hammond. “We’ve
become Finn-Power addicts because these
machines have allowed us to compete in the
world of large retailers. We’ve grown
The C5 Compact Express features a 20 station, 33-ton hydraulic turret punch
press and highly compact load/unload automation
dramatically since we’ve installed the Finn-
Power turrets. We can’t…and we don’t…ship
late. Our customers score us on our deliveries. If
you ship late, not only do you pay a fine…you
may not be there next year.”
England’s Stove Works still out-sources
nearly 50% of its punch / bend fabrication.
“Our eventual plan is to do all fabrication inhouse,”
says Hammond. “We are looking at
additional automation with either the Finn-
Power Laser Punch or Shear Genius to help us
reach the next level.”
The management of England’s Stove Works Inc. estimates that it has processed millions of 7 gauge sheets on Finn-Power turret punch presses.
5

LASER CUTTING TECHNOLOGY
by Johannes Ulrich, Manager Laser Division, Finn-Power Group, Kauhava, Finland
A Growing Force in
Sheet Metal Fabrication
The laser beam is a universal tool for cutting, welding,
surface treatment and coating. It operates silently and
without wear and tear. Laser cutting produces burr-free
edges with narrow kerfs and minimal heat-effected zones. Its
advantages include minimal heat input, low distortion and high
feed rates.
faster part processing time combined with enhanced accuracy and
reduced setup times.
How We Ended Up Where We Are
When attempting to forecast the future of any technology, it
is important to reflect on the advancements of the past. Today,
For these and other reasons, laser cutting continues to
increase in popularity as a sheet metal fabrication method. With
the development in speed, cutting quality, and manufacturing
economy in laser cutting, and with the dramatic increase in
versatility of turret punch presses today’s manufacturer has better
possibilities than ever to choose just the optimum manufacturing
solution for his specific application.
In the upper market segment, both ultra-fast flying optics
laser cutting machines and punch-laser combinations have been
gaining ground. Due to integration of several work stages in the
punching unit, the manufacturing of sophisticated components
becomes possible at a lower cost /component ratio. On the other
hand, the share of ultra fast laser cutting systems, featuring linear
drive technology, is increasing due to fabricators’ demand for
many manufacturers are looking closer at lasers to meet low run,
high part number needs because of a disappearing need for higher
volumes of the same part numbers.
The basics of laser cutting have not changed for the past 20
years. There is an energy source (the laser) that removes material
by thermally vaporizing it. The mechanism to do this is
controlled by five major elements: power, feed rate, focus, assist
gas pressure, and type of assist gas. Feed rate controls either the
material or the laser movement at a speed that will allow the laser
to consistently vaporize the material. Focus places intensity of the
laser beam either on the surface, above, or into the material to
achieve the desired cutting condition. The type of assist gas and
pressure will remove the molten material and achieve the desired
edge quality.
6

As in purchasing a new desktop computer,
it is important to understand how the features
of the present technology will last into the
future. Anticipating what the best features of a
laser cutting system is important, but more vital
is the evaluation of which features will become
“obsolete” and costly in the years to come. This
is the real challenge.
Recent Developments
High technology machine tools are also the
competitive edge that most manufacturers are
looking for. Lower set up times have been a
natural benefit of laser cutting systems, as have
been high part quality and accuracy. Fast cycle
times on lasers have always been related to
geometry. Large radius parts cut on a laser have
always outperformed other manufacturing
methods (i.e. turret punch presses).
However, with the latest in new linear drive
technologies, this cycle time margin on
traditional sheet metal systems is narrowing. In
fact, a completely new type of laser design needs
to be provided to accept the speed of
acceleration that the new drive technology
offers. This new speed of processing combined
with the existing trend of the laser industry
towards automation make the future of this
manufacturing technology exceptionally bright.
Technologies like DpM and DpMplus are
examples and make it easy to understand how
fabricators can benefit from those new
developments.
Standard process time 150.6 sec. Combination high-speed and DpMplus technology reduce
process time to 110.6 sec. 40 sec shorter process time = 26 % increased productivity.
Control of axis movement has improved
over the early systems, especially over stationary
beam style lasers. Yet, due to lower
manufacturing costs, most machine tool
manufacturers still embrace either ball screw or
rack and pinion drives. The natural evolution of
this motion technology is towards linear drives
because of their superiority.
Focus point is automatically changed
through a cutting database or technology table.
Assist gas change and pressure are system
controlled as well. In fact, most of the internal
functions of laser cutting have been automated.
The NC cutting database has taken over almost
all of the operational commands, leaving only
simple functions like nozzle or focus lens
alignment or change to the operator.
Higher laser powers have advanced the
technology as well. Thicker capacities of metals
can now be processed, but the real advantage of
higher power (3,000W and above) has been the
increased feed rates on thin metals. By using an
inert gas, cutting speeds of metal are almost
three times faster than earlier wattage systems.
However, in efforts better to maximize speed of
cutting more and more attention has been paid
to nozzle design and beam collimation.
Punch-Laser Combination Machines
The development of laser cutting systems in
recent years and the benefits associated with
laser fabrication have increased interest in the
use of laser cutting in many sectors of industry.
Laser technology in combination with punch
press machines have been used in the industry
since 1980´s.
Product designers are able to consider the
opportunities of punch presses with the “fourin-one
“solutions, i.e. using forming, tapping,
punching and laser cutting in one system to
have different manufacturing methods available
within one fabricating cell. However, various
sheet metal components can be made using
different machines, but also with one common
manufacturing tool – laser cutting.
Manufacturing Benefits of
Punch/Laser Combination
In recent years, machine tool builders have
managed to economically integrate different
manufacturing methods in a system through
punch /laser combination systems. Fast axial
flow CO2 lasers up to
~3,000 Watt laser
power play the
dominant role as an
additional tool in the
turret punch press.
The integration of a
diffusion cooled 2,500
Watt SLAB CO2 laser
with its outstanding
beam quality equals
even 3,750 Watt laser power in comparison
with conventional fast axial flow CO2 lasers.
The heart of the machine is the robust O-frame
of welded construction. The rigid construction
of machine frame and the coordinate table
permit the use of high axis speed and
acceleration.
The punching operation can be generated
either with a hydraulic system, with the
possibility for more than 1,000 hits on 1mm
axis movement, or by a servo-motor-driven
mechanism. Its principle is made possible by a
combination of electrical servo technology and
mechanical power transmission. Further
enhancements also include linear drive motor
technology allowing the punch /laser
combination to become not only as fast as the
3-axis high speed laser systems but making the
new combination machine the most universal
7
sheet metal fabrication center in the market,
capable of punching, forming, contouring,
marking, and tapping in one single set up
without releasing the sheet metal from the work
holder.
More Integrated Work Stages –
More Automation
Besides punching, nibbling, forming,
marking, even bending and tapping operations
are possible. For outside part contouring and
special inner contours, in order to avoid
nibbling marks, sharp edges or buying special
tools the laser is used to increase part quality in
one operation with no additional material
handling.
Additional increases of productivity for
punch laser systems are modular extensions in
the overall system, like loading / unloading, part
sorting or stacking.
The laser cut parts will be guided outside
the working area via trap doors and conveyor
systems. From this point or even straight from
the cutting position a sorting and stacking robot
transfers the part to its programmed sorting
address.
High-Speed Laser Cutting Systems
Flat bed laser cutting systems have been
established technology in the sheet metal
industry for more than a decade. The flexibility
of the laser cutting process in producing
components with various contours, with varying
thickness and materials, has led to the worldwide
use of these systems.
High speed laser cutting has been accepted
by sheet metal manufacturing shops throughout
the years as several studies of institutes have
shown the possibility of cutting materials such
as 1mm aluminum at 50m/min or even faster.
Many sheet metal applications have been
solved with punch presses due to manufacturing
costs for the component.
With the integration of linear drive
technology, new and rigid machines had to be
developed to achieve positioning speed up to
300m/min and acceleration of more than 20
m/s 2 . In addition to this, the laser cutting speed
could be set up to 25m/min for 1 mm mild
continued on page 8

continued from page 7
steel without a negative influence to path
accuracy. In aluminum even 50 m/min cutting
speed is a standard parameter in the system
cutting data base.
The high-speed laser cutting system can be
designed also for flexibility. With the use of, for
example, 4,000 Watt laser power mild steel can
be cut up to 25mm.
Higher cutting speed for thin material and
the repositioning speed from one cutting point
to the next contour have led to higher
productivity in comparison with conventional
flat bed laser cutting systems.
The laser cutting process is a very complex
one, which is why a more sophisticated and
user-friendly operator interface for the CNC
control was developed for the system. All
necessary parameters are available, and functions
from the system can be activated via a
Windows ® based touch screen operator panel.
The process time for a complete sheet, due
to reasons mentioned, has been drastically
reduced. Also more and more material handling
devices like loading and unloading from the
sheet are installed in high-speed laser cutting
systems.
A further step towards more sophisticated
material and component handling is Finn-
Power’s laser cutting center LC6. This highest
level of automation for laser cut components
helps the customer integrate laser operation and
part handling for fabricating high-quality
components within one system.
The LC6 Laser Center utilizes a fixed laser
beam system, combining the unique C-series
turret punch press drive concept with the latest
generation of diffusion cooled CO2 SLAB laser.
Outlook
In addition to the development of the
system, new application training methods, like
Finn-Power’s Laser Wizard need to be
introduced to the market to help the system
operator understand the laser process.
More and more intelligent customer
support systems need to be installed together
with the systems. Online control systems can
help the user, e.g. in using new material types or
they can be used to adjust the laser cutting
process for various applications.
Faster process time of the CNC control as
well the performance of the drive system require
additional process control systems to achieve
higher throughput in a production
environment.
System automation, like part sorting or
stacking, is a further step in increasing the
productivity of the overall manufacturing
system.
Laser Automation
The biggest trend towards laser cutting over
the last 10 years has been one towards
automation. This trend promises to continue.
The reasons are varied, and this trend promises
to continue.
Some companies have justified the purchase
of laser automation under the guise of reduction
of labor; however this is just one element. The
consistency of operation of an automated cell,
especially with a laser at the heart of it, offers
complete flexibility to the manufacturer.
Reaction time to the customer’s demands is
minimal. If the part can be drawn, then it can
be processed and put into a production
schedule. There is no costly tooling inventory to
manage, nor need pallets be chased down to be
prepared for processing. More and more
companies are implementing lean
manufacturing strategies to minimize wasted
movement and overproduction of parts and
thus reducing inventories. An automated laser
cell is the perfect tool to achieve these goals.
The Right Direction
The advancements of the last 20 years in
laser processing have been considerable.
Whereas the basic elements of laser cutting have
not changed, there have been continuous
improvements in each part of the processing
window. Developments in laser power control
and technology tables have reduced cycle time
and set up. The new developments in linear
drive technology are causing manufacturers to
rethink the basic design of laser cutting
equipment.
Laser automation and the new
advancements in laser processing promise to
bring the production cost-per-part lower than
ever before, with less set up and higher
throughput. The future of any technology,
however, depends on how that technology best
serves its end user, the customer. With this
thought in mind, the future of the laser
technology is moving in the right direction.
8

FOCUS ON TOOLING
by Andy Spence-Parsons, Marketing Manager, Mate Precision Tooling
Innovative Lean Applications for Fabricators
In today’s increasingly global marketplace, many fabricators are
adopting Lean Manufacturing techniques in order to gain a
competitive advantage. A central element of the lean philosophy is the
relentless and systematic elimination of waste. This article will demonstrate
how innovative tooling solutions available exclusively from Mate will
enable fabricators to eliminate waste, and become more competitive in the
global marketplace.
In a recent FabCast presentation by the Fabricators and Manufacturers
Association in the USA, waste was described as “any element in the
conversion of raw material to finished product that does not add value,
and which the customer is not prepared to pay for.” It logically follows
that the elimination of waste reduces costs and improves the bottom line.
Lean practitioners often highlight 8-deadly
wastes (see box). When seeking to eliminate waste,
many companies begin by evaluating each step in
their current process by using a value stream map
or a process map.
They visually map out their current state.
During this evaluation they will decide if each
step is: value added, business non-value added
(essential tasks that do not add value, but have to be done), and non-value
added. Non-value added is work that is currently being done, that does
not add value, and the customer is unwilling to pay for.
The next step is to “lean-out” the process, or to re-engineer the
process so as to eliminate as much of the non-value added content as
possible. In many cases, a simple change to the manufacturing process will
result in huge improvements in productivity and performance. The most
creative ideas come from cross functional teams that involve various
disciplines including: the machine operator, engineering staff, and
maintenance personnel. They often also include valuable contributions
from external resources such as tooling suppliers and machine vendors.
Cross functional teams are particularly successful because participants who
are not normally involved in the production process are more likely to ask
the obscure question that may lead to a breakthrough solution.
Creative, out-of-the-box thinking by cross functional teams combined
with innovative tooling solutions, and the flexibility of Finn-Power
production equipment will increase throughput, eliminate waste, and
increase profitability.
The following two examples demonstrate how the inclusion of
additional tooling in the machine set-up, allows the fabricator to eliminate
significant non-value added time.
The first example is a simple component that includes threaded holes.
In the “current state” the threaded holes are created by piercing the
holes using the punch press, and then installing self-clinching
fasteners using a secondary operation.
After an evaluation, the process can be reengineered. In the “future
state” the threaded holes can be produced using a simple
tapping extrusion on the punch press. The extrusion is
Figure 1. Process Chart for Component with Threaded Holes
Current State
Time (min)
Set-Up the Punch Press X 15
Load the Blanks X 15
Punch Holes X 15
Unload Blanks X 15
Move to Clinch-Nut Insertion Station X X 30
Pick-Up the Components X 15
Insert Clinch-Nut X 15
Put the Components onto a Pallet X 15
Move to the Next Operation X 15
Process Lead Time 150
Future State
Set-Up the Punch Press (including EasyTap) X X 30
Load the Blanks X 15
Punch Holes, Extrude, and Tap Holes X X 30
Unload Blanks X 15
Move to the Next Operation X 15
Process Lead Time 105
Reduction in Process Lead Time 30%
Value Added Business Non-Value Added Non-Value Added
The 8-Deadly Wastes
1. Inventory (Excess)
2. Over-Production
3. Over-Processing
4. Rework /Defects (Scrap)
5. Transportation
6. Waiting
7. Motion
8. Underutilized People
then tapped using the Mate EasyTap
assembly installed into the Finn-Power
auto-index station. Both operations can
be accomplished in the same set-up, on
the same machine, thus eliminating
wasted transport, waiting, and motion.
The Process Chart shown in figure one,
demonstrates that the process lead time was
greatly reduced, because significant non-value
added work is removed from the process, simply
by adding two tools to the punch press process.
Mate EasyTap Assembly extends the
capability of the Finn-Power punch press. It is
designed to produce threaded holes in previously
punched or extruded holes, in all types of sheet
metal. Mate EasyTap produces precisely located
threaded holes at high speed, automatically, and
with repeatable quality.
The second example is a simple electrical enclosure.
In the “current state” the component was punched using a punch
press, and then formed on a press-brake, welded, cleaned, and
finally painted.
After an evaluation, the process was reengineered. In the “future
state” the material was changed to pre-coated steel, and the welded
corner joints were replaced with forms created using a Mate
SnapLock assembly.
Again, the process chart demonstrates the elimination of non-value
added time, and the drastic reduction of process lead time. See figure 2.
The impact of the additional tooling and material costs were greatly
outweighed by the benefit of reduced process cycle time, and improved
piece part quality.
The Mate SnapLock tool creates fabricated assemblies efficiently,
effectively, and precisely with CNC precision. Mate SnapLock eliminates
expensive secondary operations such as spot welding, riveting or fastening
with threaded hardware. It is suitable for materials of dissimilar type
and/or thickness. As this application demonstrates, Mate SnapLock is ideal
for pre-finished materials.
The Mate SnapLock provides a selflocking,
spring loaded tab that snaps securely
into a pre-punched hole. The small button in
the top of the form is semi-sheared to provide a
positive mechanical lock, when engaged with a
hole in the receiving tab.
Figure 2. Process Chart for Electrical Enclosures with Fabricated Corners
Current State Time (min) Future State Time (min)
Set-Up the Punch Press 15 Set-Up the Punch Press
Load 15 (including SnapLock) 30
Punch 15 Load the Blanks
Unload 15 (Using Pre-Painted Material) 15
Move to Next Operation 30 Punch Holes and SnapLock 30
Pick-Up Part 15 Move to Next Operation 30
Fold 15 Fold 15
Stack on Pallet 15 Move to Next Operation 15
Move to Next Operation 30
Pick-Up Part 15
Weld 15
Stack on Pallet 15
Move to Next Operation 30
Pick-Up Part 15
Clean 15
Stack on Pallet 15
Move to Next Operation 30
Pick-Up Part 15
Paint 15
Move 15
Process Lead Time 360 135
Reduction in Process Lead Time 63%
9
Mate SnapLock for
provides fabricated joint in
pre-painted material.
Mate EasyTap expand
capability of Finn-Power
punch press.
Mate EasyTap used to
produce a thread in an
extruded hole.
Elimination of Waste
By reengineering the process and including
innovative tooling applications, both
examples removed several sources of
waste. These included: transport,
waiting, motion, and scrap /defects
that often occur during
transportation and motion. In
addition, both applications use the
precision and reliability of the
punch press to eliminate process
variability and improve piece part
quality.
For more information on Mate
tooling in Finn-Power presses, please
visit: www.mate.com/finn-power

IN THE NEWS
Finn-Power in the Spotlight
Finn-Power sheet metal fabrication technology and its
customers continue to attract a great deal of attention
from trade publications throughout North & South America
CANADIAN INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY – (January)
Editor Joe Thompson wrote a 4-page article on his
experiences during an Editor Technology trip to
Finland and Italy that Finn-Power
sponsored last fall. The editors visited
Finn-Power facilities and customers in
both Finland and Italy. “So what can
Canadian manufacturers learn from their
European counterparts? Here’s the theme
from a week spent touring shops with high
levels of automation: A reduction in
human-machine interaction in the
manufacturing process can mean better
productivity, better part quality, and
lower costs per part.”
MODERN APPLICATION NEWS (MAN) – (June)
England’s Stove Works, Inc., Monroe VA, is featured in
this article – Punching Up Production – that describes
the features and
benefits of C5
Compact
Express and its
older brother,
the F5 Express.
“These turrets are
the heartbeat of
our company
and have
allowed us to
compete in the
world of large retailers. We’ve grown dramatically since we’ve installed the
Finn-Power turrets.”
METALWORKING
PRODUCTION & PURCHASING – (April)
Laicor Fixtures, Peterborough, Ontario, is featured in
this article that describes the company’s E Series servoelectric
press brake and Shear Genius FMC. “The high
accuracy combination of both the E press
brake and the Shear Genius cell further
increased our productivity. The press brake
operator can trust the drawings and
doesn’t have to measure everything because
he knows the parts will be accurate. There
are also downstream benefits for us. About
half of our shop is assembly. We have holes
on every part, so if the bend is off 1/16"
we could have major problems. However,
the accuracy of the E brake is phenomenal.
Our accuracy on the E brake is within
.003 - .004 on every part”
FF JOURNAL – (May – 2 Articles)
Ron Palick, vice president sales – South
America, Mexico. & western USA is quoted
extensively in
an article –
Fabricating
and Stamping
Industries
Emerge South
of the Border.
“There are a
lot of U.S.
companies that
take advantage of the labor situation and a whole host of different
advantages in Mexico. Obviously, at the end of the day, the goal is to
keep costs lower.”
THE FABRICATOR – (July)
The FABRICATOR featured a cover article on the
Finn-Power’s installation at EPMP, Ltd., Seguin, TX.
EPMP has a Night Train Material Management
System, two
Shear Genius
FMC’s, an EBe
servo-electric
automated
bender, and
two robotic
press brakes.
Global
competition
meant that
EPMP had to
rethink its approach to fabricating. “We needed to remove the non-value
added steps of production from our process. In our business, the schedule can
change every time the phone rings. We need tremendous flexibility. This
equipment has saved us on numerous occasions when material shipments were
late or other production delays came into play.”
Mike Palmer, laser product manager, is quoted extensively in
the article Laser Light. Finn-Power uses both types of resonators,
DC-excited
resonators on the L6
stand-alone flying
optics systems and
slab systems on the
punch/laser
equipment – the
Laser Punch and
Laser Brilliance
series.
10

CUSTOMER PROFILE
True Grit & Automation Position
Texas Fabricator for Global Market
Staying Ahead of
the Competition
with Automation
When contract manufacturer EPMP, Inc., Seguin, TX, was founded in 1984, the company
had a very inauspicious start. After only four years of operation, Ernest Plant sold the
slumping company in 1988. This appeared to be just another short story of a failed startup
company. However, in 1992, Clinton Plant convinced his father to reacquire the company. This time,
failure was not an option...but the journey was not easy. “We had a lot of obstacles to overcome,” reflects
Clinton Plant. “We had a small 5,000 square-foot facility with just six employees, old sheet metal
fabricating equipment, and a less than shining reputation. We spent the first six months rebuilding
equipment so it could produce quality parts.” But through hard work, wise
business decisions, and some true Texas grit, the company started to take
off.
With the growing success came new equipment – turret punch presses,
press brakes, shears, welders, etc. – and a new satellite 33,000 squarefoot-manufacturing
shop in McGregor, TX, to augment the expanded
55,000 square-foot Sequin facility. Plant also identifies the addition of
key personnel, such as Craig Hickey, vice president operations, as a
reason for his company’s success. Other key positions have been filled by
managers with backgrounds from world-class OEMs and contractors
who are tasked with implementing Lean principles and continuous
improvement methodologies with the goal of waste elimination and
maximizing customer satisfaction.
Today, EPMP’s 85 employees provide fabricated sheet metal
products to a wide range of customers in such industries as lighting &
electrical, HVAC, commercial construction, etc., through its two
manufacturing facilities.
Global Economy & Automation
A few years ago, EPMP realized that it was facing another challenge
– competition from sheet metal fabricators offshore and across the border.
“The reality is that we are in a global economy,” observes Plant. “In
order to compete on a global basis, you don’t have to work harder…you
have to work smarter. This means you must automate. We are competing
with labor costs, not material costs.”
EPMP began its search for sheet metal fabricating automation in
early 2005. The company looked at the automation of an equipment
manufacturer that was their supplier for many years and also at Finn-
Power’s line. “We were looking to fully automate,” explains Plant. “We
had been looking for parts sorting automation for several years. With our
traditional turret punch press supplier, you had to pull the parts out of
the skeleton. At one point just the labor for the sorting operation was
costing us over $200,000 /year due to double and triple handling of the
parts from punching to bending.”
Clinton Plant, EPMP’s president/owner (right) and Craig Hickey, vice president operations,
hold a complex part fabricated on Finn-Power’s Shear Genius and EBe bender.
The EBe bends extremely complicated parts in a fraction of the
time it takes on EPMP’s manual press brakes. There are parts that
used to take three days on three press brakes with three operators to
make 100 pieces. Today, the company can produce the same part
quantity in about 2-3 hours with one EBe and one operator.
Sight, sound, and
motion kept all riders
on the edge of their
seats during the
imaginary voyage.
12

The EBe servo electric Express Bender is a bending solution that is
designed specifically for each fabricator’s production requirements to
achieve maximum productivity and product quality, and repeatability.
“We needed to remove the non-value added
steps of production from our process,” adds
Craig Hickey. “We had to find a way to reduce
that cost and automate bending processes. We
specialize in big parts…and it often takes two
people to bend the large parts.”
“After looking closely at the automation
lines of both companies,” continues Plant, “the
only equipment manufacturer that offered full
automation integration was Finn-Power.”
Integrating machinery to work together
seamlessly from part to part and operation to
operation has been resolved by Finn-Power’s
Night Train Material Management Flexible
Manufacturing System. In addition to
punching, shearing, and /or laser cutting, the
Finn-Power EBe provides the high
bending quality required in
demanding applications. This is
achieved through precise control of
bending axes, fast and smooth
bending, open programmability,
and construction that is immune
to variation in thermal conditions.
Many of the parts that
EPMP produces are
finish critical, such as
pre-painted and
stainless. Before Finn-
Power, the company
had a lot of material
issues such as scratches,
dents, and pallets being
dropped between
operations.
Night Train allows the addition of
robotic press brakes and an in-line
panel bender to automate the
bending process. This system
allows fabricators to bend only the
parts that are needed for today’s
production while allowing the
parts to be bent in different
sequences than they were punched
to match their assembly needs.
This not only significantly reduces
the labor content, but also better
utilizes floor space by reducing
work in process and the need to store and
handle parts that are not needed immediately.
While automated bending was EPMP’s
biggest need, during the process the company
acquired additional work that necessitated
additional punching capacity. In all, EPMP
procured the following FMS components from
Finn-Power:
EBe servo electric Express Bender, with
loading /unloading systems
Two hydraulic press brakes with robots
Two Shear Genius integrated punch/right
angle shear combinations with loading,
sorting, and double wagon stacking
system
Night Train Material Management
System for holding blank sheets and for
punched and fabricated parts to be
automatically stacked on pallets and
transferred to the Material Management
System via the Night Train Wagon and
sent directly to the EBe bender or robotic
press brakes
EBe Servo Electric Express Bender
The EBe servo electric Express Bender is a
bending solution that is designed specifically for
each fabricator’s production requirements to
achieve maximum productivity and product
quality, and repeatability. It offers complete
automation of the bending process. The
bending operation cycle is fully
automated from the loading of
flat parts to unloading of the
components.
The EBe bending cell has a
maximum bending length of
84.65" (2150 mm) and a
maximum opening height of 8"
(200 mm). The new construction
features actuations of the bending
blade movements (vertical and
horizontal) by NC servo axes
instead of hydraulic cylinders.
The upper tool movements are
also made by another NC servo
axis.
Finn-Power EBe provides the
high bending quality required in
demanding applications. This is
achieved through precise control
13
of bending axes, fast and smooth bending, open
programmability, and construction that is
immune to variation in thermal conditions.
A fundamental characteristic of the EBe
bending technology is the movement of the
blades. For optimum product quality, a new
bending principle has been applied for the EBe.
With this new principle, when the “rolling
mode” is used there is a wider contact surface
between the blade and the sheet but no relative
friction. As a result, part making and tool wear
is minimized.
Robotic Hydraulic Press Brakes
Two high-precision robotic press brakes
provide solutions for parts that are too large or
thick for the EBe. Other features include:
Provides unmanned bending at
maximum speed
Produces exceptionally consistent parts
Eliminates 2-man operations for heavy
components
Can be integrated into Finn-Power’s
Flexible Manufacturing System
“Planning production is very important,”
explains Plant. “We didn’t want to run simple,
single-setup parts on the Shear Genius and EBe
that could be produced just as fast on the older
turrets and press brakes. “Our game plan was to
take the large parts and the parts with multiple
set-ups and put them on the EBe and robotic
press brakes. We have light box parts that would
take us 8 hours to make 100 pieces. On the
EBe, the 100 parts are produced in 1 hour and
20 minutes. There are many parts that used to
continued on page 14
Two high-precision robotic press brakes provide solutions
for parts that are too large or thick for the EBe.

continued from page 13
take 5 minutes to run, and, depending upon the
part, now take less than 30 seconds on the EBe
and robotic press brakes. It would take four
press brakes and six people on two shifts to
replace what the EBe can do in one shift.”
“The EBe bends extremely complicated
parts in a fraction of the time it takes on our
manual press brakes,” adds Barry Setzer, Night
Train supervisor & programmer. “The fastest
part we have on the EBe takes 29 seconds and
the longest part is about 52 seconds. There are
parts that used to take three days on three press
brakes with three operators to make 100 pieces.
Now we do the same part quantity in about 2 -
3 hours with one EBe and one operator.”
“It is also very flexible with short runs,”
Plant continues. “The EBe is the most amazing
machine that I ever seen. There’s nothing like it,
particularly with full automation. As a stand
alone machine, it is impressive…but with full
automation there is not one person who has
seen it that hasn’t been blown away.”
Currently, EPMP processes more than 100
different part numbers on the EBe, with more
parts added each week. The single piece flow
capability allows maximum efficiency in support
of kanban management and eliminates
traditional “batching” of jobs.
Shear Genius & Night Train
When EPMP had to add punching
capacity, the company chose the Shear Genius
integrated turret punch /right angle shear
combination from Finn-Power. With the Shear
Genius concept, the objective is to provide one
machine capable of transforming a full-sized
sheet into punched parts. These parts can be
moved to secondary operations utilizing the
sorting and stacking automation into Night
Train system and onto bending operations
without being touched by human hands. As
loading, punching, and shearing of parts
become automated, the result is finished parts
with a dramatic reduction in scrap and manual
labor while increasing profitability.
Shear Genius functions with
sophisticated simplicity, able to
perform the most demanding jobs
with minimal set-up times and
“lights out” operation. The Shear
Genius increases material
productivity through efficient and
versatile nesting programs. The level
of automation can be customized
through Finn-Power’s flexible
modular solutions for raw material
storage, loading, unloading, sorting
and stacking. These features can be
added later as budgets allow and
production demands increase.
The Shear Genius eliminates
wasteful skeletons and costly
secondary operations such as
deburring. Nibble edges on the part exteriors
were eliminated through the use of the
integrated right angle shear. In fact, the same
clamps that hold the sheet for punching also
hold it for shearing. In essence, the Shear
Genius allows the automated process to begin
with a full-sized sheet of material and end with
a punched part after automated loading,
punching, forming, shearing, stacking and
unloading – all in one operation thus allowing
true single-piece flow able to be synchronized
with customer’s takt time.
When EPMP initially chose the Finn-Power
automation, an initial goal was to reduce labor
costs on bending and sorting. However, other
benefits the company has realized include:
Reduced material costs – cost savings of
at lest 10%, and in some cases more
depending on the part.
Higher steel utilization – as high as 98%
sheet utilization on some parts while
programming with Finn-Power’s NC
Express software.
Reduced lead times.
Another important benefit of the Finn-
Power automation is higher consistent quality.
“Many of the parts we produce are finish
critical, such as prepainted
and stainless,”
explains Setzer. “Before
Finn-Power, we had a lot
of material issues such as
scratches, dents, pallets
being dropped between
operations. This has all
been eliminated because
now the parts
automatically are sent
from the Shear Genius
straight to the stacker
into the Night Train and
With the Shear Genius concept,
the objective is to provide one
machine capable of
transforming a full-sized sheet
into punched parts.
With the new Finn-Power
system, parts are automatically
sent from the Shear Genius
straight to the stacker into the
Night Train and to the bender.
Instead of handling the part
3 - 4 times, it is now touched
just once.
to the bender. Instead of handling the part 3 - 4
times, we now touch the part just once.”
According to Plant, the Finn-Power
equipment has allowed EPMP to increase
production while maintaining two shifts
without having to go to a third shift at this
point.
“In our business, the schedule can change
every time the phone rings,” explains Plant.
“We need tremendous flexibility. This
equipment has saved us on numerous occasions
when material shipments were late or other
production delays came into play. With the
automation from Finn-Power, we don’t have to
chase the truck out the door anymore with the
last of the order. The parts are there waiting for
the truck.”
EPMP management is also very clear on
why they chose to automate: “The Finn-Power
automation did not replace employees,” states
Hickey. “We reassigned employees to more
productive areas. We can double our capacity
without doubling our head count – in fact we
could probably do it with six people and the
Finn Power Cell.”
“In order to stay ahead of the competition,
you have to automate,” concludes Plant. “You
have to take some additional risks that perhaps
the rest of the industry may not be willing to
take. When we decided to automate, we raised
the bar for the rest of the industry in our area.
We changed the landscape. It’s a tremendous
risk to make that kind of investment under that
kind of scenario of a global economy when
everybody is packing up and moving to Mexico
or China. You have to go with your gut. My gut
said that if we automate that we would be able
to compete. And we have proven that. We can
now compete on fabricated parts from across
the border…and we are.”
Portions of this article appeared in the
July 2007 issue of The FABRICATOR.
14

FOCUS ON TOOLING
Selecting a Press Brake
Tooling System for the Future
by David Bishop, Business Development Manager, Wila USA
In purchasing one of today’s highly productive CNC press brakes, the
buyer will have to make several important decisions. One of them
involves determining which tooling system will be used in the new
machine. While it may seem logical to have the new machine equipped to
utilize the style of tooling that was previously used, making the decision to
go with an older, possibly outdated tooling system could actually prove to
be very costly and might place severe limitations on the machines
capabilities.
Due to its accuracy and speed of set-up, the European or
Promecam”style tooling system formerly represented the state of the art.
However, usage of this tooling system is now in a fairly severe state of
decline worldwide due to the fact that most of the punches are fairly short
in working height, thus limiting their versatility. In addition, the working
surfaces of the punches and dies are often hardened to HRC-43 to 48,
which provides an inferior level of wear resistance when compared to the
more advanced heat treatment processes that are currently available.
Other problems include the fact that it requires a variety of costly die
holders and die rails to utilize most of the various die styles that are
common to this tooling system. These die holders and rails must also be
removed from the press brake when using dies with large V-openings and
Hemming Dies.
North American style press brake tooling has long been the most
commonly utilized tooling in North America. While versatile and easy to
use, it too has its limitations. This includes the fact that the end user is
limited to a narrow range of punch and die heights, which limits versatility
when forming deep parts and parts with long down flanges, as well as the
capability of press brakes with large amounts of open height.
Most North American style tooling in use today is of the nonprecision
type and is produced on planer milling machines to a tolerance
that is several times that of the press brake itself. Consequently, it
compromises the machines accuracy, repeatability, and overall productivity.
It also makes it difficult to take advantage of the flexibility and low
tonnage requirements provided with precision air bending. Due to its lack
of precision, planer made press brake tooling cannot be reordered with any
assurance that it will match the original tooling that was purchased.
North American style tooling is offered with a variety of working
surface treatments. Much of it is soft, and subsequently, does not last very
long. As punch tip radii and die shoulder radii break down, accuracy
suffers and is most often overcome by shimming the dies. This leads to
reduced productivity, lower part quality, and longer set-up times. Options
available to combat tooling wear include flame hardening of the working
surfaces, which will provide longer tool life but can be very inconsistent,
coatings, which are only approximately .020" (0.5 mm) deep, and laser
hardening which is approximately .039" (1.0 mm) deep. These processes
work very well for so long as the treated area remains intact. However, any
breach of the coated or laser hardened area will lead to rapid deterioration
of the working surface in that area of the tool.
Today, the state of the art in press brake tooling technology is defined
by the Wila New Standard tooling system. This system is precision ground
to a tolerance of +/-.0004" (.01mm), making it the most accurate press
brake tooling system available. Most punches are available in four different
heights with the
tallest being 7.874"
(200 mm), enabling
the operator to take
maximum
advantage of the
machines open
height and stroke
length. Most New
Standard dies are
available in heights
of 2.165” (55 mm)
and 3.937”
(100 mm).
Like all Wila
press brake tooling,
our New Standard
tooling is CNC
Deep-hardened on
the working
surfaces to HRC-
60 to a depth of
.118" (3.0 mm),
making it the most
durable line of
press brake tooling
available. When used with our New Standard clamping and crowning
systems with hydraulic clamping, all Wila New Standard tooling is
clamped, seated, centered, and aligned with the push of a single button,
and the need for die shimming is totally eliminated. This results in a
drastic reduction in set-up time and eliminates the need for cumbersome,
time consuming wrenches and levers.
All Wila punches are available with our patented Safety Clicks,
making it possible to load and unload them vertically, eliminating the
need to slide them in and out the end of the machine.
Finally, our taller more versatile tooling profiles are extremely flexible
making it possible for the end user to use less tooling to produce a much
wider variety of parts.
The purchase of a new press brake is a decision that you will most
likely have to live with for at least the next ten years. The same is true with
the tooling, clamping, and crowning systems that will be utilized on this
machine. When viewed from this perspective it is easy to see just how
important it is for you to make the right decisions.
For more information, please contact:
WILA USA
9135 Guilford Road
Columbia, MD 21046 USA
Tel: 888-696-9452
Fax: 301-490-3991
Press Brake Productivity Web Site: www.wilausa.com
15

CUSTOMER PROFILE
Finn-Power Turret Punch Press Increases
Quality & Profits at Brazilian Manufacturer
Since 1991, Prolind Industrial, Ltda.,
São José dos Campos, Brazil, has
been producing and assembling
components, subsets and sets in aluminum and
steel for the automotive, capital goods, railroad,
and elevator sectors.
Prolind takes great pride in the quality of
its products and services and considers them to
be an essential factor in their success. The
company’s dedication to quality has been
rewarded with certification of ISO/TS 16949
and ISO 14001. Prolind’s manufacturing,
The Finn-Power brush table reduces fabrication noise levels
and helps prevent the sheet surface from scratches
engineering, and logistics resources have
prepared the company for the new demands of
the global market.
In order to produce its sheet metal parts,
Prolind has purchased such fabrication
equipment as eccentric and hydraulic punch
presses, press brakes, shears, MIG, MAG, TAG,
and Projection welders; CNC folding machines,
etc. In 2004, the company developed a study in
order to search for a new punching machine to
replace an older eccentric punch press. “We
needed newer technology and more reliability,”
explains André Luis Gois, Analista de Métodos
e Processo. “We were experiencing too much
downtime with the older machine.”
Productivity was also a concern. Prolind
was forced to send its complicated parts to a
contract manufacturer where missed deadlines
and quality control issues were becoming a
problem. After obtaining input from their
engineers and customers, Prolind chose the
Finn-Power X5 turret punch press.
The X5 hydraulic turret punch press
provides Finn-Power technology, performance,
and reliability and is now available at an
affordable investment and operating cost. This
23 metric ton turret punch press can fabricate
sheet sizes up to 1,250mmx2,500mm with a
capacity of material thickness up to 8mm.
The X5 has a robust O-frame of welded
construction. The rigid machine frame and
coordinate table construction permit high axis
speed and acceleration. O-frame ensures perfect
tool alignment when using full tonnage or
nibbling processes.
Brush Tables & Speed
According to André Luis Gois, another
important Finn-Power feature for Prolind was
the brush table that reduces fabrication noise
levels and helps prevent the sheet surface from
scratches. The sheet is well supported and
moves slowly, and the table structure does not
cause vibration which could be detrimental for
micro joints. Gois was also impressed by the
X5’s speed. Finn-Power is a pioneer in hydraulic
high-speed punching systems. The technically
advanced hydraulic system offers reliable and
fast punching and nibbling at lower noise levels.
The coordinate table moves the work piece
in X and Y directions. The slides move on
hardened precision linear guide bars with
antifriction bearings and are driven by
maintenance free AC servo motors. The
rotation movement of the motors is transformed
into linear movement over precision ball screws.
Acceleration and deceleration of the axes is
programmable. At the lowest acceleration level
the axes start and stop smoothly, i.e. even heavy
work pieces can be processed without loss in
precision.
The X traverse is 2,584 mm; thus
1,250 mm x 2,500 mm sheet can be processed
without repositioning. Working area can be
expanded in X direction by automatic
repositioning.
The turret has a total of 20 tool stations.
Seventeen tool holders have been specified, and
three are free for customer selection. Index or
Multi-Tools can be chosen. The turret has 29
tools as standard, and the number can be
expanded by adding Multi-Tool ® stations.
Maximum tool diameter is 88.9mm.
The X5 has a connection for third sheet clamp and
automatic individual clamp move options. These options
allow repositioning of each clamp while holding the sheet
with the other clamps. Prolind has these features on its X5
turret punch press.
“The X5 had the best cost/ratio benefit of any of the
machines that we considered purchasing.”
16

In its flexibility, Finn-Power’s tool carrier is unique.
Automatic tool changing is accomplished by a bidirectionally
rotating turret. The dies in the Finn-Power
turret are supported during the punching cycle by a die
support anvil that directs the punching force into the
frame of the machine. The upper and lower turrets are
machined together as a set to ensure permanent perfect
alignment.
The Finn-Power turret is equipped with a large hub
design, it is gear driven and 30 mm diameter shot pins are
used. This allows perfect alignment in any place during the
punching cycle. Tool change is performed parallel to the
sheet positioning.
“We are no longer using the
services of the contract
manufacturer. It took only three
months with the X5 to bring all
the contracted work in-house.”
Other benefits of the X5 include:
Tool Holders – Finn-Power incorporates an individual
tool holder concept that allows customers to design their
own turret layouts. Unlike other designs, specific tool
stations are not machined into the turret. Finn-Power
offers the only flexible selection of tool holders in the
industry. Any tooling style from Mate Precision Tooling or
Wilson Tool International can be installed in a Finn-Power
turret.
The tool holders for punching tools are installed
separately in the turret plates. This gives total flexibility in
service, maintenance and upgrading of the turret with
additional index or Multi-Tool ® tooling.
Auto-Index – Finn-Power’s unique auto-index system
precisely rotates the punch and die in their tool holders
using a single A.C. servo-motor system. The system does
not need to match separate servo-motors as in some other
machines. Rotation in .001 degree programmable
increments gives the machine the ability to rotate beyond
360 degrees, thus allowing the system to automatically
select the shortest path to rotate to a programmed angle
input into the NC part program with simplicity, speed,
and reliability.
The auto-index system is rigidly built into the upper
and lower frame of the press; there are no gearboxes built
inside the turret. This system allows you to add or change
index or Multi-Tool® stations whenever the need should
arise. This exclusive Finn-Power Auto-Index design allows
full tonnage work at maximum material thickness as well
as nibbling at maximum speed with all Auto-Index
stations. Prolind has two Auto-Index stations.
Multi-Tool ® – Finn-Power’s Multi-Tool stations
increase the number of tools available in a turret, thus
reducing set-up and increasing productivity. The Multi-
Tool system allows multiple tools to be put in one station.
Quality is extremely important to Prolind. From left to right, Bruno Eduardo de Araújo, Executivo de
Marketing, Rogério Miguel Barbosa, machine operator, and André Luis Gois, Analista de Métodos e Processo
closely inspect a part.
Finn-Power Multi-Tool offers 6, 8, 10,
or 24 different punch /die combinations
in only one station-a turret within a
turret. Prolind has one 16-station Multi-
Tool.
Sheet Clamping
With auto-clamping, clamps close
automatically once the sheet is fed into
the clamps. Finn-Power’s patented clamp
setting (PCS) eliminates the need for
clamp protection areas and automates
clamp position setup. The machine is
ready for the next job in a matter of
seconds.
The X5 has a connection for third
sheet clamp and automatic individual
clamp move options. These options
allow repositioning of each clamp while
holding the sheet with the other clamps.
Prolind has these features on its X5
turret punch press.
Performance
“The X5 had the best cost/ratio
benefit of any of the machines that we
considered purchasing,” says Gois. “We
are paying for the machine with the
profits that it produces. In addition, we
are no longer using the services of the
contract manufacturer. It took only three
months with the X5 to bring all the
contracted work in-house. At Prolind,
we have a constant quality improvement
program. The X5 is an important part of
this program.”
Before purchasing the Finn-Power X5, complicated
parts used to be sent to a contract manufacturer. All
parts are now fabricated in-house
17

FOCUS ON SOUTH AMERICA
X5 Turret Punch Press
Draws Crowds at FEIMAFE Trade Show
Finn-Power International and dealer ASAMAQ Máquinas e
Ferramentas Ltda jointly participated in the Brazilian FEIMAFE
Trade Fair held last May 21 - 26 in São Paulo. The X5 hydraulic
turret punch press attracted a great deal of interest each day of the show.
(From left to right) Raymond Wennink, Safan B.V., Antonio
Roberto Pereira, ASAMAQ, Bob Kolcz, director, marketing &
corporate communications; Ron Palick, vice president sales -
South America, Mexico. & western USA; and ASAMAQ’s
Edson Gregorio da Silva.
“FEIMAFE provides an excellent forum to
introduce new technology to the important
Brazilian market,” explains Ron Palick, vice
president sales – South America, Mexico. & western
USA. “The X5 is a perfect machine for the
emerging South American market.”
Antonio Roberto Pereira, Edson Gregorio da
Silva, and the rest of the ASAMAQ team were
available to ensure a successful show.
FINN-POWER HOLDS SOUTH
AMERICAN DEALER MEETING
Last April 23 & 24, FINN-POWER International held a
meeting for dealers throughout South America and Mexico at
Juquehy Praia Hotel, Juquehy, SP, Brazil. Ron Palick, vice
president sales – South America, Mexico & western USA,
hosted the meeting, with assistance from Lutz Ehrlich,
punching /automation project manager; and Bob Kolcz, director
marketing & corporate communications.
Dealers who participated in the meeting included:
Argentina – Tomas Forsthuber, FORSTHUBER y CÍA.
S.R.L.
Brazil – Antonio Roberto Pereira and Edson Gregorio da
Silva, ASAMAQ Máquinas
e Ferramentas Ltda
Columbia – Jorge Ivan
Ochoae, IMOCOM
Mexico – Alex Sabido,
SABTECH , S.A. DE C.V.
(From left to right) Antonio Roberto Pereira, Bob Kolcz, Ron Palick,
Edson Gregorio da Silva, Lutz Ehrlich, Jorge Ivan Ochoae, Tomas
Forsthuber, and Alex Sabido.
Lutz Ehrlich, punching /automation product
manager (center) explains the features and
benefits of the Finn-Power turret punch
presses to the South American dealers.
18

FOCUS ON TOOLING
by Pat Campbell, Press Brake Tooling Manager, Wilson Tool International
The Lean Angle on Sheet Metal Bending
Five Ways
to Get
Leaner
with
Press
Brake
Tooling
Cutting waste and adding value are
the keys to success for a lean sheet
metal fabricator. But to reach these
goals, your press brake tooling has to be up to
the task. As you push to become leaner, are
your bending tools working with you or
against you? Let’s look at some of the ways
that a well-designed press brake tooling system
can help you succeed with lean manufacturing.
Perform Multiple Bends
in One Setup
Fabricators who need to lean out long
press brake runs and excess inventory can take advantage of staged
bending, or performing a succession of bends in a single press brake setup.
This sounds simple, but
traditionally it wasn’t
possible because most
tooling didn’t have a
common shut height
(i.e., the total height of
the punches and dies
don’t match). This
makes a series of bends
in one setup very
difficult, requiring
Press brake operators experience quick and easy vertical
punch loading with the Wilson Express Clamping System.
special risers and
custom shims.
Wilson American
Precision tooling hurdles this obstacle by using common shut heights,
allowing staged bending for more efficient short runs on a press brake.
With this functionality, the press brake operator can complete all of a
part’s necessary bends while handling it just once. Much smaller
production runs are feasible because setup, teardown, and part handling
are eliminated or minimized. This allows fabricators to make what they
need when they need it, reducing both WIP and excess inventory.
Change Tools Faster
Tasks such as tightening screws and shimming dies make changing
older tooling types very time consuming. Wilson Tool’s press brake
tooling, however, is well-equipped for the quick-change needs of lean
manufacturers.
All Wilson press brake tooling includes a push button feature for
faster loading and unloading. When the button is pressed, the safety tang
retracts, releasing the tooling. The push button system is also safer because
the safety tang eliminates the possibility of the tool falling when the upper
beam is unclamped.
By dividing punches and dies into manageable sized pieces, Wilson’s
sectionalized tooling allows a single individual to quickly and efficiently set
up and tear down a press brake, thereby maximizing their time. It also
enables fabricators to mix and match tooling to the desired length,
substantially reducing tooling inventory.
Speed Up Tool Clamping
Loading traditional press brake tooling requires the cumbersome
process of sliding punches in from the end of the machine. Wilson Tool
has engineered two advanced clamping systems that allow fast vertical
loading and unloading. Both are compatible with many of the most
popular press brakes and tooling.
The Wilson Express Clamping System allows the press brake
operator to simply place either 16.34" (415 mm) or 32.875" (835 mm)
19
long punches, or individual pieces of sectionalized punches, under the
clamps and push them upward to load. The spring-loaded clamps capture
the punch via safety groove and hold it in place until the clamps are
locked with the push of a lever. Unloading is just as easy, and clamps not
in use can quickly be removed by hand from the punch holders.
For fabricators looking to automate their tool clamping, Wilson Tool
now offers the PowerExpress hydraulic clamping system. Designed by
Wilson Tool engineers to maximize press brake productivity, this unique
hydraulic system makes tool changes faster than ever before. One touch
pendant control activates the hydraulic clamping action, which
automatically clamps and seats tools in a matter of seconds.
PowerExpress is designed to accommodate virtually any American
style press brake tooling. There’s no groove to worry about. Simply load
each tooling segment, push the button and your tooling is clamped and
seated with unparalleled accuracy along the full length of the beam. Since
the PowerExpress clamping system is streamlined, it creates more clearance
area for bending. Thirty-degree bends – in both front and back of the
beam – are no problem.
Demand Precision Tooling
For lean fabricating to work, every bend must be perfect, which is
why precision press brake tooling is a necessity. Without it, misaligned
tools form inaccurate parts, resulting in wasted time and materials spent
on remanufacturing. Precision is especially important with sectionalized
tooling, where the interchangeable pieces must fit together seamlessly.
Wilson Tool solves this problem by engineering precision-ground
tooling with tolerances of ±0.0008" (0.02 mm) on all critical dimensions.
This fills the lean need for standardized tooling and high levels of
repeatability. Mixing, matching or replacing punches and dies does not
affect part consistency. Even when fabricators can’t afford slight part
variations, such as during air bending, they find that Wilson’s
tight tolerances meet their needs.
Replace Less and Bend More
In tough applications such as bending heavygauge
steels, the life of standard press brake tooling
can be significantly reduced. The time and resources
spent regrinding or replacing tools – not to mention
replacing flawed parts bent with worn out tooling –
creates a bottleneck in lean fabricating.
Wilson Tool’s answer is its exclusive Nitrex ®
high endurance surface enhancement, which
increases tool life by several times that of untreated
tooling. Nitrex penetrates to 0.02" below the tool
surface, increasing surface hardness to HRC-70. It
also increases tool lubricity to minimize galling and
sheet marking, while also eliminating tool rust and
corrosion.
For more information about Wilson Tool’s
industry-leading products and services, please
contact:
Wilson Tool International
12912 Farnham Avenue
White Bear Lake, MN 55110 USA
Tel: 800.328.9646
Fax: 800.222.0002
marketing@wilsontool.com
Wilson’s push button tooling is designed for faster
and safer punching loading and unloading.
Wilson American Precision
tooling uses common shut
heights to allow fabricators
to perform multiple bends
in one set-up.

SOFTWARE UPDATE
NC Express ®
A Key Ingredient in Finn-Power
Automation Technology
by Murali Chigurupati, Chief Engineer, NC Express
Welcome to the latest version of
NC Express, the Finn-Power
CAM software dedicated to
bringing you the most intelligent performance
from your Finn-Power machinery. Finn-Power
equipment plays a wide variety of roles in
demanding manufacturing environments across
the globe. And you will find NC Express right
there with it, helping you manage and control
your production to deliver your customers the
satisfaction and efficiency they deserve.
NC Express offers a versatile array of
features ranging from basic drafting to
automated order processing that integrates
seamlessly with large-scale production planning.
The user can attack each stage of programming
with interactive and automatic tools. The
automatic tools, with simple adjustable
parameters, give effective solutions to a wide
variety of production scenarios encountered on
the factory floor. The interactive tools allow the
user to tackle unusual situations or tailor
solutions according to specific need. But make
no mistake, the automatic solutions incorporate
years of experience and development and, in
many cases, enable users to solve otherwise
unmanageable production problems.
And when you invest in NC Express, you
receive a lot more than just a software package:
you also receive years of experience with Finn-
Power equipment and manufacturing; you
receive the dedicated support of an experienced,
pro-active team; and you receive a commitment
to excellence and innovation that you will not
find elsewhere. These are the qualities that have
brought NC Express from its first official
version, 2.1, to a user base with over 1,000
active licenses in just 5 short years.
The Power of NC Express
Here is a real-production example that
shows the power of NC Express. The picture
shows a 3.7m sheet that has been nested and
optimized for a 12 Series SG8 with an inkjet
device. In the loading position (first pink zone),
a minimal amount of punching is done at the
left edge, obeying the principle of preserving the
sheet for as long as possible to maintain
accuracy. After a reposition with the punch
head, the rest of the punching and inkjet
labeling on the sheet is completed (first red
zone). Then NC Express begins the shearing
sequence (first green zone). The shearing
sequence is controlled by accuracy parameters
that are particularly important for processing
very long parts. Processing part #1 requires first
trimming the scrap across the top of the sheet,
which forces a reposition. After a reposition
back as required by the accuracy parameter, part
#1 is cut free using a reposition while cutting
and a finishing stroke. The reposition is long
enough to cut part #2 free also, thereby keeping
the sheet as rectangular as possible for optimal
reliability in further processing. The next zone
(yellow) follows the same logic: reposition back
to begin cutting part #3 as required by the
accuracy parameter; reposition while cutting
part #3; reposition far enough to finish cutting
the sheet to the right edge. The next zone (blue)
also follows this logic to release part #9. The
sequence continues with a reposition back to
cut part #10 and a reposition forward to cut
part #11. Finally the clamps are packed and the
bottom trim is chopped into pieces for the
standard scrap address.
NC Express generates this result completely
automatically, from parts to nest to
optimization to post-processing, practically with
the click of one button. This solution brings a
number of advanced automation features into
play:
All parts were created using parametric
scripting;
The nest was generated directly from the
order;
Automatic nesting achieves 85%
utilization, commonlining parts where
possible and adding inter-part separation
where necessary;
Optimization automatically determines
all repositions, clamp positions and scrap
cuts taking into account operations by all
20
three heads-here the oversize parts are
done in a high-accuracy mode so that the
sheet requires 10 repositions.
Other automatic features involved in the
calculation include turret building and
checking, punch sequencing, tool
sequencing and clamp avoidance to name
a few.
It is fair to say that this would be difficult
to do manually – hence the power of NC
Express.
Needless to say, the above example covers
only a few of the advanced features found in the
software. With Teach Cycles, you can literally
teach the system how to tool specific geometry
– that’s it, you teach the case once and NC
Express will apply it automatically in every case
after that. NC Express is the only software
qualified to program the Finn-Power L6 and
take advantage of its remarkable cutting
capabilities. Indeed, the optimization of the
laser cutting sequence is unparalleled. The
bottom line is that each NC program you create
in NC Express will incorporate a multitude of
automation features, all designed to enhance
your productivity.
NC Express v7.1
The latest version of NC Express, v7.1, is
due for release in the summer of 2007, so please
contact your
local sales
representative
for more
information.
NC Express
v7.1 supports
the latest Finn-Power equipment and provides
several advanced new features as well as a wide
variety of smaller improvements. Some of these
features are listed here:
Support for the LC6
Support for the E6
Support for the new loading and
unloading configurations:
C6+LST+UDC, LP/LC+LST+UD
Support for direct integration with
external ERP/MRP systems
Nesting by work order
Common-line and coil nesting for
punch-only nests on LP
Ability to lock dies and enforce die count
Manual sheet unloading for LP & SG
Enhanced laser destruct
New User’s Guide for Punch machines
A wide variety of improvements and bug
fixes

Support
The NC Express team also has a deep
commitment to product support. We recognize
that software cannot be delivered bug-free so we
anticipate situations where customers run into
bugs. We know that programming is missioncritical
for any manufacturer so our basic
response is simple: fixing a bug is our top
priority. NC Express even has an integrated zip
function for convenient bug reporting.
Before the bug is fixed, we always look for
ways that the customer can avoid the problem
and continue to program while waiting for an
updated version of NCX. But you won’t have to
wait long: our typical response time on a bug fix
is 1-2 business days. When the new version of
NCX is ready, you can download it straight
from our website, eliminating any unnecessary
delay.
Prompt support for NC Express is not
limited to bugs: we also respond to any and all
questions as fast as we possibly can. Users
benefit greatly from the knowledge and
experience of our applications departments
throughout the world. Our goal is to make this
incredible knowledge base directly available to
all our users.
What the Future Holds
We have two priorities for NC Express: 1)
to continue developing innovative and useful
new features; 2) to continue improving the
support and training that we provide with the
software.
We look forward to implementing a wide
range of features in the future including the
following:
programmable downholders on SB and
SG series 12.0
optimization of SG table opening/closing
improvements to interactive laser tooling
improvements to interactive nesting
automatic form avoidance
Fluent Motion Mode for L6
improvements to automatic tooling
user-interface improvements
tool layer definitions
We also look forward to expanding our online
resources and the range of products and
services associated with NC Express
As part of these efforts, and because of our
expanding user base, we also plan to implement
a formal technical support contract for NC
Express. This arrangement ensures that users
will continue to receive support in a timely and
professional manner, even as the user base
continues to grow. We encourage each and every
user to sign up for NC Express support because
the feedback we receive from you will ensure
that the product continues to improve and meet
tomorrow’s challenges.
FINN-POWER’S C6 LST ALLOWS MORE
PRODUCTIVITY WITH FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION
OF MATERIAL HANDLING
Finn-Power’s range of new hydraulic turret punch presses for large sheet applications
combines 24 years of pioneering Finn-Power experience with our tradition of continuous
innovation and improvement of the material processing and flow.
Finn-Power has recently introduced the Finn-Power C6 LST.
The 20-station, 33-ton C6 servo hydraulic turret
punch press allows 60" x 120" (1500 x 3000 mm) sheet
processing without repositioning.
The modular LST construction consists of
a loading device with integrated sheet
separation and double sheet detection, stacking
device for component removal and stacking
and an unloading device for skeleton removal.
Multiple loading and unloading table
configurations are available to tailor to
individual production needs.
Finn-Power LST is connectable to all Finn-
Power storage and retrieval or material
management systems.
The LST 6 is a compact automatic sheet
loading and part sorting system. LST loads
sheets to the machine, pick up the parts from
the machine and stacks them to the
programmed coordinate on the stacking table.
Loading capacity is 6,614 lbs (3,000 kg).
Punched parts are picked up in front of the
turret by using a programmable vacuum
gripper. Parts are sorted and stacked on the
moving table to the programmed position.
There is a choice of two models. The long
model can be equipped with up to four moving
tables. The short model can be equipped with
two moving tables.
21

TRADE SHOW & OPEN HOUSE
Finn-Power Experience
Attract Crowds at METALFORM
Nearly 1,000 enthusiastic visitors took a ride on the Finn-Power Experience II reality
ride at METALFORM 2007, March 25 - 28. “This time the sparks are really going
to fly”, was the theme of the ride as it took visitors to another dimension to learn
how to increase productivity, quality, and profits in sheet metal fabrication.
This was the third trade show that featured the Finn-
Power Experience. In a departure from the traditional trade
show booth exhibit, visitors had a choice of taking a reality
ride through a Shear Genius ® Flexible Manufacturing Cell or
a Laser Punch FMC. The 20' x30' x18'
high theatre included:
The two HD videos featuring two actors – Gary Kroeger, an alum of
both Second City and Saturday Night Live, and Geoff Earl, a Finn-
Power service engineer and aspiring thespian – took the visitors on a
reality ride of their choice.
A 12-passenger motion platform with proportionally-controlled
hydraulics.
Two 1200 ANSI lumens HD projectors.
An 8' x17' curved screen.
Surround sound audio.
Theater environment with a controlled light atmosphere.
Exterior of theater marquee, ticket window, giant movie posters, and
two plasma screens showing previews of the video.
After show hours, Finn-Power’s Open House was highlighted by the
recently introduced C6 LST turret punch press. Product presentations were
also given on the Finn-Power C5 Compact Express and E Series servoelectric
press brake. Guests included existing and prospective customers, Nearly 1,000 visitors took a ride on the Finn-Power Experience II at METALFORM 2007.
distributors, trade magazine sales and editorial staff.
FINN-POWER’S “DISTRIBUTOR OF
THE YEAR 2006”
ANNOUNCED
Last April, Finn-Power
announced its annual recognition for
Distributor of the Year at its
Schaumburg, IL, facility. Finn-
Power’s president, Mikko Lindstrom
presented the 2006 award to
Southland Machine Tool
Corporation. The award was
accepted by Dave Watson and
Robert Mann. Congratulations to
Southland Machine for a great
success!
Mexico dealer Alex Sabido, SABTECH , S.A. DE C.V. (right)
explains the features and benefits of the C6 LST at the Finn-
Power Open House during METALFORM 2007.
Mike Stock, bending production manager, answers questions on
the servo-electric E brake.
22

FOCUS ON ROBOTICS
by Michael Cicco, National Account Manager – Distribution Sales, FANUC Robotics America, Inc.
Combating the Skilled Labor
Shortage with Automation
With 76 million baby boomers
retiring within the next twenty
years and only 46 million
Generation X youths set to enter the workforce
during the same time period, the pending labor
shortage is a huge topic of concern for both
human resource departments and managers
across the American manufacturing industry
today. Additionally, in a survey done by the
National Association of Manufacturers 1 , 90
percent of the respondents indicated a moderate
to severe shortage of qualified skilled production
employees.
Within these scary numbers, however, lies
an opportunity. And that opportunity is
automation! By utilizing automation in your
factory or plant, the need for skilled labor
decreases significantly. Also, by utilizing the
recent advancements in robotic automation,
companies are able to automate many more
operations than in previous generations of
robotics.
New Advancements
One of the most important advancements
in robotic automation is the use of Machine
Vision. Machine Vision utilizes a camera or
multiple cameras to allow the automated system
to “see”. Although Machine Vision has been
utilized in robotic applications for many years,
recent advancements have made Vision more
applicable and more cost effective than ever
before.
FANUC Robotics has been a major driver
in the use of robot vision for many years.
FANUC’s latest release of iRVision has made
the integration of Vision into your robotic
system easier, more cost effective and full of
more features. FANUC’s iRVision is a truly
integrated Vision system. The vision camera(s)
plug directly into the hardware of the FANUC
robot, eliminating the need for an expensive
computer and enclosure. iRVision’s software is
also entirely developed by FANUC, eliminating
any finger-pointing that can occur when using a
3rd party vision system.
Giving the robotic system the ability to
“see” makes the process more human-like and
the difficulty in finding skilled labor easier to
bear. A vision system is able to “error proof”
every part that is handles to unsure that it has
been manufactured properly. This “error
proofing” feature allows manufacturers to place
automated checks in the manufacturing process
that can be corrected or eliminated before the
product reaches the end of the process. Some
examples are:
Checking that all of the proper shapes
have been cut out of a piece of sheet
metal before it is formed.
Using a robot mounted camera to verify
that the proper tooling is mounted on
the machine before the process begins.
Using robot guided iRVision to identify
and locate the parts before they are
loaded into the machine. (This allows the
manufacturer to place multiple different
part sizes in random locations in front of
the robot)
All of these automated checks make the
system more flexible to change and ensures that
your parts are properly manufactured every
time.
High Reliability
Another major reason that robotics and
automation can help solve the skilled labor
shortage is the high reliability and efficiency of
robotic systems today. Most manufacturers
realize that their factories are only making
money if the machines are running. However,
many of those manufactures do not realize how
much more their machines can run while using
robotic automation. Remember this, a robot
never needs to take breaks or eat lunch. A robot
never calls in sick or demands a higher wage
because it was offered a job at the fabricator
down the street. Also, since a robot is controlled
by the outputs of the machine, the system
instantly loads or unloads new parts without
any delay. The increased efficiency over manual
operations can lead to increased machine
utilization by 30%-40%. This increase is often
overlooked when trying to justify an automated
system.
In addition to the increased utilization of
the machine, the robot itself will be one of the
most reliable pieces of equipment in the facility.
FANUC Robots are rated to run well over eight
years of 24/7 operation before the mean time
between failure. FANUC robots are also
repeatable from ±0.02 mm to ±0.3 mm
(±0.00079 in to ±0.0118 in) depending on the
model.
These types of statistics give manufacturers
the confidence they need in order to commit to
change the way they think about skilled laborer
operations.
Although no one is certain what the next
decade will hold for the labor situation in the
manufacturing industry, with these types of
benefits, manufactures can realistically look
towards robotic automation in order to solve
many more of their labor shortage problems
than ever before.
1
2005 Skills Gap Report – A Survey of the
American Manufacturing Workforce
23

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