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A Prima Finn-Power PublicationAmericas EditionVolume 18 Issue 2 December 2008Cooking Up Profitswith AutomationOven ManufacturerIncreases Quality,Production, and Profitswith Finn-Power See Page 14EuroBlech 2008Bound for WiderHorizons…TogetherFirst Joint Booth forPrima Finn-Powera Huge Success! See Page 8A NewBreakthrough InLaser / PunchTechnologyInnovative Servo-ElectricPunching and LaserCutting Provide FabricationVersatility See Page 19C5 Compact ExpressRevolutionizesFabricationTechnology at PacificNorthwest ManufacturerJumps 30 Years withFinn-Power See Page 202007 Dealer of theYear AnnouncedPeter Storey of P & DSheet Metal Workswins Finn-Power AwardSee Page 13THAT’S FABRI-TAINMENT!A Las Vegas Hitat FABTECH 2008See Page 4In the News…MakingHeadlineswith theTrade PressSee Page 11Tooling Articles…Wila USA See Page 9Wilson ToolInternational See Page 10Mate PrecisionTooling See Page 23

TECH TIPSSheet Metal Material Quality…and Your Finn-Power Machineby Andrew McCarlie, Applications EngineerThe quality of the sheet metal material that is used in your fabricationmachine can make a great deal of difference in how efficiently yourmachine operates. Today, material quality is more important than everto maximize your equipment capabilities.In some cases, that great deal your purchasing department makes forsheet metal that saves several cents per pound/kg can end up costing youmuch more than the original material cost savings. Machine downtime anddamage caused by material crashes in the machine or system can quicklyadd up.Material quality is dependent upon several factors -- all of which willaffect the final quality of the sheet metal running through your Finn-Powermachine. These include:■ The chemical composition of the steel when it is smelted. This coversthe percentage of various elements in the steel mix such as iron, carbon,etc., and is responsible for the physical properties of the sheet metalsuch as hardness, tensile strength, etc.■ The condition of the steel mill rolls that roll the steel flat during themanufacturing process.■ The metal slitting, coiling, and uncoiling process.■ The flat sheet piece production process using a cut-to-length line thatusually includes both a leveller and straightener. This produces levelled,straight, and flat cut blanks when used.■ There can be an additional mechanical stress relieving or mechanicalstretching process.■ A coating process to minimizecorrosion■ Palletizing, handling, and storage ofthe sheet metal blanks.■ Unloading, palletizing, and storage inyour facility prior to being used inyour Finn-Power machine or systemEach of the factors noted above will An example of poor quality rolled,directly affect how this material will runlevelled, and straightened materialthrough your machine or system.ChallengesThese challenges include:■ Not straight – parallel -- or not level -- bowed■ Very hard to punch -- punches stickin the material even with the correctdie clearance■ An edge wave making it difficult toboth load into the clamps andreposition■ Oversize, so that it does not fit intoeither the machine or automatedloading and storage systemsThese material issues -- and the causesthat produce them -- need to be addressedlong before the material reaches theBowed material that is not stress relieved.Bowed material on a Night Train cassette.2production floor. At this point, it is already very expensive to addressthe problem and often production will be delayed due to the timeneeded to replace the defective material.Operator input is keyIn most cases, the operators running the equipment have verylittle input into the material planning, purchasing, and delivery process.As a result, it is essential that the above-mentioned factors are takeninto account. The operators should be consulted concerning what tolook for in the material handling from both the metals supplier andyour company’s internal material handling procedures.The goal is to end up with flat material that passes through yourmachine or system with no problems. This means the material must beflat and dimensionally correct to within certain specifications andtolerances. A practical way to determine this in a Finn-PowerTP/SG/C5/C6 is to ensure the material is flat enough so that itnever triggers the sheet distortion sensors during loading or processingmaterial through the machine or system. Ideally, the material distortionshould be at most no more than 0.2”/5.8 mm over a 120” sheet size.The material should loadcorrectly and not collide withthe turret, carriage guide rails,shear, laser head or catch in anyof the part sorting options suchas the buffer, stacking robots,stackers etc., while running atthe rated speed for thatthickness and type of material.The requirements formaterial purchase shouldinclude a stringent qualitydocument laying out themaximum permitted tensilestrength, dimensional size andthickness limits, flatness andstraightness limits. Tensilestrength plays a large role in thebowing of material when it isbeing punched or cut. Materialthat bows after being punchedor cut often produce parts thathalt the machine or system dueto their colliding inside themachine or sorting systems.Sheet distortion sensorBowed partAn example to start with is the DIN1541 standard. The materialspecification document you create should also specify a standard forpallets to be used, along with permissible handling and stackingrequirements. The amount and grade of oil used if any as acorrosion inhibitor should also be specified.The handling specifications should be adhered to in-house sinceyou do not want to damage or induce bowing of material you havein-house due to improper internal storage procedures. An examplewould be that of poorly palletized unsupported sheets of materialhaving several pallets of other material stacked on top of it. This extraweight will induce a “set” in the material causing it to bow.It should also be noted that material which varies significantlyfrom specification in thickness and hardness can cause problemsin the folding or bending process along with extra wear on thepunch tooling.

FABTECH 2008THAT’S FABRI-TAINMENT!A Las Vegas hit at FABTECH 2008Finn-Power’s Las Vegas FABTECH entertainment lived upto its billing as the hottest show on the Strip…and in thefab shop. Well…at least the hottest show on theFABTECH Strip.THAT’S FABRI-TAINMENT consisted of four song anddance acts and one magic act – each with a strong marketingmessage about Finn-Power’s industry leading technology.The stars of the show were Second City and Saturday NightLive alum Gary Kroeger and Las Vegas talent Mary Garrison.Gary and Mary sang and danced and performed humorousimpersonations of famous celebrities…all in a Vegas-likeatmosphere.“Shows are a big attraction to most Las Vegas visitors,”explains Bob Kolcz, the writer and producer of the show.“Our goal was to put in a little entertainment for everyone,while celebrating Finn-Power’s industry leading products andtechnology.” Each act was followed by customer profile videosextolling the features and benefits of various Finn-Powermachines, cells, and systems.Frank Bowman, Impact Creative Group, Waterloo, IAwas director of the show and produced the video segments.Sound Concepts, Cedar Rapids, IA, was responsible for staging,lighting, and sound. Tiina Ayaydin was responsible for costumedesign and stage props.A brief description of the acts and the customer profilevideos follows:“Once again Finn-Power has outdone itself at theFABTECH show in Las Vegas. The entertainmentwas wonderful, and the magician who was part ofthe act actually made a machine disappear, as insold. I don't know how they will top themselves forthe next show, but it’s a great way to be entertained,and at the same time find out what a Finn-Powerpress brake, laser or punch can do for higherproduction.”Russ Olexa,Editor-at-LargeFF JOURNALACT #1: THAT’S FABRI-TAINMENT!A show tune that highlights Finn-Power technology and automation kicksoff the show…When you hear the sound of the pressOr a laser…go through a whole nestOr a scene where the manufacturing’s leanThat’s Fabri-tainment!Customer Profile Video“We wereoutsourcing $4-millionof metalworking to otherpeople. We do it all inhouse today. We havereduced our inventory byalmost 50% because wecan make parts soquickly. Spend a little time at the Finn-Power booth and check outthis equipment. It can literally change your company and your futurelike it has at Wood Stone.”4

“Finn-Power’s creativity never fails to amaze me.Offering Las Vegas-style entertainment and at the sametime educating the attendees in Finn Power’s technicaladvantages was a stroke of genius! Once more, we seehow this company has taken trade show participationto a new level.”Sherry Theien,Sales ManagerMETALFORMINGACT #2: FINN-POWER, FINN-POWERA song by the new chairman of the entertainment board and his beautifulvice president of music.I want to wake up in a fab shop that doesn’t sleepWith our “lights out” approach – your production will leap…Customer Profile Video“It was theproductivity and flexibilityof the Finn-Power ShearGenius that swung thedeal for us. We fabricatemany square andrectangular parts…andyou can’t produce themfaster than on the ShearGenius. We have no finished product inventory…it is all built to order.As a result, fabrication flexibility is critical for our success.”“You didn’t have to leave the FABTECH/AWS show floor to get ataste of Las Vegas’ entertainment. You just had to drop by Finn-Power’s booth and enjoy the show. In an otherwise relatively quiettrade event, Finn-Power’s That’s Fabri-Tainment stood out. It wasa fun break from business and entertaining too!Mary Scianna,EditorCANADIAN METALWORKING5

FABTECH 2008“Reporting on major new technology advances is acritical task that magazine editors perform, and thisrequires walking the aisles of many a trade show. Thedisplays designed by Finn-Power always prove to bethought-provoking, interesting, fun and at the sametime very informative. This year’s FABTECH boothwas no different, as I found the That’s Fabri-Tainmenttheme to be attention-grabbing, educational, andentertaining all at the same time. I wish all trade-showexhibitors put as much thought and effort into designingtheir displays as does Finn-Power.”Brad Kuvin,EditorMETALFORMINGACT #3: THE GREAT KROGINIThe magic of Finn-Power comes to life….“Ladies and Gentlemen…prepare yourself for an experience ofbreath-taking magic and illusion…where the impossible becomespossible…and illusion becomes reality. You will see things that willamaze and mystify your senses. Be prepared to be taken on a journeythat you’ll never forget.”Customer Profile Video“With the old methodof production, our cost was$9/grille. With Finn-Power,our cost is $3/grille. Wemake 60,000 of these partsa year. In addition, the C5Express has allowed us tobring all of the $250,000outsourcing to job shops back in-house. That was a plus to the bottomline from the first day the C5 Express was installed.”6

ACT #4: VIVA FINN-POWER!The King of Fabrication returns to sing the praises of Finn-Power technology.There's a thousand laser jobs waitin' out thereAnd a ton of profit for us to shareAnd I'm a fabricator with up-time to spareViva Finn-Power, Viva Finn-PowerCustomer Profile Video“When we started to takea look at the other offeringsfrom Finn-Power, there wasone common denominatorthat kept jumping forward:Finn-Power was the onlymachine builder that took aposition on the front end in material management -- for the otherbuilders it looked like an afterthought.”The Finn-Power FABTECH 2008 presentation That's Fabri-Tainmentwas a highlight of the show. It presented in-depth and comprehensiveinformation concerning Finn-Power's various lines of equipment inan entertaining and informative manner. The filmed comments fromend-users provided visitors to Finn-Power's booth the opportunity toexperience what impact the firm's equipment has on day-to-dayoperations in real-world settings, including improvements inproductivity, flexibility, and cost savings.”Jerry Cook,EditorMP & PACT #5: MACK THE SHEARA musical tribute to the Shear Genius Flexible Manufacturing Cell– Swing baby!No deburring, no reject worryingJust square parts, right to those brakesIt will punch and form, then does the shearingJust push a button, that’s all it takesCustomer Profile Video“In order to stay aheadof the competition, you haveto automate. When wedecided to automate, weraised the bar for the rest ofthe industry in our area.We changed the landscape.It’s a tremendous risk tomake that kind ofinvestment under that kind of scenario of a global economy wheneverybody is packing up and moving to Mexico or China. We can nowcompete on fabricated parts from across the border…and we are.”DVD copies of the customer profile videos are availableby contacting Tiina Ayaydin,tiina@finnpower.com" or 847 952-6551.7

EUROBLECHBound for Wider Horizons. Togetherby Timo Laurinen, Senior Correspondent“Getting an idea may take just a fraction ofa second, to turn it into an innovation requirestime, and for real know-how to accumulate, aconsiderable time span is always needed”, Mr.Tomas Hedenborg, President and CEO, wrotein an exhibition magazine distributed at theEUROBLECH. The exhibition is the world’sbiggest sheet metal working technology event,organized in Hanover every two years.Certainly, ideas, innovations and experience,things always associated with FINN-POWERand Prima Industrie, were visible to thousandsand thousands of visitors that came to see thefirst joint participation of the companies in atruly international exhibition.Under the theme, “Bound for WiderHorizons. Together.” the companies and theirglobal network gave the sheet metal workingworld a convincing impression of a strong unit,with the success of the integration processreflected from the general exhibition approachdown to minute details. Concrete proof wasprovided by the combined sales networkshowing its potential, in addition to being amassive marketing success, the exhibition madea solid entry into order books.An impressive line of new solutionsIn terms of new products, FINN-POWER's contribution was impressive. TheLPe6 punching – laser cutting cell had beenintroduced before, but it was a newacquaintance for many visitors. The E5 turretpunch press was exhibited equipped with anLST robot, now offering highly accuratestacking capability.The new Shear Brilliance ® had its worldpremiere, featuring hits speeds up to 1,400 on 1mm centers. A 30 or 24 station turret can bechosen. An example of the astonishingversatility is a 24 station turret: -- every stationcan be indexable.Based on extensive experience in applyingservo electric technology in automatic panelbendingsolutions, this concept was introducedon a new automation level. The new FastBendreplaces the press brake with the automaticbending technology, which allows more bendsfor each side in an automatic sequence withoutany manual intervention. In press braketechnology, a new, attractively priced servoelectric solution was introduced.One of the eye catchers was Tulus ® , a new,integrated and scalable software tool forintegrated management of the entire fabricationprocess from a single machine to factory-wideproduction process.8

FOCUS ON TOOLINGWILA MULTI-V DIESFlexibility Takes A Quantum Leapby David Bishop, Business Development Manager, WILA USAFor over 75 years, Wila has provided sheet metal fabricators aroundthe world with technologies that turn time into profit. Long before“Lean Manufacturing” came along, we were dedicated toeliminating waste and to helping our customers use less to do more. Tothat end, every Wila product is designed with maximum flexibility in mind.MULTI-V-MATIC ADJUSTABLE DIE FOR PRECISIONSHEET METAL APPLICATIONSThe latest example of Wila’songoing emphasis on flexibility is ournew Multi-V Adjustable Die System.All Wila Multi-V Dies are designed toprovide a wide range of V-openingswith a single die that rarely requireschanging. The flagship of this newproduct line is our Multi-V-MaticType I.1 Die. This unit is availablewith a CNC motor that is driven bythe control on the press brake, orwith a hand crank with digitalreadout. Units equipped with a CNCmotor make it possible to preprogramthe V-openings for specificjobs on the machine’s control, andchange from one V-opening toanother in a matter of seconds when going from one job to another, oreven when going from one bend to another. Changes in V-openings arealso very fast on units equipped with a hand crank, while the digitalreadout makes it easy to set the exact width of the V-opening and recordthe position for future use.The Multi-V-Matic Type I.1 Die provides an infinitely adjustablerange of V-openings from .236” (6mm) to 2.000” (51mm), making itpossible to bend everything from .024” (0.6mm) to .250” (6.3mm) mildsteel. The shoulder radii are hardened with Wila’s proprietary CNC-Deephardening process for maximum life and maximum long term accuracy.Because the V-opening is opened and closed by a CNC motor or handcrank, it can be used as a die holder when bending parts that require a tallsingle-V die. To provide added flexibility, it can also be used to makeacute angle bends and perform flattening operations for hemmingapplications when used with our hemming punches with built-in flatteningjaws. It currently represents the state of the art in press brake dietechnology, and is the closest thing yet to a “one die does it all” solution.MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE MULTI-V DIES FOR PLATEBENDING APPLICATIONSSo, what if you bend plate materials that are thicker than .250”(6.3mm)? No problem; Wila has a Multi-V Die solution for you too!These include our model B, D, and E Manually Adjustable Multi-V Dies.These units can be changed from one V-opening to another in a matter ofminutes by sliding out a simple set of spacer bars and replacing them withanother set, and then locking them in place with two set screws. That’s allthere is to an average set-up! They come with hardened rollers on theshoulders, which provide maximum life, maximum long term accuracy,reduced part marking, and reduced tonnage requirements. The model Bcan be adjusted from V-opening widths of .945” (24mm) to 4.882”(124mm). The model D can be adjusted from V-opening widths of2.559” (65mm) to 7.087” (180mm). And finally, the model E can beadjusted from V-opening widths of 4.724” (120mm) to 11.811” (300mm).To facilitate fast, safe, and easy loading and unloading, all WilaManually Adjustable Multi-V Dies are provided in modular lengths.This makes it possible to match them to the length of most press brakesand achieve virtually any bend length desired. The model B and D unitsare provided in lengths of 41.338” (1050mm), 39.370” (1000mm), 29.527”(750mm), and 19.685” (500mm) lengths, while the model B is alsoavailable in a length of 9.842” (250mm). Because of its weight, the modelE is limited to a length of 23.622” (600mm).Possibly the most desirable feature of our ManuallyAdjustable Multi-V Dies is the fact that, via theiradjustability and ability to handle a wide range of platebending applications, they rarely need to be removedfrom the press brake. This can virtually eliminate theneed for press brake and forklift operators to handlethe heavy, awkward, and often dangerous large singleV dies that are normally used to bend thick platematerials. And that alone provides for an invaluablemeasure of safety.Are your press brakes in need of greater flexibility?Would you like to get better utilization of your time anddo more with less? The solution is now available in theinnovative new line of dies in the Wila Multi-V DieSystem. After all, we’ve been providing our customerswith products that provide maximum flexibility forover 75 years.For more information, please contact:WILA USA7380 Coca Cola DriveHanover, MD 21076 USATel: 888-696-9452 / Fax: 443-459-5515Press Brake Productivity Web Site: www.wilausa.com9

IN THE NEWSFinn-Power in the SpotlightFinn-Power sheet metal technology and its customerscontinue to attract a great deal of attention from tradepublications throughout North America.THE FABRICATOR – (September, 2008)This cover article featured a 3 1 / 2-tabloid pagereport on the Finn-Power installation at WoodStone Corporation, Bellingham, WA. Wood Stonehas the LaserBrilliance, NightTrain, EBe automatedbender, a roboticservo-electric pressbrake, and two standaloneservo-electricpress brakes. “We wereoutsourcing $4-million ofmetalworking to otherpeople. We do it all inhousetoday. We havereduced our inventory byalmost 50% because we can make parts so quickly. It’s not that we are just makingour own parts now. We are making better parts now. Because we are doing things thatour vendors could not do with our better equipment. We have re-engineered many partswith tighter tolerances to be better and more cost effective than what we were gettingfrom the job shops.”MODERN APPLICATIONS NEWS – (September, 2008)This 3-page article traces the evolution of Finn-Power products at Wesgar, Inc., one of the largestprecision sheet metal manufacturers in WesternCanada. “The Shear Genius wasa catalyst for a lot of thesechanges…it pushed us and gave usbreathing room. Finn-Power hashelped us grow because of thequality of their equipment and thelocal service support we get. Eachnew Finn-Power machine we’vepurchased has taken us to a newlevel of productivity, quality, andprofitability.”METALFORMING – (September, 2008)A 3-page article on the C5 Compact Express atKing Electrical Mfg. Co., Seattle, WA, details thecompany’s challenge with outdated fabricationequipment and low-cost competition with China.“With the old method ofproduction, our cost was$9/grille. With theFinn-Power C5 CompactExpress, our cost is$3/grille. We make60,000 of these parts ayear. In addition, theC5 Express has allowedus to bring all of the$250,000 outsourcing tojob shops back in-house.That was a plus to the bottom linefrom the first day the C5 Express was installed.”FF JOURNAL – (October, 2008)This 4-page article takes a look at the E Seriesservo-electric press brake installations at both JBRadiator Specialties, Inc., Sacramento, CA and Day-Brite Lighting, Tupelo, MS. Finn-Power’s E Seriespress brake is fast, accurate, highly productive, anddecreases energyconsumptioncompared to hydraulicpress brakes. “The keywith this equipment isflexibility. We try to haveminimal setup for all ourequipment and that’s whythe E brake was helpfulto us, because we work ona job shop or just-in-timephilosophy whichis important to our customers.”To obtain copies of any of these articles, contact Tiina Ayaydinat (847) 952-6551 or tiina@finnpower.com.11

SHOWROOM SPOTLIGHTPrima Platino on Display atArlington Heights ShowroomLast fall, the first Prima laser was installedat Finn-Power's showroom in ArlingtonHeights, IL. The Platino is designed tocut a broad range of materials and thicknesswith speed and precision without the need formanual adjustment. Change over to the tubeprocessing can be achieved with zero set-uptime. Available in two sizes (1530 and 2040)and with laser powers ranging from 2500 Wto 4000 W, Plantino is suitable for everyapplication.The Finn-Power servo-electric E pressbrake is on display at the Prima showroom inChicopee, MA.The laser installation team included service engineersfrom both companies: (From left to right) Dean Razink(Finn-Power), Nathan Ward (Prima), Thomas McGrail(Prima), Steve Burbidge (Finn-Power), Mark Grogan(Finn-Power), and Lloyd Leichentritt (Finn-Power).12

SALES MEETINGFINN-POWER & PRIMAHolds First Joint Sales MeetingFinn-Power and Prima North Americajointly held their first joint sales meetingon November 6-7 at the Finn-Power’sArlington Heights, IL facility. The meeting wasled by John Rogers, chief operating officer ofFinn-Power, and Thomas Burdel, vice presidentsales & marketing of Prima.During the two-day meeting, distributorsand sales team were introduced to the newlyintegratedcompany’s extensive product line.This was followed by review of equipmentfeatures and benefits, customer support, andapplication issues. They also became familiarwith Finn-Power & Prima facilities, mission,and the key people within the organization.John Rogers, presented Finn-Power’srecognition for The Dealer of the Year 2007award to Peter Storey of P&D SHEETMETAL WORKS, Finn-Power’s dealer inVancouver, Canada.John Rogers (left) presented Finn-Power’s recognition forThe Dealer of the Year 2007 award to Peter Storey ofP&D SHEET METAL WORKS, Finn-Power’s dealerin Vancouver, Canada.13

CUSTOMER PROFILEAutomated Sheet Metal FabricationCooks Up Profits at Wood Stone“We outsourced $4-million of parts with sub-contractorsin 2007. By the end of 2008, we should be doing 90%in-house. In five months, we are halfway to having thesystem pay for itself.”Launching a successful new company is noeasy task. It takes a combination of goodideas, pairing of creative and technicalminds, and a little luck in finding these twoelements. In 1989, Keith Carpenter was amanufacturer’s rep for 12 different companiesin the commercial kitchen industry. Whilemaking a sales call, a customer asked Carpenterif he had any information on a wood-fired,stone hearth oven that could stand up to therigors of the American commercial kitchen.The idea of building a wood-fired ovenintrigued Carpenter and led him to contactHarry Hegarty, who at the time was buildinglarge-scale, high-temperature ceramicincinerators for the forest products industry.While not the most auspicious of starts, thesechance encounters turned out to be thebeginning of one of the most successfulmanufacturers of stone-fired cookingequipment for the food service industry in theworld.In April 1990, Carpenter and Hegartyfounded Wood Stone Corporation, Bellingham,WA, and were soon revolutionizing stonehearthcooking. The company’s technologicallyadvancedceramics and engineering expertise,coupled with the high quality constructiontechniques and attention to detail, are typical ofall its products. Today, you will find WoodStone ovens in such restaurants as WolfgangPuck, Carrabba's, and California Pizza Kitchen.Wood Stone's product linehas grown over the years andtoday includes several types ofstone-hearth ovens, as well asa variety of rotisseries,charbroilers, and tandoorovens. By the end of 2008,Wood Stone managementexpects to have in excess of8,000 installations in morethan 60 countries throughoutthe world.From sub-contractorsto automatedfabrication shopWhile the success of thecompany is certainly anamazing story, also impressiveis the company’s recent historyin the sheet metal fabrication14arena. According to Carpenter, Wood Stoneonly recently began fabricating their products.“While we did some punching and welding ofangle iron, all of our sheet metal fabricationwas produced by contract manufacturers inCanada and Washington,” Carpenter explains.“We would engineer the ovens, have ourvendors fabricate the parts, and then assemblethe final products at our facility. In our earlyyears, we concentrated our investments inceramic engineering and manufacturingequipment.”As Wood Stone grew in sales over theyears, the dollar amount for outsourcedfabrication products grew to nearly $4-million.“That’s when we began looking at ways toreduce our manufacturing costs and ensurebetter deliveries and quality,” says Carpenter.In 2007, the company doubled its facility from60,000 square feet to 120,000 square feet andbegan its search for automated sheet metalfabrication equipment.“We purchased a four-foot shear and pressbrake to get our feet wet, but concentrated oursearch on automated systems,” says Carpenter.“The plan was to visit five different shops withequipment from various manufacturers.”Wood Stone’s first stop was Nu-Way Industries,a contract manufacturer in Des Plaines, IL.Nu-Way has an automated system from Finn-Power. “We cancelled the other four trips afterseeing the Nu-Way facility,” says Carpenter.“I knew that we had to do what Nu-Way wasdoing, because anything short of that would begoing backwards. I cannot imagine competingKeith Carpenter (left) and Harry Hegarty founded Wood Stone Corporation in April 1990.Today you will find Wood Stone ovens in such restaurants as Wolfgang Puck, Carrabba's,and California Pizza Kitchen. By the end of 2008, Wood Stone management expects tohave in excess of 8,000 installations in more than 60 countries throughout the world.

with developing countries, such as China orMexico, without the Finn-Power automationequipment.”In December 2007, Wood Stone placed anorder for the Finn-Power automated system,which included:■ Laser Brilliance with loading /stacker robot■ Night Train Material Management System■ EBe automated bender■ Robotic servo-electric E press brake■ Two stand alone servo-electricE press brakesThe system was installed throughout 2007,and Wood Stone began 2008 with all the Finn-Power equipment in place. Another importantacquisition the company made during this timewas the hiring of Daric Nellis as manufacturingengineer. Nellis had extensive experience withFinn-Power and other fabrication equipment.Laser BrillianceThe Finn-Power Laser Brilliance combinesa unique 30-station, 33-ton turret punch presswith the latest generation of CO2 lasers. TheSlab CO2 laser with 2500 Watts of power, isintegrated into the Laser Brilliance to allowfaster and economical fabrication while utilizinga wider range of sheet material than anyalternative cell on the market.Optimum use of the Finn-Power LaserBrilliance means that a fabricator can use theturret punch press where it is easier or fasterand the laser where it is the most effective.The LP allows the user to look at the parts todetermine the optimum process for everyproduction.Optimum use of the Finn-Power Laser Brilliancemeans that a fabricator canuse the turret punch presswhere it is easier or fasterand the laser where it is themost effective. The LBallows the user to look at theparts to determine theoptimum process for everyproduction.“It’s not that we are just making our own parts.We are now making better parts… because we are doingthings that our vendors could not do with our betterequipment. We have re-engineered many parts withtighter tolerances to be better and more cost effectivethan what we were getting from the job shops.”The combination of a 250” long Xtraverse, four clamps, and the extremely highpositioning and contour speed allowed by linearmotors means that more functions – punching,forming, tapping, marking and laser cutting –can be performed flexibly as a single multipurposework stage and with a single clamping.In the Laser Brilliance, process dwell timeshave either been eliminated or reduced tothe barest minimum. There is no need forre-clamping, and sheet positioning is extremelyfast. A major contributing factor is the fact thatmany material flow and handling operationsare performed simultaneously. Depending oncomponent geometry, manufacturing timereduction of 30-60% has been recorded incomparison with traditional manufacturingsolutions.Since there is no need for re-clamping,accuracy is retained at a very high level duringpunching and laser cutting. In addition tospeed, linear drives ensure excellent positioningaccuracy and consequently, repeatability in eachwork stage is maintained.Loading and Stacking RobotThe Finn-Power loading/unloading andstacking robot (LSR) is a material and parthandling robot that can be integrated into theLP6 laser punch. The LSR loads sheets to thelaser punch and stacks finished work piecesonto stacking pallets.The Finn-Power Laser Brilliance combines a unique 30-station, 33-ton turret punch press with the latest generation ofCO2 lasers. The Slab CO2 laser with 2500 Watts of power, is integrated into the Laser Brilliance to allow faster andeconomical fabrication while utilizing a wider range of sheet material than any alternative cell on the market.EBe Servo Electric Express BenderThe EBe servo electric Express Bender is abending solution that is designed specifically foreach fabricator’s production requirements tocontinued on page 1615

continued from page 15“We are proof that Finn-Power can payfor itself with minimum product runs.You don’t have to run it lights out to beprofitable.”achieve maximum productivity, product quality, and repeatability. TheEBe offers complete automation of the bending process. The bendingoperation cycle is fully automated from the loading of flat parts tounloading of the components.The EBe bending cell has a maximum bending length of 100” (2540mm) and a maximum opening height of 8” (200 mm). The newconstruction features actuations of the bending blade movements (verticaland horizontal) by NC servo axes instead of hydraulic cylinders. Theupper tool movements are also made by another NC servo axis.Finn-Power EBe provides the high bending quality required indemanding applications. This is achieved through precise control ofbending axes, fast and smooth bending, open programmability, andconstruction that is immune to variation in thermal conditions.Night TrainThe centerpiece of the Finn-Power automated sheet processingsystem is the Night Train Material Management System, which is theinventory and material transporting center. The Night Train FMSThe EBe servo-electric Express Bender is a bendingsolution that is designed specifically for each fabricator’sproduction requirements to achieve maximumproductivity, product quality, and repeatability.The EBe offers complete automation of thebending process.The servo-electric E press brake is a fast, accurate bending solution. By applying mechanicsand electronics, a unique, patented, mechatronic drive was developed.This drive is based on the pulley principle resulting in a very even distribution of forcesin the top beam, high accuracy, increased productivity, and decreased energy consumption,and few maintenance requirements.provides a total solution for unmanned operation for sheet metalfabricators by automating system control, as well as material flowwithin the system. This includes supplying raw material as well asremoving and storing work in process.“There have been CNC lasers and punch presses around fora long time, but tying them together with the Night Train makesthem all one big machine,” explains Carpenter. “The Night Trainsupplies the raw material and connects all the machines.”According to Nellis, the Night Train allows Wood Stone todramatically reduce labor costs while increasing quality. “We canrun the Finn-Power system with four people. We would need30 people to fabricate the same volume of product that we canproduce on the FP automated system. None of these employeeshad prior sheet metal fabrication experience before joining us.The software and the ease of interface between the person andthe machine allows this to happen. We are programming off line,so the experience that is needed is taken care of in the office.While inexperienced in sheet metal fabrication, our people arevery talented, but the Finn-Power technology makes quality muchmore consistent. You don’t need one person who has all theyears of experience and knowledge to handle every single partin order to get a quality part out. In addition, both the shop andoffice are connected to the Night Train, which allows us to seewhat raw material is in the Night Train and what parts arein process.”E Press BrakeThe servo-electric E press brake is a fast, accurate bendingsolution. By applying mechanics and electronics, a unique,patented, mechatronic drive was developed. This drive is basedon the pulley principle, resulting in a very even distribution offorces in the top beam, high accuracy, increased productivity, anddecreased energy consumption, and few maintenancerequirements. The frame concept makes it possible to utilize theback gauge system across the entire working length.16

Robotic Press BrakeThe high-precision robotic E press brakeprovides solutions for parts that are too large orthick for the EBe. Features include:■ Provides unmanned bending atmaximum speed■ Produces exceptionally consistent parts■ Eliminates 2-man operations forheavy components■ Can be integrated into Finn-Power’sFlexible Manufacturing System.The high-precision robotic E press brake provides solutionsfor parts that are too large or thick for the EBe automatedbender. Features include:Payback“We outsourced $4-million of parts withsub-contractors in 2007,” says Carpenter. “Thisyear, we produced half of these parts in-house.By the end of 2008 we should be doing 90%in-house. In five months, we are halfway tohaving the system pay for itself. It is alreadypaying for itself in better products andinventory reduction. Before the Finn-Powersystem, we had to live with the limitations andlead times. As a result, we had to order ineconomic quantities of parts that far exceededwhat we needed. We couldn’t risk having ourvendors getting too busy to supply our parts.Ultimately, we are planning a 75% reduction ininventory with the Finn-Power system. We aregetting back real estate with less shelving andfewer obsolete parts.”Tighter tolerances“It’s not that we are just making our ownparts,” adds Carpenter. “We are now makingbetter parts…because we are doing things thatour vendors could not do with our betterequipment. We have re-engineered many partswith tighter tolerances to be better and morecost effective than what we were getting fromthe job shops.”“Finn-Power helped us grow from no fabrication towhat is arguably one of the most sophisticated systemswest of Chicago. They also helped us source key peopleand provided outstanding training and support.”According to Nellis, depending upon thecapabilities of each job shop, there was avariation in how the parts were made. “Byproducing the parts in-house, we have morecontrol,” explains Nellis. “And our accuracy ismuch better than any shops around here. Ourtolerance is +/- .010”. We can comfortablyhold +/- .006” and have some parts where wecan hold +/- .002”. It isn’t difficult to do onthe Finn-Power equipment. By contrast, someof the shops we were using were holding just.020” or .030”. As a result, when we got toassembly, there would often be issues in makingthe parts fit. Today, with the Finn-Powerequipment, we are able to tighten tolerances oneverything, produce better products, and haveless time in assembly.”New manufacturing philosophyAccording to Wood Stone management,the Finn-Power automated system hasdramatically changed the manufacturingphilosophy of the company. “Finn-Power hastaken us from a laterally-integrated company –which outsourced most of our fabrication -- toan emerging vertically-integrated company,” saysCarpenter. “We are still getting there. Within ayear, we will be virtually vertically-integrated.Because of the capability of the Finn-Powerequipment, we are continually looking for waysto re-engineer our product line. In many cases,we are able to drop material thicknesses andgauges and keep just as much strength – and attimes, even increase the strength and rigiditywith thinner material. This makes our producteasier in material handling, lowers material andshipping costs, etc. The ability to re-engineerour products is the most exciting facet.“We have this huge capability with theFinn-Power system,” continues Carpenter.“But that is not the reason we purchased it.We bought the system for custom work.Everything we do is custom...In the past, somepeople would say, ‘I wouldn’t buy the Finn-Powersystem unless I had to make 10,000 part runs so thatit could pay for itself.’ However, we are proof thatFinn-Power can pay for itself with minimumproduct runs. You don’t have to run it lights outto be profitable.”“The Finn-Power system is the leastworrisome way of producing our products,”says Nellis. “Without it, we would have tomaintain all the people and all the machines toproduce them the traditional way. Before Finn-Power, we actually had more people in the shopand they were working 10 hour days for about4-6 months to make fewer products than weproduce today. With the Finn-Power, we havenever been as busy as we are today, but becauseof the automated system, the people in theshop don’t even feel it. They can’t tell howgood we are doing in the shop because todaythings flow so much smoother. We can run itat 10-15% capacity and still be profitable,because the parts we make are so custom thatthey were priced at a premium from the jobshop.”“We relied on Finn-Power to help uschoose our fabrication system,” concludesCarpenter. “Finn-Power helped us grow fromno fabrication to what is arguably one of themost sophisticated systems west of Chicago.They also helped us source key people andprovided outstanding training and support.”Portions of this article appeared in theSeptember 2008 issue of the The FabricatorCopies of this article can be obtained bycontacting Tiina Ayaydin (847) 952-6551or tiina@finnpower.com.17

FOCUS ON ROBOTICSby Cathy Powell Marketing Communications, FANUC RoboticsFANUC Robotics Introduces New M-2000iASuper Heavy-Duty Robot and ARC Mate WeldingRobots at IMTS 2008FANUC Robotics America Inc. introduced the new M-2000iA superheavy-duty robot and ARC Mate welding robots in a fabricationsystem demonstration during IMTS 2008.At the show, the new M-2000iA/900L super heavy-duty robotpositions a tractor frame near an R-2000iB/165F robot. The R-2000iB,equipped with iRVision ® 3DL, picks randomly piled brackets and placesthem on the tractor frame. Power clamps hold the brackets in place.The M-2000iA/900L then positions the tractor frame near two quad-armARC Mate robots (four new ARC Mate 120iC/10L and four ARC Mate100iC/6L robots) to simulate a coordinated welding sequence to weld thebrackets to the frame. Upon completion of the weld cycle, all elevenrobots demonstrate envelope or coordination paths. Finally, the R-2000iBrobot returns the brackets to the pick station and the cycle repeats itself.M-2000iA Super Heavy-Duty RobotDesigned to meet customer requirements for handling truck, tractor,and automotive frames and parts, the M-2000iA/900L robot offers a 900kg payload.“The M-2000iA is the world’s largest and strongest six-axis robot,”said Rich Meyer, product manager, FANUC Robotics. “It has the longestreach and the strongest wrist – surpassing all other six-axis robotsavailable today. The wrist strength sets a record, but more importantly,allows our customers to move large heavy parts a great distance withmaximum stability.”New M-2000iA and ARC Mate RobotsThe rigid arm design of the M-2000iA/900L has a vertical liftingstroke of 6.2 m for transferring extremely heavy items such as a car body.“We’re excited to provide our customers with this capability. It will helpthem meet production requirements, and save significant costs associatedwith conveyors, lifts and other fixed automation,” added Meyer.A second model in the super heavy-duty robot series, the M-2000iA/1200, offers a 1200 kg payload. The M-2000iA/1200 can supporta 1200 kg payload with a 1.25 m offset from the faceplate and fullarticulated motion at the wrist. The strongest power for all six axesenables a single M-2000iA/1200 robot to handle a super heavy part, whichpreviously required dual robots.The M-2000iA, like all FANUC robots, operates with the company’slatest R-30iA controller with integrated intelligent functions, such as visionand force sensing.M-2000iA - key features and benefits■ Maximum payload of 1200 kg (M-2000iA/1200) and 900kg(M-2000iA/900L)■ Vertical lifting stroke of 6.2 m (M-2000iA/900L)■ Rigid arm offers stable transferring of heavy payloads■ Strongest wrist in the world handles super heavy products with stability■ Wrist is IP67 protected for operation in harsh environments■ Built-in vision and force sensing■ Reduces costs associated with fixed automationNew ARC Mate 120iC intelligent welding robotFANUC Robotics’ new ARC Mate 120iC and ARC Mate 120iC/10Lare the latest in the popular ARC Mate series of robots featuring acompact design and class-leading reach and load capacity. The newrobots, combined with the ARC Mate100iC, offer customers the broadestfamily of welding robots available.18The ARC Mate 120iC robot offers areach of 1811 mm and a 20 kg payload;the ARC Mate 120iC/10L has a 2009mm reach and a 10 kg payload.The new ARC Mate 120iC is theonly welding robot with a 20 kg payloadand has the largest hollow wrist, offeringmultiple functions and eliminating cablemanagement issues. Handling andwelding can be accomplished without tool changers, and all cables can beenclosed inside the arm, improving reliability and ease of access.New M-2000iA and ARC Mate Robots“Our family of ARC Mate robots offer customers class-leadingoperation efficiency, reach, speed, load capacity, and enhancedperformance for welding parts of all shapes and sizes,” said Mike Sharpe,director of materials joining, FANUC Robotics.Leveraging off the success of the ARC Mate 100iC series robots, thenew ARC Mate 120iC integrates the wire feeder and welding torch cablewith the same slim profile, including the tightly integrated wire feeder(Lincoln AutoDrive 4R90) within the J3 arm.The ARC Mate 100iC and ARC Mate120iC also support a wide rangeof intelligent functions such as:■ iRVision ® (built-in) a ready-to-use robotic vision package.■ ROBOGUIDE-WeldPRO simulation package easily models the ARCMate’s dress-out, and downloads programs to the robot, which runwithout touch-up.■ Vision Shift eliminates the usual touch-ups and verifications associatedwith off-line programming or fixture and tool changes.■ Collision Guard detects robot collisions with external objects,minimizing damage to the part, robot, and torch.“ArcLink XT , the industry’s first Ethernet-based welding network isanother feature that provides a single point of control for both the robotand the welders. It is a flexible and powerful welding network that allowsthe R-30iA Controller to handle up to four welding power supplies(Lincoln i400),” said Sharpe.ArcLink XT , developed in partnership with Lincoln Electric, is thenext generation in arc welding network communications offeringimproved performance over existing welding communication methods.The connection to the welder is over the standard R-30iA Ethernetconnection.R-2000iB RobotThe R-2000iB represents a family of industrial robots, includingpedestal and rack mount versions with a variety of payloads and reaches.A slim arm and wrist assembly helps minimize interference with systemequipment and allows the robot to operate in small workspaces.New M-2000iA and ARC Mate RobotsIntegrated (built-in) VisionThe FANUC iRVision system is a ready-to-use robotic visionpackage, available on all FANUC robots, requiring only a camera andcable – no additional processing hardware. It has a 2D robot guidancetool to accomplish part location, error proofing, and other operationsthat normally require special sensors or custom fixtures. For roboticvision processes that exceed the capability of 2D vision systems, FANUCRobotics offers an integrated 3D vision system.

NEW EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHTFINN-POWER integrates servo electric punchingand laser cuttingFinn-Power's newly introducedpunch/laser combination providesversatile manufacturing capacity based onthe availability of both servo electric punchingand laser cutting capability in an integrated,flexible manufacturing cell.THE NEW LPe6:■ The turret punch press has a punching forceof 200 or 300 kN (22 or 33 US ton)■ A high-quality 2.5 kW laser beam formaximum sheet size either 3,074 mm x 1,565mm (120" x 60") or 4,300 mm x 1,565 mm(169" x 60").■ Maximum material thickness in punching is8mm (.314") and in laser cutting: 6mm(.236") (mild steel 8mm (.236")INNOVATIVE, ENERGY SAVINGPUNCH PRESS TECHNOLOGYFinn-Power's ECOPUNCH ® concept isa money saver in terms of energy consumption.It uses braking energy in the acceleration of thefollowing movement.The ECOPUNCH ® operating principle isa combination of electrical servo technologyand mechanical power transmission. Thepunching and forming stroke are based onhorizontal movement, made by a servo motor,which is converted into vertical ram movementand transmitted to a punching or forming tool.In the punching mode, a servo operatedwedge (1) moves over the roll connected to theram (2) causing it and, consequently, the tool (3)to move downwards. After the ram has reachedits programmed lower position, it returns backto its programmed upper position, actuated bypneumatic pressure. In the forming mode, rammovement is programmed to stop when thedesired forming stroke position has beenreached, after which the return movement ofthe roll and the ram begins. The stroke is NCcontrolled,which guarantees high formingaccuracy. The static counter-force required informing equals the maximum punching forceeven at zero ram speed.ENERGY SAVING PRINCIPLEFinn-Power's ECOPUNCH ® concept usesbraking energy in the acceleration of thefollowing movement.VERSATILE TURRETThe turret layout is customer specific.Various tool holder sizes can be changed orswitched from station to station. Thick turrettooling style is used. Up to 10 index stationscan be added. With Multi-Tool ® technology, upto 200 tools can be used simultaneously in theturret. Both indexable and fixed Multi-Tools ®are available.AUTOMATIC CLAMP SETTINGAND MOVINGFinn-Power's patented programmableautomatic clamp positioning eliminates the needfor clamp protection areas, as well as manualclamp set-up. Programmable clamp settingallows 100% material utilization and enables anindividual clamp to be moved during theprogram. Major material saving can be achieveddue to virtually no dead zones because of sheetholder clamps.A WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS:UpformingIn punching, the cell features Finn-Power'swell-known forming capabilities. Formingcapacity is especially versatile due to availabilityof upforming unit and progressive forming,which allows even the making of bends.The indexable upforming option is a servooperated ram installed in the lower machineframe, which lifts the lower forming tool to aprogrammed position. The tool is retractedafter forming, keeping high forming dies on thesame plane with the punching dies.The position of consecutive forming ramstrokes can be programmed individually,allowing progressive forming and bending. Rollforming tools can be used in sophisticated ways.Not uncommonly, even slightly complexforming operations have required theinstallation of several forming tools in theturret. This means not only a considerableinvestment in tooling, but a reduction inavailable turret capacity. The problem is solvedwith an indexable forming system, which usesstandard forming tools.Tooling optionsThe turret can be equipped with Multi-Tool ® stations to increase the number of tools.Multi-Tool ® stations are mounted on the turretlike a normal tool station, and the tools aremounted in rapidly changeable punch and diecassettes.The latest development in Multi-Tool ®technology is the possibility of using drop-instyle Multi-Tools ® on D-size index tool holders.Indexable or fixed angle drop-in Multi-Tools ®in different types and sizes are available.Marking and tappingSpecial marking tools are available withhardened spike or a diamond head for differentmaterials. Marking can be performed intoprogrammed depth and can thus be visible alsoafter painting.A six-station servo driven tapping unit canbe installed for extensive threading capacity.Alternatively, a one-station unit utilizing the fastindex system and accurate ram control isavailable.Environmental saving and reducedmaintenanceThe servo-electric punching system requiresthe minimum of maintenance equalling themaximum on environmental saving comparedwith other solutions. There is no hydraulic oilthat needs to be changed and central lubricationwith easy access point is standard in the system.19

CUSTOMER PROFILEForming is King at Pacific NorthwestHeater Manufacturer“The Finn-Power machine has accelerated ourtechnology by 30 years.”When Bob Wilson founded KingElectric Mfg. Company, Seattle, WA,in 1958 in a 9,500- square-footfacility with three employees, he outsourced allthe sheet metal fabrication and concentrated onassembly and sales of a single product line –baseboard heating units.Through the years, the company thrivedand evolved into a full-line heater manufacturerwith such product lines as residential fanheaters, architectural grade fan heaters, electricalfurnaces, radiant convection heaters, andcommercial unit heaters. King Electric’s marketarea has expanded throughout the U.S., Canada,and South America, selling through electricaldistributors such as Graybar and retailers suchas Lowe’s. Today, King Electric is housed in afacility with 100,000 square feet and 110employees. And the company now fabricates itsown sheet metal parts.Bob Wilson’s son Dean rejoined the familybusiness in 2006 after pursuing careerexperiences with other corporations and earningan MBA in Technology. While King Electrichas a proud history of success, at that time thecompany was facing two major challenges:Low-cost competition from China, and evenmore threatening, an emerging customer servicebacklog created by old fabricating equipmentand outdated manufacturing strategies andtechniques.Dean Wilson (left) and Bob Wilson chose the C5 Compact Express to combat the competitive pressures in themarketplace from China that were beginning to adversely affect their operation and also to modernize their outdatedfabrication equipment.China Syndrome & Old EquipmentIn 2006, King Electric took a hard look thecompetitive pressures in the marketplace thatwere beginning to adversely affect theiroperation. “Many of our competitors werestarting to import their products from China,”explains Dean Wilson, executive vice presidentof manufacturing. “We had to find a solutionin order to compete.” Wilson took a two-weekindustry tour of China and spoke to manyChinese manufacturers, trying to determine ifthere were benefits to giving up his company’smanufacturing operation and begin importingits products from China.Wilson also began evaluating an alternatestrategy for modernizing and automating hisexisting facility. “I wanted to select our newmanufacturing strategy before we selected theequipment,” says Wilson. “I believe that leanmanufacturing comes down to two words –eliminate waste.”At the time, King Electric’s metalworkingequipment consisted of hard tool punchpresses, press brakes, and old mechanical turretpunch presses. “One of our problems was thatwe were a batch run oriented shop,” saysWilson. Example: If King Electric had 500heaters to make, there would be several20

different batch operations in progress tocomplete the job. The process lackedcoordination in each batch operation. In somecases 500 parts were made…in other areas5,000 parts were produced. “There were oftenpart shortages in one stage of production andsurpluses in another,” reflects Wilson. “Thisresulted in bottlenecks that translated into longlead times and an increasing number offrustrated customers.”The old mechanical turret punch press thatwas in use could not utilize the latest nestingsoftware or advanced tooling on the market,resulting in wasted steps of production. First,the sheet had to be blanked to size on a shear.Then the blank was moved to the turret forfabrication, and again moved back to shear tocut out the part. “We started purchasing preshearedblanks, but now we were paying apremium for our steel,” says Wilson. “We hadnearly 35 different sizes of pre-sheared blanksat various areas throughout the shop. We werewasting production time and money by theprocess of shear, punch, and shear the part out.We had work in process (WIP) all over the shopfloor, and we were paying a premium for thepre-sheared blanks. In addition, we wereoutsourcing $250,000 to job shops in order tokeep up with our production demands.”In searching for a new turret punch press,Wilson was looking for a machine that couldutilize advanced tooling and software. After anextensive search, King Electric chose the C5Compact Express from Finn-Power. “When wecompared all the turret punch presses againstone another, the C5 Compact Express had thehighest level of technology,” reflects Wilson.The C5 Express adds unmanned operationto the C5 turret punch press through highlycompact load/unload automation. The unit’sloading /unloading solution utilizes the spaceabove and below the machine, requiring onlyslightly more space than a turret punch press.It is fast, with simultaneous loading andunloading during processing, accurate, and itTooling flexibility isimportant to KingElectric. Up to 10 autoindexand Multi-Tool ®holders may be installedin a Finn-Power turret.King Electric has fiveauto-index stations,three upformingstations, and threeMulti-Tool stations inthe C5.“The C5 Compact Express has allowed us to bringall of the $250,000 outsourcing to job shops backin-house. That was a plus to the bottom line fromthe first day the C5 Express was installed.”does not limit easy manual operation.The 20-station, 33-ton C5 hydraulic turretpunch press has a maximum sheet capacity of50” x 100” and is available with either Siemensor Fanuc controls.Tooling flexibility is important to KingElectric. Up to 10 auto-index and Multi-Tool ®holders may be installed in a Finn-Power turret.King Electric has five auto-index stations, threeupforming stations, and three Multi-Toolstations in the C5. Unique to the C5 turretpunch press, full tonnage indexable upformingallows complex forming operations to be madequickly by using a single forming tool.UpformingOne of the key parts to King Electric’smanufacturing operation is the ability to makelouvers. “Many of the louvers that we form arebent to a full 90 degrees, because we want toget the least resistance of air flow, with the hot“Our material utilizationhas increased dramaticallyto approximately 85%.”The C5 CompactExpress runs 40hrs./weekand often is performinglights out production forjobs running as long as16 - 20 hours.Lead times that were10 - 12 weeks are now2 - 3 weeks.air coming out of the heater. This creates a veryhigh form,” explains Wilson. “We form louversup to 3/8” high.”Finn-Power’s upforming feature provides aprecise process for knock-outs, louvers, andother forming. Finn-Power resolved theconventional problem of the die heightimpeding free sheet movement. Finn-Power’sdesign allows forming heights up to 16 mm(0.62”), with the forms made by the die movingupwards and then retracting, allowingcompletely free sheet movement, eliminatingscratched or jammed sheets.“We had a high-volume part with a difficultlouver that was important for us,” says Wilson.“Finn-Power and Wilson Tool Internationalwere able to give us a 4-3/4” length louver in astandard 3-1/2” station by doing custommachine work on a tool holder. This flexibilityis one of the reasons we chose the Finn-Powermachine.”Before and AfterOne challenging part for King Electric wasa grille which has a louver at 54 degrees for theintake air and a louver at 90 degrees for thedischarge air. The punch height of the tool onthe old mechanical turret could not be changedso this was a 2-step operation. “We could onlypunch at 54 degrees,” says Wilson. “We thentook the grille to another mechanical punchpress that had a set of dies that allowed us totake them to 90 degrees.”On the Finn-Power C5, King Electric isable to make these louvers in a single operationon a nested sheet, which allows the company toproduce 24 parts on a 4’ x 8’ sheet. Before theC5, these parts were produced one at a time.With the C5’s automated loader, the company isable to accomplish all of this with no operatorcontinued on page 2221

continued from page 21“With the old method of production, our cost was$9/grille. With Finn-Power, our cost is $3/grille.We make 60,000 of these parts a year.”One challenging part for King Electric was a grille whichhas a louver at 54 degree for the intake air and a louver at90 degrees for discharge air. The punch height of the toolon the old mechanical turret could not be changed so thiswas a 2-step operation. On the Finn-Power C5,King Electric is able to make these louvers in a singleoperation on a nested sheet, which allows the company toproduce 24 parts on a 4’ x 8’ sheet, reducing the cost from$9/grille to $3/grille.labor and no load/unload labor. “With the oldmethod of production, our cost was $9/grille,”continues Wilson. “With Finn-Power, our costis $3/grille. We make 60,000 of these parts ayear. In addition, the C5 Compact Expresshas allowed us to bring all of the $250,000outsourcing to job shops back in-house. Thatwas a plus to the bottom line from the first daythe C5 Express was installed. The firstprograms that I wrote were for the outsourcedparts.”According to King Electric, the Finn-PowerC5 Compact Express has created a differentway of thinking and a different philosophy inrunning the shop. “There has been a culturechange in our company,” says Wilson. “We aremoving forward, and the benefits are becomingmore obvious every day. Our materialutilization has increased dramatically toapproximately 85%. The full-sized sheets werun negate the premium for pre-sheared blanks.Common line cutting helps with that materialutilization and cuts down on the amount ofscrap and skeletons. We no longer have WIPinventory all over the shop floor. When we run500 heaters, all the matching parts are comingoff the machine together. This creates anefficient work flow throughout our factory.”Other features of the C5 Compact Expressinclude:■ Super fast servo hydraulic punching –Nibbling speeds up to 1100 hpm. Theservo-controlled ram, stroke speed, andposition are fully and individually adjustablein both directions. Another benefit isdifferent punching modes (punch, QuietPunch, downforming, and marking).■ Easy loading – Four optimally-positionedgauge pins allow easy loading of blanks orfull-sized sheets. Sheet loading is performedwith a simple push and always close to thetable edge. Sheet supports rise from thetable to allow easy positioning of heavymaterial.■ Efficient unloading – The C5 delivers theprocessed components to a freelyprogrammable position on the table,increasing the operator’s efficiency. Theentire material flow on the C5 can beconducted from just one side. This allowsfor simple and efficient logistics and enablesthe machine to be positioned anywhere onthe shop floor – even in a corner.■ Automatic Clamp Setting & Movement –Finn-Power’s patented automatic clampsetting PCS is a standard C5 feature. Itautomatically positions sheet clampsaccording to the numerical program, virtuallyeliminating dead zones. When changingproduction from full size to small sheets,clamp settings can be made automaticallywithout wasting operator time.■ Work Chute -- Finn-Power’s work chute isnot just a drop door or a work chute in theordinary sense. Its mechanism allows thereception of several components to 19.7” x19.7” in size onto a level from which theysubsequently exit from the machine as astack.Lights Out ManufacturingThe C5 Compact Express runs 40/weekand often is performing lights out productionfor jobs running as long as 16 – 20 hours.Wilson has the C5 Compact Express hookedup with a web cam so that he can monitor themachine at night. “The C5 has become themechanism that allows us maintain control overour factory operations,” says Wilson. “Nowwhen we quote a lead time to a customer, wemeet it. Lead times that were 10 – 12 weeks arenow 2 – 3 weeks. Today, we are almost buildingto order…we are producing in real time. Thereis a lot of predictability. It certainly takes out alot of stress for our managers.”Wilson believes that the C5 CompactExpress has revolutionized his company’smanufacturing operations. “The Finn-Powermachine has accelerated our technology by 30years.” Wilson identifies other key benefits as:■ Eliminating secondary operations and gettingmore work off the turret. “We can use theWilson rolling shear, rib, and offset – whichwere normally press brake operations – andthe rolling wheel allows us to cut out largecircles…without having to nibble that out,which takes a long time.■ Welding time has been slashed by 40-50%because the precision of the C5 allows formore accurate parts.■ 25% savings in assembly.■ 30% savings in raw material – with theelimination of pre-sheared blanks and alsoless scrap and fewer parts being thrownaway.■ $250,000 savings from elimination ofoutsourcing.■ Payback on the machine will be one to1-1/2 years.“I’ve seen a lot of added benefits thatweren’t on my mind when we first bought theC5 Compact Express,” concludes Wilson.“This machine has helped implement a culturechange within King Electric. Without thismachine, we couldn’t have done it. It hasremoved a lot of barriers and allowed us toimplement modern manufacturing strategies.”Portions of this article appeared in the September2008 issue of MetalFormingCopies of this articles can be obtained bycontacting Tiina Ayaydin at (847) 952-6551or tiina@finnpower.com.22

FOCUS ON TOOLINGGoing Beyondby John Galich, Marketing Manager, MATE PRECISION TOOLINGIn today’s environment, fabricators want togo beyond the norm and are looking foradditional ways to reduce costs, increase ormaintain uptime and expand the capabilities oftheir facilities. Finn-Power is expert at helpingfabricators process flat sheet metal into finishedparts. Couple innovative tooling solutionsdeveloped by Mate Precision Tooling withFinn-Power’s expertise and you have anunbeatable combination that can help yourfacility prosper.Throughout 2008, Mate developed several“off-the-shelf ” thick turret products that helpfabricators streamline manufacturing processesand take advantage of new businessopportunities. For more unique or complexsituations, Mate’s Custom Engineering groupworked closely with customers to providespecific applications. Following are somehighlights from 2008:EASYVIEW DIESMate’s new thick turretEasyView Slug Free ® die isthe world’s first tooling systemwith built-in lean visualmanagement technology.Using a colored O-ringdesigned to provide clearand instant identification,the new EasyView SlugFree design allows usersto assign visual identification to signify aspecific feature or use of the tool, includingmaterial type, machine location die clearanceand more. The choice is up to the fabricator.O-rings are available in five colors for allEasyView die sizes.To eliminate slug pulling, Slug Free diegeometry is incorporated into all thick turretEasyView dies. Slug pulling is a conditionwhere the slug returns to the top of the sheetduring the stripping portion of the punchingcycle; this causes damage to the piece part andthe tooling. Slug Free dies are designed with anopening that has a constriction point below thesurface to prevent slug return.EasyView makes it faster and easier forusers to make the correct decision every time,and eliminates wasted time looking for thecorrect tool.ENUMERATORMate’s Enumerator is a numbering toolthat stamps sequential serial or fixed numbersof up to six characters on sheet metal parts.Using a 3-1/2” D Station, the dedicated holderdesign includes an easy external lengthadjustment mechanism to accommodatematerial thickness from 0.020(0.50) to0.236(6.00). The holderalso features fourexternal keyways thatallow 0, 90, 180, 270degree orientation, formaximum flexibility.The core of theMate Enumerator is arobust stamping headthat uses up to sixnumerical stamp wheels. The Mate Enumeratoroperates in two modes:■ Sequential Number Mode, where theEnumerator advances by one number foreach complete stroke the tool makes—essential where part traceability isimportant■ Fixed Number Mode, where fixed numbers,such as a date, batch number or partnumber are importantAs the tool is stroked by the machine,the engraved characters leave a crisp and cleanmark in the top surface of the material. As thetool retracts, it advances the stamp wheel to thenext number in the sequence.CUSTOM SOLUTIONSIf you want to further expand thecapabilities of your Finn-Power press, Mate’sCustom Engineering group is at your service.Its mission is to provide Mate’s customers witha competitive advantage by offering creativesolutions, effective tool designs and friendlyproduct support for their special applicationrequirements. Here are just two examples ofhow Mate’s Custom Engineering group helpedcustomers:COLD FORGE EMBOSSConsistency and reliability are essentialsafety requirements in the electronic enclosuresindustry. One such requirement is the inclusionof the electrical earth (“ground”) symbolincluded on the enclosures. (In an electricalenvironment, "ground" refers to a physicalconnection to the earth.) The electrical earthsymbol must be permanently affixed andvisible. Since some parts are also painted, manyenclosure manufacturers apply an earth symbollabel, which is a costly process when youconsider the purchase of the labels andsecondary operation to apply them. Anotherpotential cost: if the label is missing ordefaced, the part could fail an electricalinspection process.In this particular situation, the customerneeded the earth symbol to be visible afterpainting and wanted to avoid any secondaryoperations. The customer needed to create aform that was 0.040(1.00) high in 0.048(1.20)23mild steel on its Finn-Power press. Oursolution was Mate’s Ultraform 1-1/4” Bstation, inverted, spring loaded, cold-forgedemboss assembly. This special assembly isdesigned to permanently emboss the earthsymbol in the sheet metal during the punchingcycle when the metal is pinched between theupper and lower tool.This approach offered many benefits,including:■ Elimination of a secondary operation■ Improved throughput time, since the partdoes not have to be handled twice■ Improved part quality, because the form ispermanent and cannot be removed.■ Ensured consistency,since the location ofthe form is fixed bythe machine programMate’s cold-forgedemboss is a greatapplication to meet these standards. You canalso use the cold-forge emboss for othersituations, too. For example, a company can useit to expand its brand “footprint” and embossits company logo on the part to help it standout from the competition.Another example of Mate’s CustomEngineering prowess is when a job shopneeded to make a small quantity of stainlesssteel lock washers for a military application thatwere not commercially available.Mate's solution was thick turret presstooling that will punch, form and blank out therequired lock washers. The washer's small sizeand complex tooth geometry posed severalchallenges on how to create the tooling. Afterdesigning the complex tooth geometry via astate-of-the-art 3D CAD system, each tool wasmachined using a very small (.016(0.40)diameter) cutting tool in hardened tool steel to60-61 Rockwell.The finished lock washer is produced inthree hits: Pre-piercing the ID with a specialshape tool to create the flat teeth; formingthe teeth with a SA emboss; and punchingthe completed lock washer with a roundblanking tool.By combining the high performancefeatures of Finn-Power punch presses withinnovative tooling solutions from MatePrecision Tooling, fabricators are empoweredto go beyond and expand their capabilities; togo beyond and eliminate secondary operationsto improve quality, maximize uptime andincrease efficiency.For more information about Mate toolingsystems for Finn-Power punch presses, visitmate.com/finn-power. For information onMate’s Custom Engineering Group, please visitmate.com/sa/.

FINN-POWER GROUPP.O. Box 38FIN-62201 KauhavaFINLANDTel. + 358 6 428 2111Fax + 358 6 428 2244www.finn-power.comPRIMA FINN-POWERNORTH AMERICA555 W. Algonquin RoadArlington Heights, IL 60005U.S.A.Tel. +1 847 952 6500Fax. +1 847 952 6530www.finn-power.comPRIMA INDUSTRIE S.p.AVia Antonelli, 3210097 Collegno (To)ITALYTel. +39 011 4103 1Fax. +39 011 411 28 27www.primaindustrie.comPRIMA NORTH AMERICA, INC.711, East Main StreetChicopee, MA 01020U.S.A.Tel. +1 413 598 5200Fax. +1 413 598 5201www.prima-na.com