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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