Product category:
Power presses, hydraulic
News Release from: AP and T AB, Automation, Press and Tooling | Subject: ZM 5,000kN hydraulic press
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 August 2007
Hydraulic press lengthens SS stamping
die life
Hydraulic draw press has consistently produced the most challenging stainless parts with low scrap rates and has increased die life - for years without sharpening.
A leading USA appliance manufacturer, Viking, wishing to expand its production, paid a visit to a Swedish subcontractor it occasionally used for stainless steel dishwasher components Impressed with the quality of the dishwashers coming from Asko Cylinda, Viking management decided to take a trip to Vara, Sweden to tour the plant and evaluate its production capabilities
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 5 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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(At Vara it's not unusual to run nineteen different tool sets over a three-day period).
After returning from their Sweden trip, Viking's management selected an AP and T ZM 5,000kN (500 tonf) hydraulic press for one of their Greenwood plants.
Since the press would have to be used for blanking and drawing a range of parts, the machine had to be designed for flexibility.
This meant including features like a wide coil window, a secondary hydraulic system, and a two level press control system.
The ZM 5,000kN press was installed by AP and T personnel in September, 2001.
Many of the characteristics that make stainless so difficult to work with - hardness, susceptibility to tearing and cracking, springback and easily marred surfaces - are further amplified by the complex forming and high aesthetic standards required of Viking stampings.
Yet according to Viking's plant manager - Dishwasher, Billy Peacock: "The AP and T press has consistently produced the most challenging stainless parts with low scrap rates." In addition, the new press addressed another chronic problem endemic to stainless steel stamping: short die life.
Before the ZM-5000, some dies were lasting as few as a hundred cycles before they needed sharpening.
By contrast, the same dies are now going for years without sharpening; one die has been in use for three years and has yet to require service.
** Production demand increases - as demand for the Viking dishwasher line grew, it became obvious the product would need its own dedicated production facility.
So in 2005, construction planning for the new facility began, as did the search for a new press to handle the stamping duties.
Although experience with the existing AP and T press had been very encouraging, management wanted to be certain they had found the best press for the application.
As a result, the search initially included both mechanical and hydraulic presses.
There were three major selection criteria: reliability/precision; cost and machine height.
One of the competitors fell out early in the running, because its machine was simply too tall to fit into the new facility.
In the end, Peacock and the others on the selection team decided to purchase a second AP and T hydraulic press.
The new AP and T press actually has fewer features than the one Viking purchased in 2001.
Since this new unit will be producing a narrower range of parts exclusively for the dishwasher line, it doesn't require the operational flexibility the current press needs.
Accordingly, the machine was specified with a narrower coil window, a single hydraulic unit, and a single level of control.
However, several features were considered absolutely essential for the new machine.
For instance, motorised damping spindles to cushion impacts, minimize die wear, reduce operating noise, and 'keep the building from shaking'.
This second AP and T press is also equipped with an automatic hydraulic tool clamping system, as well as a tool monitoring interface system that links mounted dies directly to the press control system.
The new AP and T ZM-5000 press is at the heart of Viking's dishwasher production facility in the new plant in Greenwood.
Thanks to the best combination of capabilities, precision and dependability, Viking has expanded its production capabilities and consolidated its position as one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality household appliances.
** About Viking - the Viking Range Corporation has one of the most impressive reputations for style and quality in the appliance business.
The Greenwood, Misissipi company was one of the first to bring commercial kitchen performance and design into home kitchens - and in the process, they popularised the high-level stainless steel finish that defines current kitchen style.
This is a company with some of the highest standards for metal forming precision and aesthetics in any industry.
So it's no surprise that they have equally high standards when it comes to specifying metal forming equipment.
According Peacock, Viking has always faced a wide range of metal forming challenges.
While Viking production has greatly increased over the years, it still produces a relatively small number of stamped parts compared to other appliance manufacturers.
The stampings they produce often require complex draws and piercing, as well as sharp corners and creases and an absolute requirement for final products with flawless exterior finishes.
Also, an unusually large proportion of Viking's stamped parts are stainless steel, including their signature exterior panels.
On some Viking products, half of the formed parts are a stainless alloy.
Stainless is a notoriously difficult material to form, and as a result, Viking had experienced an unacceptably high scrap rate due to flaws or offal formation.
Since their first kitchen range in 1987, Viking's product line has expanded into virtually every kind of kitchen appliance from toasters to refrigerators and ventilation systems.
As a result, their approach to metal forming has constantly evolved over the years.
They've gone from outsourcing their stamping, to using press brakes, to investing in hydraulic presses of increasing capacity and sophistication - all in an effort to gain greater control over the design, quality, and availability of their stamped parts.
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