Several operational strategies can help moldmakers increase the value they reap from their EDM processes. In wire EDM, for example, the type of wire used can cut costs and improve efficiency. Brass is a commonly used and cost-effective wire material, but zinc-coated wire can increase speeds by up to 15 percent for improved productivity. [...]
Proper preventative maintenance is crucial in keeping EDM machines running as efficiently and economically as possible. Operators need to check and maintain consumables—such as power feeders, filters and resin—regularly to prevent unstable, inaccurate machining. […]
The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model and analysis is commonly used to make decisions when purchasing new equipment. Part of this evaluation process should include an audit: an evaluation of current equipment and manufacturing operations to determine the capacity or capability for meeting present and future operational requirements. […]
When TCO principals are applied to major elements associated with the operation of the sinker EDM equipment, such as graphite electrode materials, the value proposition and productivity of these elements start to impact profitability of owning and operating the equipment. […]
This article is to identify attributes about your company that attract, maintain and grow your business. Hopefully, you take my advice and ask your customers. Now you need to determine, deploy and evaluate the right marketing option to get your message out. You need a plan to keep and grow your current customer base and [...]
Whether you are looking to upgrade an existing CAM software solution or purchase one for the first time, the following tips can help you to make the right choices for your company. […]
Vibration dampening tools—or silent tools as they are sometimes referred to—have been around for quite a while. Mold and die shops incorporate such tools to eliminate vibration issues associated with the long slender tools needed to machine the deep and narrow cavities of molds and dies. […]
For thousands of product designers worldwide, the answer is sculptural CAD—a category of digital solutions that better accommodate the modeling and prep-for-manufacture of highly detailed, complex, organic designs. Some sculptural CAD solutions allow designers to work with digital clay and are based on voxels—think of voxels as 3-D pixels that can be easily repositioned, like [...]
Going green, or becoming an environmentally-conscious shop, may sound like a daunting task. However, the truth is that there are many common sense approaches to improving your shop that will not only reduce your carbon footprint, but also your production costs. […]
More sophisticated tooling technologies are always evolving. One advancement that improves efficiency and speed is a hydraulic locking core pull cylinder. By employing this method of actuating a core pull, molders can take advantage of smaller mold bases, […]