August 2021
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING HIGH PRESSURE DRY AIR?
There have been significant improvements in both speed and quality using high or low pressure dry air systems. This change has been occurring on flat lasers for the last few years and now BLM GROUP is leading the way in processing tube with air as well.
READ MORE >
WHAT KIND OF GAS IS BEST FOR CERTAIN MATERIALS OR THICKNESSES? WHY?
The power level really controls which gases can be used with different material types: Aluminum, Stainless, & Mild Steel
READ MORE >
February 2020
WHAT IS A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?
Digital Transformation is the process of solving business problems with digital technology instead of traditional methods. Digital information can be easily indexed and studied for trends to increase business intelligence and identify areas of risk.
READ MORE >
WHAT’S THE VALUE OF A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR A JOB SHOP?
Many job shops fear a digital system could not accommodate the variety of work they do. They also feel Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are intended for large manufacturing operations, would require customizations, and are overkill for their small to mid-size business.
READ MORE >
February 2020
WHAT ARE YOUR MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS?
To ensure the tooling is correct for your application, it’s critical to know your material specifications when requesting a quote. The properties of each material react differently when being bent or formed. Part of the material and the final part is figuring out the wall factor.
READ MORE >
WHAT TYPE OF TOLERANCE DOES YOUR PART REQUIRE?
There are three factors that should be considered when discussing tolerance with the tooling supplier: part tolerance, material tolerance, and the tolerance that “needs” to be held during production. Each is critical to help the supplier make sure the full range of the tolerances will work with the tooling, so you can reach the expected results for the finished part you are processing.
READ MORE >
April 2019
HOW DOES YOUR SOFTWARE SAVE MONEY?
Our transportation management solution, Glass TMS, saves money in three distinct ways: First, by providing ‘optimal’ routes. We have built a proprietary artificial intelligence algorithm that ‘searches’ for the optimal combinations of loads and routes. By ‘optimal,’ we mean the combination of routes for a day’s worth of shipping that results in the fewest miles driven, least traffic, fewest hours worked, lowest toll amounts paid, and fewest trucks shipped.
READ MORE >
HOW MUCH DO YOU TYPICALLY SAVE?
When we do the analysis above, we typically find that the savings are on the order of 15% of your total freight budget. So, if you run an operation that has a $2,000,000 annual freight line item, $300,000 is a reasonable savings expectation.
READ MORE >
September 2018
IS THERE A WAY TO REDUCE DOWNTIME ON YOUR SLITTING LINE BY ELIMINATING THE NEED TO HAND-MEASURE MULTS?
Yes. At IMS, we’ve developed a camera-based compact width gauge which makes hand measurements unnecessary. This gauge also helps to improve safety because your operators are no longer need to put their hands in harm’s way.
READ MORE >
DOES IMS SUPPLY MORE THAN GAUGES?
Yes. That’s because we’re committed to helping our customers solve (or avoid) production problems by using our extensive knowledge of operations and processes. Much of our in-house understanding of the challenges faced by processors and service centers results from many of our team members having worked extensively in steel and aluminum production facilities.
READ MORE >
September 2018
WHAT ARE SOME INDICATORS THAT A COMPANY IN THE METALS INDUSTRY SHOULD CONSIDER A THIRD-PARTY LOGISTICS PROVIDER (3PL) LIKE RYDER?
It is becoming increasingly common for companies in the metals industry to turn to third-party logistics providers to meet demand and control costs. Signs that a company might need third-party logistics support include pressure from capacity constraints and driver shortages.
READ MORE >
WHAT ARE SOME KEY BENEFITS RYDER CAN PROVIDE TO A COMPANY IN THE METALS INDUSTRY?
Companies that outsource their logistics to Ryder are freed up to focus on their core business while enjoying significant cost savings and an optimized supply chain.
READ MORE >
June 2018
WHY USE MTS LINEAR POSITIONING SENSORS?
Years of research and development have led us to R-Series V, the fifth generation and next step in the innovative evolution of our sensors. MTS Sensors has maintained the qualities weve come to be known by.
READ MORE >
HOW WILL R-SERIES V SENSORS BENEFIT THE STEEL INDUSTRY?
MTS R-Series rod-style sensors for hydraulic cylinders offer accurate and robust linear position sensors for harsh environments, providing linear position feedback with sub-micron resolution and are built to last, surviving impact shocks of up to 150 g.
READ MORE >
August 2017
WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING PRESS BRAKES. WHY SHOULD WE INVESTIGATE CNC FOLDING TECHNOLOGY?
Folders don’t actually compete with press brakes; they complement them. When parts become difficult on a press brake because of the physical size or multiple complex bends, a CNC folder will provide some real advantages.
READ MORE >
AREN’T THE FOLDING MACHINES MEANT FOR LARGE BATCH SIZES OR PRODUCTION RUNS?
Older folding machines were dedicated to a certain type of part and were production oriented but didn’t offer flexibility. Today, CNC folding machines have quick tool setup and the ability to drag solid models into the control, lending themselves to lean manufacturing and small batch sizes.
READ MORE >
September 2016
WHAT IS BIN PICKING?
Bin picking is an automation application where the challenge is to automate the removal of oriented parts stored in bins or boxes, resulting in an empty container. Parts can be either nicely stacked or randomly ordered in the bin.
READ MORE >
WHY SHOULD I INTRODUCE ROBOTIC BIN PICKING INTO MY PROCESS?
With reliable robotic bin picking, a machine tool work center could remove the larger part singulation system and replace this with a lower maintenance robot and PLB solution within a smaller footprint. The system's ability to find randomly oriented parts with 3-D vision greatly reduces the need to sort or handle incoming materials.
READ MORE >
September 2016
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY COMPANY NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT A NEW SOLUTION OR UPGRADE OUR CURRENT ONE?
Whatever your business challenges, if you are not addressing those concerns effectively at present and feel like whatever you have done to this point is only a "bandage" providing temporary relief, it is probably time to change the system or technology you are using.
READ MORE >
AREN'T ERP SYSTEMS COMPLEX AND HARD TO USE?
In recent years, the landscape has had a tectonic shift—industry-specific solutions with multiple deployment options that focus not only on features required but also the user experience and how people want to work are the norm. However, with choice, comes the need to be even more diligent and clear about your requirements ahead of time.
READ MORE >
August 2016
WHAT IS THE SMALLEST HOLE THAT CAN BE CUT?
Usually it is fair to say that a 1:1 hole ratio can be cut with plasma. This is in mild steel. Stainless, copper, brass, aluminum, and other alloys may be closer to 1.5:1.
READ MORE >
IS A TWO-TORCH MACHINE, ONE FOR SHEET METAL AND ONE FOR THICKER MATERIAL, A GOOD IDEA? WHY?
Yes! Weve seen this in a number of shops that run the extreme range of thicknesses. Weve seen many customers purchase an air plasma AND an HPR on the same gantry system. A combo system. Here is the reason why.
READ MORE >
March 2016
WHY WOULD I ADOPT LASER CUTTING TECHNOLOGY FOR MY PRODUCTION?
Lasers can provide a very flexible method for cutting and engraving parts. These machines are data driven using CAM software to develop machine and process codes for optimizing the results for the material being processed.
READ MORE >
WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF LASERS ARE AVAILABLE?
There are a dizzying array of laser types and power levels. For cutting and engraving, the primary two are fiber laser and CO2 lasers.
READ MORE >
August 2015
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY COMPANY NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT A NEW, OR CHANGE OUR EXISTING, ERP SYSTEM?
Typically, it’s because the company finds itself facing a set of challenges that prevents it from operating as efficiently or as productively as it could.
READ MORE >
WHAT DOES MY COMPANY NEED TO DO PRIOR TO RESEARCHING ERP SYSTEMS AND VENDORS?
Before you start shopping for an ERP system, it’s worth agreeing on your organization’s ERP strategy.
READ MORE >
May 2015
WHAT KIND OF TESTING SHOULD I DO, AT A MINIMUM?
Physical testing that demonstrates how well your product’s performance matches your stated specifications is a must.
READ MORE >
IS ANY MATERIALS TESTING MACHINE TRULY UNIVERSAL?
Technically no, because every machine is defined by capacity/force and customizable with different grips and accessories according to application requirements. However, a universal machine should be able to run a vast range of important tests as specified by ASTM, ISO, and other national and international test standards.
READ MORE >
May 2015
WHY SHOULD COMPANIES CARE ABOUT AUTOMATION WHEN THEY'RE DOING WELL WITH THEIR CURRENT PROCESS?
Any company cutting lengths of metal, or drilling, boring and machining in any way, should care about automation.
READ MORE >
WHAT CAN BE AUTOMATED?
Any repetitive material process can be automated. For ferrous processing, that might mean automating a cold saw, a drill, or maybe a bandsaw.
READ MORE >
October 2014
WHAT ARE THE COMMON METHODS OF MAKING METAL PROTOTYPES?
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), magnesium thixomolding, metal injection molding (MIM), and computer numerical control (CNC) machining.
READ MORE >
WHAT ARE METAL INJECTION MOLDING (MIM) and DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING (DMLS)?
MIM makes intricate, fully dense, net-shape, intricate parts while DMLS is an additive manufacturing process that uses a laser system that draws onto a surface of atomized metal powder, welding the powder into a solid.
READ MORE >
September 2014
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF SLITTING LINESand choosing the right type of line for your application is a critical process. Determining your true needs is the best place to start. Herr-Voss Stamco can answer your questions with issues pertaining to high-strength steels, aluminum requirements, looping pits, shape corrections and more in this slitting lines FAQ.
READ MORE >
