Essay: Modern Computer Controlled Stamping (metal pressing)

Introduction
In the modern world, the use of metal has been in use in making automobile parts. The metals used in making these parts are in rigid shapes as well as sizes, which hinder them from being directly used. In making the needed shapes as well as sizes in the manufacturing of some parts, there is a process undertaken to the sheet-metal known as metal pressing. Metal pressing is defined as a process where solid metals are made thin or flat pieces, which is the common method for metals manufacturers (Wang and Zhou 67). According to Hua, Guishan & Jianwen (93), metal pressing is a manufacturing process involving fabrication through shaping metals to sheets. In the present world, the process involves various processes, which are known as classical processes. Metal pressing is a complex method, which requires many shaping processes. Furthermore, the final processes involve methods such as welding, binding as well as riveting.
History
Metal pressing was first used in mass production of bicycles in the early 1890s (Yin & Zhou 24). The process replaced die machining as well as forging, which resulted in effective cost reduction. Even though the parts from the metal pressing process were not strong compared to die forging, the parts were of good quality. Metal parts were being imported to Germany as well as U.S. in 1980, and then companies from the two countries started using pressing methods. Many automobile companies adopted the method later. According to Wang and Zhou (73), some automobile companies had resisted the use of metal pressing process, but with these companies not satisfying the demand through die forging, they were forced to utilize metal processing method by late 1980s.
How metal pressing works
The metal pressing involves sheets of metals being fed to a press between pressing die to cut metal to desired shapes as well as sizes (Hua, Guishan & Jianwen 92). The process enables metal elements to be distributed in desired quantities. The metal pressing process ensures flexible service for large as well as the small production of pressed elements, through the use of ferrous as well as non-ferrous metal sheets. This process involves placing flat metal sheets in blank form to a press in which die surface and a tool forms the metal to a desired shapes as well as sizes (Hua, Guishan & Jianwen 94). The process includes some metal forming processes including punching by use of blanking, bending, coining as well as stamping press. The process involves a single procedure in which each press stroke creates a desired sheet metal or can also happen via some stages. The process of metal pressing can be carried out on a metal sheet and also on materials including polystyrene. According to Wang and Zhou (71), metal pressing is done on metal sheets, which are cold.
Metal pressing involves lubricant, produced in a process known as tribology and protect the die surface as well as the tool from galling. Also, the lubricant protects the metal sheet as well as finished sheets from abrasion and facilitates the flow of materials from wrinkles and tears. Some lubricants, which are used in metal pressing process animal fat, mineral oil, soap as well as acrylic oil. The modern oil used in current technology is polymer lubricants, which might be oil-free or non-oil lubricants (Sheng-long 63).
Current status
In modern days, fine blanking process is a type of metal pressing process, which is being used in making metal sheets flat as well as metal edges. It is a process used in current automotive industry in the forming of metal sheets. This process is used due to its quality level as well as the material size, where the used tools make the cost effective. In this current process, chances of metals to fracture are little while shearing. For instance, the process can make holes on a piece of the metal sheet through shearing without damaging it no matter the metal size, thickness or spaces between the holes. The process is being used in making complex shapes in a very short time, without many stages in the process. According to Yin & Zhou (24), fine blanking is a bypass for procedures such as forging, fabrication as well as casting in manufacturing. This process includes the combination of punching, extrusion as well as stamping procedures. It is a less expensive process compared to other processes including casting. However, this process cannot be used in making 3-D shapes.
Cost of equipment
In metal pressing, the equipment is a significant factor as they do not change varying on the produced quantities of products. The metal pressing process is a process of forming metal sheet being done mechanically as well as hydraulic presses relying on the product at the end. The cost of tooling, as well as equipment, is high, but due to production in large volume and low cost of labor many automotive industries uses the pressing process known as deep drawing.
Cost to manufacture a part(s)
The cost of manufacturing a part of metal through metal pressing is associated with complexity, thickness as well as the height of produced profile (Hua, Guishan & Jianwen 93). The cost can be valued from the press’s manufacturer. The cost valuation is significant information in the calculation of the cost of manufactured parts. However, the metal press process has the equipment, which adapts efficiently to various productions. As a result, the factor contribution of this process can be considered as zero (Yin & Zhou 24).
Pros/cons compared to similar manufacturing methods
Pros
The metal pressing method is an accurate, fast as well as cost effective result to manufacture complex products in large quantities. The method is also more suitable for both medium and high volumes as the set-up of per part as well as labor costs decrease as levels of production increases. The method can be carried out manually, however; efficiency is enhanced through the use of automated presses as well as the incorporation of secondary operations in the press (Sheng-long 62). To increase parts value in using the press method, operations such as the automatic stud, die tapping as well as welding can be incorporated with the press method.
Innovative designs, as well as complex products, can be made using metal pressing technique. Other advantages of using this method include the flow of materials, tolerances as well as repeatability, which are not possible while using other methods. Through the metal press method, its metal parts allow low costs per part as the metal is bought in coil rather than steel sheet as well as production of less scrap during the process of production (Wang and Zhou 69). Companies, which has the abilities to press in their techniques of production including Swift
The future
The future of metal pressing technique in various industries will rely on the future industry’s needs. With current inclination on cost cutting as well as lean manufacturing, the pressing process will remain the significant technique towards many industries. According to Sheng-long (62), the traditional techniques such as extrusion, bending as well as forging will remain being active but at a lower rate. Nevertheless, the traditional techniques need some updates for them to match with the future issues. In future, there will be more usage of modern metal sheets processes of forming. High velocities, as well as Hydroforming processes, are projected to have more recognition and significance in the industries with a further study being conducted in making these techniques feasible for large volume production. According to Yin & Zhou (24), superplastic forming might be the biggest forming process in the future, with technology being available as well as many studies being conducted on behaviors of metal, with one main required breakthrough. Due to this, many parts of a car will be produced through a process of superplastic.
Conclusion
In the modern automotive industries, the traditional methods of forming metals are used more than modern methods. This has been due to the traditional methods being updated in suiting current needs. The development of the computer, as well as machinery technology, has assisted the traditional metal forming method to be relevant towards current circumstances. The development of technology has enabled traditional methods in being more suitable for the production of high volume quantities. For instance, stamping has developed from the blacksmith to a computer controlled process in plants of cars towards matching the needs of the industries.
However, the metal pressing method is cost effective as well as more efficient compared to traditional methods such as stamping, shearing, and bending. The most favorable process used in automotive industry is the metal pressing process. The main significances of metal pressing are structure and design of used material, parts formability, efficiency as well as tooling low cost compared to other processes. In future, there might be other processes that are more effective in the production of a metal sheet.
Work cited
Wang, Ke, and Ji Ping Zhou. “Kinematical analysis and simulation of stamping processing complete set of control line system based on ADAMS.” Applied Mechanics and Materials. Vol. 364. 2013.
Hua, Zhai, Li Guishan, and Yan Jianwen. “Large scale stamping hydraulic press line remote monitoring system based on ethernet technology.” Machine Tool and Hydraulics 1 (2012): 92-94.
YIN, Bang-chun, and De-xiang ZHOU. “Design features of modern open die forging press body.” Forging & Stamping Technology 5 (2012): 024.
Sheng-long, L. I. A. N. G. “Design of Control System for C-frame Hydraulic Press.” Mechanical Engineering & Automation 1 (2011): 062.
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