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NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF CONVENTION: "Elrae Applies Conventional Metal Forming Technology to Solve High-Tech Plastics Problem"
Problem:
Elrae's customer needed to accurately punch three holes on one side of a plastic channel extrusion for a leading office product manufacturer.
This was an issue because the part was so flexible it was difficult to maintain the hole locations while achieving repeatability.
The parts had to remain clean and burr-free after the holes were punched (material handling was an issue). If the parts had slugs in the holes, it could jeopardize functionality of the end product.
Previous suppliers attempted to punch holes using conventional brake press tooling, which produced high amounts of scrap, compromised quality and meant late shipments.
Solution:
Elrae used its expertise in metal forming to solve this plastics problem.
Elrae felt it could effectively meet the customer's needs by punching the holes with a conventional stamping press.
Elrae designed and built a low-cost tool that allowed the extrusion to be held properly in place on three axes (XYZ). This permitted the holes to be punched cleanly while safely removing slugs.
Elrae's stamping process increased units-per-hour production significantly over the prior hole punching process.
Results:
Better quality: Elrae was easily able to meet the customer's tolerance and repeatability requirements.
Cost Savings: Elrae's process offered the customer a lower unit cost. Elrae's process virtually eliminated scrap while increasing efficiency.
Improved Delivery: Elrae's solution reduced turnaround time for the subcontract operation by more than two-thirds.
Supply Chain Success: Elrae's new process enhances the service its customer offers to the OEM, resulting in reduced time to market for the final product.
