As a metal stampings manufacturer, you are always considering ways to increase productivity and cut costs, while still creating the best products possible. At PFA, Inc., we believe that ensuring you have the equipment needed to safely and efficiently implement quick die changeovers is the easiest way to improve productivity and ensure your staff is safely meeting production improvement goals. In this article, we will look at some of the ways a Quick Die Change (QDC) system can help ensure you are working smarter and safer when handling dies.
Manufacturing Productivity
One of the most apparent reasons die stampers install Quick Die Change systems is the ability to drastically increase productivity. By eliminating the downtime associated with traditional changeovers you can ensure the manufacturing process never stalls for extended periods, while also reducing operator overtime that may occur. In fact, this cut in costs is one of the most common reasons that manufacturers invest in quick die change systems.
Lean Manufacturing
Tooling can often have increased wear or damage during die changes, when they are not exchanged in a methodical way. Unfortunately, this can lead to increased costs as worn tooling needs to be replaced more frequently. Lean Manufacturing places an emphasis on controlled processes and procedures to track process improvements and impact on key performance indicators over time. With a dedicated Quick Die Change system, dies are consistently clamped with equal forces on all clamps and handled the same way each changeover. With easier die movement and enhanced handling, dies can more easily be registered to the press with less time to ensure optimal setup to defined processes.
Employee Safety
Another obvious benefit of converting your existing manufacturing equipment to include a quick die change system is the ability to increase employee safety by utilizing equipment that has been developed specifically for moving dies. Over 25% of workplace injuries are caused by overexertion1,2 (lifting, pulling, pushing, turning…) and overexertion is listed as one of the top 10 causes of workplace injuries along with Physical and Mental Fatigue/Exhaustion, which results in “impaired judgment, slower reflexes in operating machinery….. a delayed response to emergency situations, and inattention to details and instructions.”3 With new QDC systems in place, not only will your employees be less likely to be involved in an injury, but you could also see a morale boost and increased productivity in other areas as employees are able to more easily complete their designated tasks with lower stress and risk.
Implement Quick Die Change Now
If you are ready to implement a Quick Die Change system in your facilities today, PFA, Inc. is here to help ensure you have the products you need. If you are unsure how to get started, we encourage you to call us now and allow us to walk you through the steps personally. If you prefer read more about how to implement QDC please see our article “How to Implement Quick Die Change: 8 Easy steps to increased stamping productivity & profits”, read about a real SMED implementation “Trio of New Presses Gets SMED Upgrades”, or browse the products available on our designated Quick Die Change page.
1https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/tools-resources/infographics/workplace-injuries
2https://www.creativesafetysupply.com/infographics/workplace-injuries/
3https://smallbusiness.chron.com/top-10-causes-workplace-injuries-11298.html