7 Ultimate Ways to Get More Out of Your Current Machinery

Various tactics that can rapidly boost your throughput and optimize production do not require you to wait until you are ready to add a new machine, shift, or personnel to your manufacturing process.

With the help of Alternative Parts Inc., you can get the precise component for your equipment, and we can also offer guidance on how to manage your business better. It's possible that the timing isn't right. Even if now isn't the time to implement a new strategy, you can still get your company and its processes ready for when it is.

By adhering to these seven guidelines, you can increase output, identify areas for process improvement, and use existing tools better.

1. Evaluate How You're Currently Handling Tasks

Learn the ropes by observing how the sausage is made. Examine the minute, granular particulars of your output. Can you make the most of the available area with how things are put up? With what options does your team now have?

Is there work that they often perform that could be done automatically, or do they spend time or effort doing something that they could do once? To what extent might this be made easier? If you examine your present procedure carefully, you might find small changes that add to significant output improvements.

2. Identify The Roadblocks

Is there a particular obstacle that has been standing in the way of progress up to this point? How much longer will your team have to wait before the rest of the process catches up to where they are before moving forward? Is there a method to get around the bottleneck, or at least make better use of the time they have to kill while they do so?

3. Preventative Maintenance Reduces Machine Breakdowns

Downtime can be extremely expensive for enterprises, but it can be avoided by doing regular preventative maintenance and cleaning in accordance with a predetermined plan, along with having clear procedures and goals. Does your plan for preventative maintenance require some adjusting so that it works more effectively? Please get in touch with us if you require guidance in determining the next steps to take in the process, as we would be happy to assist you.

4. Reduce the Need for Rework

What is the nature of work that is never mentioned or brought to anyone's attention? How did you come to this point in the process where you're already this far along?

Is there a way to prevent working on a portion that gets rejected by spotting difficulties early on through project management or quality control so that the time spent on it doesn't go to waste? If yes, how?

5. Intensify The Instruction Process

It's vital to the success of your business that your personnel know how to operate the tools they have. Alternative Parts Inc.'s technicians with manufacturer training may train your personnel to get your machinery up and running faster.

Initially, students would learn in a classroom utilizing electronic simulators for realistic manufacturing and work arrangements. You may train an operator in days by starting with theory and going on to practice. On-site training can also be fruitful.

6. Maintain Efficient Management of Your Employees

Workers should be asked for input into the improvement of working conditions. Is there a reason you think they keep repeating the same actions? When do they usually need to leave their posts to restock?

Is there a way to make their life easier by eliminating the time spent on things that aren't crucial to their success? In many cases, significant production time reductions may happen by just inquiring into the needs of workers, considering their comments, and implementing a few modest improvements.

7. Automate

When it comes to manufacturing, the most important investment you can make is in your people. Automation has yet to match the human workforce in terms of its ability to detect and respond to the myriad of subtleties, nuances, and unknown variables that can affect a machine or process.

Identifying the repeatable, recognizable tasks that require a thorough analysis of present practices must be done and can be automated. Learning to automate your procedure can help you reduce costly human errors, speed up your output, and simplify tasks that don't need to be difficult.

Not always do you need new equipment to boost productivity and functionality. And when you do, Alternative Parts will be available to help. In the meantime, your efforts to enhance productivity and efficiency will improve the machinery, procedures, workers, and firm. Helping you become a trustworthy manufacturer is our primary goal.

Alternative Parts Inc. provides a wide selection of consumables and Amada parts for punch and press brakes, fiber and CO2 laser cutting machines, and other machinery. Alternative Parts Inc. provides a variety of Amada spare parts and consumables like nozzles, lenses, mirrors (laser optics), lubricants, and filters to keep your machinery running smoothly.

Many available accessories like Amada parts and Amada spare parts for machines can improve your productivity and make material handling less hazardous. Alternative Parts Inc.'s maintenance service is unrivaled because the company stocks tens of thousands of parts in facilities worldwide.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/7-ultimate-ways-to-get-more-out-of-your-current-machinery

Advantages of laser engraving and cutting

Nobody would ever want to return to carving with a chisel and a hammer it takes far too long. Technology has produced a wide range of superior substitutes, with laser cutters parts dominating the list.

Notably, technology offers improved speed and accuracy in addition to other benefits. For your domestic carvings, laser engravers and cutters can be used on a greater variety of materials, such as leather, wood, chiffon, metal, etc.

This is where Amada parts may assist you with most of your engraving requirements. Industrial and commercial companies can satisfy their needs for engraving, cutting, or marking various materials with the correct Amada laser cutting equipment, using technology that typically outperforms the competition. In this article, let's look at the Advantages of Laser Engraving and Cutting.

Laser cutters require little involvement from people

Laser cutters operate without much human labour, unlike other cutting and carving procedures. As a result, you will save money that you would have otherwise spent on different hands. You will need a technical specialist to oversee the process and operate the equipment, but they won't have much to do.

It is recommended to purchase with a feeding system and a follow-up conveyor if you have some additional cash to spend from Amada parts. Furthermore, despite interference from people, the speed and accuracy of these machines are maintained.

Increased accuracy

You may get more detailed engraving with this technology thanks to Amada laser parts. You will be able to create flawless copies of originals, but other mechanical techniques are sure to have a number of errors.

Regardless of the client's description, manufacturers may precisely produce intricate carvings. The fundamental reason is that the machine works without touching the material. As a result, the affected areas have no chances of abrasion. Furthermore, there is very little tolerance for these faults due to the rapid speed of the laser beam.

Increased program window size

You will need different tools or equipment to work with various materials in the majority of cutting or engraving machines. But the contrary is the situation with laser cutters and engravers.

Amada laser parts engraving equipment can cut or engrave various materials without changing tools. However, the thickness of the materials you cut with a certain arrangement must match. These parts can work efficiently with multiple materials, including stone, paper, glass, wood, and plastic. Additionally, you can cut and engrave the material without endangering it inadvertently.

Probabilities of material damage are extremely low

Many assume that the material you are cutting will be harmed due to the high heat and speed of laser cutters. They express concern that the heat will cause the fabric to warp or deform. Regardless of the material's thickness, this is not the case.

This is so that the material is not directly exposed to the heat from the laser. The material's tolerance is unaffected by heat, and laser cutter faults have a +/- 0.1mm error margin. With this level of precision, manufacturers don't have to worry much about working with any material.

Accelerated production and minimal energy use

Laser technology is far the fastest when it comes to cutting and engraving tasks requiring more complexity. Comparing it to other traditional techniques like plasma or flame cutting is useless. Compared to laser engraving and cutting machines, they are still slower.

Power and speed are the basic settings that require adjustment. The cutting of lighter materials, such as paper, will proceed at full speed but with minimal power.

This is because using a higher power level could cause the material to be discoloured. Also, the machine has limited moving parts, resulting in reduced power consumption.

Offer few waste products

A laser cutter does not produce any actual trash and does not need any consumables, which makes using one in your workshop or on your production line one of the nicest things you can do.

Consider that you are producing auto parts that need to be tagged for traceability, and you can either use chemical etching or laser cutting the markings. If you decide to use etching, you will need to build up a network of vendors who can offer you the chemicals, and wastewater treatment tools you will need to dispose of the waste properly.

Additionally, you will need to create a unique physical stencil for every special marking or change a stencil that has been used 20 to 30 times.

Bottom Line

The businesses that use laser cutting and engraving equipment gain greatly from Amada parts. In addition to their precision and durability, Amada parts are valued for their excellent safety designation and the point that they deliver with no material waste.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/advantages-of-laser-engraving-and-cutting

7 Points to Consider for Laser Cutting Maintenance

Maintenance is not about fixing things but about not having to fix things. A lot of fabricators do not understand it. They usually do not like interrupting their production, thinking it will affect the total outcome.

When the proper maintenance is ignored, the equipment can stop working anytime if pushed beyond limits. So, having a maintenance schedule is better and saving your business from unplanned costs. Regular maintenance can lower the failure of a machine. Regular replacements of spare parts and cleaning can take you a long way.

Here are some points you need to take care of to maintain the laser machine:

1. Daily Maintenance

• Always check the pressure of laser gas and cutting gas before turning on the machine. You must replace it if the gas pressure is not enough.
• Check the alignment of the X, Y, and Z-axis, and none of the screws should be loose.
• Check the water level in the chiller. You should refill it if it is not sufficient.
• After the end of the day, check the focus lens for damage. If you find any, replace them with new ones. You can easily find Amanda parts and trumpf parts online. Their spare parts must be of good quality so that you never have to compromise with the quality of cuts.
• Clean the waste on the machine after completing daily work and also clean the surroundings. None of the parts of the machine should have any debris, or else it can damage the machine in the long run.

2. Maintenance of Optical Path Lens

• You should not touch the surface of the optical lens directly with bare hands. It can cause scratches on the surface of the lens.
• You must not clean the lens with water or detergent. It can damage the film on its surface.
• Clean with rubbing alcohol and muslin cloth. If your lens is damaged, you can contact the service department to repair it. Using damaged lenses can accelerate the damage to the repairable lens.

3. Proper Installation of Optical Lens

• Before installing the lens, you must ensure that you are wearing clean clothes, that your hands are properly sanitized, and you are wearing clean gloves.
• Lenses shouldn't be touched with bare hands.
• While removing the lens, hold it from the side so that you do not touch its surface.
• While mounting the lens to the holder, extreme force should not be applied as it might deform the lens and affect the quality of the laser beam.
• Use a spray gun to remove dust on the mirror surface.
• Lastly, use an air spray gun to clean the lens and free it from dust or foreign particles.

4. Maintenance of Water Chiller

• It is important for the chiller to work properly to ensure the laser machine is working in good condition.
• You must clean the heat sink and condenser regularly.
• Check the water levels in the tank regularly. If the water levels are low, you can add deionized water to it.
• Check the electrical terminals and remove the dust.
• Clean the impurities in the filter regularly. If there is any damage to the filter, it should be replaced immediately.

5. Maintenance of Air Compressor

• Before you start the maintenance process, the compressed air in the storage tank must be drained.
• Clean the air filters every 15 days.
• You can replace the filters every 1200 hours of operation.
• Replace the valve disc if necessary.

6. Maintenance of Air Dryer

• Depending on the air's humidity, you must drain the air and water 3 to 7 times in the refrigeration dryer.
• Clean the air filters every month.
• You must remove and clean the cooling fins of the air condenser once a month.
• Every six months, replace the air filters.

7. Maintenance of Regulated Power Supply

• Every month all the connection terminals in the regulator and the main circuit must be tightened.
• You must check the elasticity of the sliding carbon brush every three months. Use the dry compressed air to blow dust adhered to the components in the regulator.

Conclusion

It is important to keep maintenance as a priority and not compromise. Not all the steps discussed above will fit all metal fabricators, but they will help you maintain your laser machine. If you do not have any maintenance plans, this article will help you make one. Along with maintenance, if you ever change the spare parts, ensure the brand; generally Amada parts are of good quality. Using good quality spare parts will last longer and provide good quality laser cuts. You can buy good quality Amada laser parts, trumpf laser parts, etc. online.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/7-points-to-consider-for-laser-cutting-maintenance

CNC Laser Machine: Mechanism, Types, Advantages, and Maintenance Tips

There has been a constant demand in the manufacturing industry to update the machine in a way that it simplifies human work and at the same time deliver excellent quality products. The CNC laser machine was one such invention. A computer guided laser beam helps in producing high quality cuts in a short period of time. Here is some more information on CNC laser machines that will help you understand it better.

CNC Laser Cutter Mechanism

A CNC laser cutting machine relies on a computer instruction coming in from computer numerical control to perform the cutting operation.

These machines do not come in contact with the cutting material as there is a thermal based process. It has a laser head that contains a focusing lens and a nozzle. So the laser beam is focused with the help of the nozzle head and lens to the workpiece. The machine moves in the assigned shape to cut the workpiece by melting it into the desired shape.

It is obvious that when such a high powered laser beam is melting a high density metal, the surface will rapidly heat. To maintain the temperature of the laser head, the CNC machine controls the movement of the laser head and laser beam.

Types of CNC Laser Cutting Machine

The laser cutters are categorized based on the components and state of the laser medium. Here are the three main types of lasers.

• CNC Fiber Laser Cutter

They use diodes to create the laser beam which is focused through a fiber optic cable. It is a faster and cleaner approach to cut metals. They support a huge range of materials for the cutting process.

• CNC CO2 Laser Cutter

It uses carbon dioxide as the laser medium. This is the common type of laser cutter because it has high power output capability and high efficiency. They work best for cutting acute angles. It can cut metal sheets up to 10mm thick. 

• CNC Crystal Laser Cutter

This laser uses crystals like neodymium doped yttrium orthovanadate (Nd:YVO) and neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG). They have higher intensity than CO2 laser cutters which means they are ideal for thick metals. They are highly compatible with metals, wood, glass, as well as plastic.

Advantages of CNC Laser Cutting Process

Here is the list of advantages that a CNC laser cutting machine has over a conventional CNC machine.

• CNC laser cutters produce intricate designs and holes. It has a high degree of precision and accuracy.
• The cuts produced are cleaner so that additional cleaning processes are eliminated.
• The risk of material distortion and contamination reduces because of its non-contact nature. This also means that it is good for producing items for the medical industry.

Maintenance Tips

Here are some maintenance tips to keep your laser machine receiving clean and sharp cuts.

• Regular Cleaning

To keep the machine and its surroundings clean is mandatory or else it might enter the equipment or cut. If the dust enters the machine then it can harm the machine as well. Especially the nozzle head or the focus lens. Focus lenses also get easily ruined when they're not cleaned properly. To save yourself from any mishaps in future, regularly clean the machine before and after starting the cutting process. Also, ensure to replace the parts like nozzles, lens, lubricating oil, etc. on a regular basis to receive clean cuts every day. You can buy good quality cuts like amada parts, trumpf parts, etc. online.

• Clean Filters and Cutting Head

If you use the laser cutter for longer hours it is recommended to replace the ceramic ring and nozzle daily. You can buy good quality amada laser parts, trumpf laser parts, etc. online from authorized dealers. If the nozzle gets damaged during the cutting process, it must be quickly replaced. You must ensure that the dust collection baskets are clean. If you use the laser cutter intensively, it must be clean multiple times a day. The operator can decide the cleaning cycle based on the workload.

Conclusion

The CNC laser cutter has changed the way manufacturing industries operate. The cutting process is now much smoother and delivers clean cuts in a very short time. Businesses have started adopting CNC laser cutting machines and are receiving the benefits of it. To always receive the best quality cuts it is a good practice to start with the demo sheets. You can change the settings if you find any problem with the cut. Once everything is set, start with the large batch of your order.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/cnc-laser-machine-mechanism-types-advantages-and-maintenance-tips

Laser Cutting vs Plasma Cutting: The Ultimate Comparison

The invention of CNC machines has made the cutting process more efficient compared to manual cutting methods. The manufacturers or the businesses that require cutting processes are highly inclined toward these two most famous computer-controlled processes known as Laser Cutting and Plasma Cutting. There are advantages and disadvantages that both these cutting methods have when we compare the thickness of the material, type of material, the precision of the cut, cost, etc. Let us understand both these methods in detail and then compare it to know which suits your business requirement the best.

What is Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting is a cutting technology controlled by computer numerical control (CNC) to slice materials by the amplified laser light. It has a high precision rate as it is controlled by a CNC machine and not manually.

 

The cut is made on the metal by focusing the laser light on a small point using the optics. When the laser light enters the optical lens, it will become smaller and hotter. The temperature at the focused point increases which melts and cuts the workpiece leaving the edge smooth and of a high-quality finish.

 

What is Plasma Cutting?

The plasma cutting involves cutting through electrically conductive materials by using an accelerated jet of hot plasma. It can melt any hard material. It has been in use for decades and is still one of the best cutting methods.

The one thing about plasma cutting is that it works only for electrically conductive materials like stainless steel, steel, brass, aluminum, and copper. Plasma is extremely hot during the process as it uses ionized gas and not naked flame. The temperature is usually determined by the plasma torch. It also uses a CNC machine to control the whole cutting process, leaving smooth finish cuts.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Laser Cutting

Here are some advantages of the laser cutting machine when compared to some general cutting methods:

1. The cuts are so precise and smooth that they can be directly used for cutting without grinding.
2. The laser cutting machine is faster than other cutting processes like plasma cutting.
3. The cutting quality of laser machines is much higher and it leaves behind minimum deformation, low surface roughness, and minimal oblique cutting edge.
4. Apart from metal, it can also be used to cut wood, plastic, rubber, PVC, textile, leather, etc.

However, the laser cutting has a couple of disadvantages as well:

1. The laser cutting machine is a little expensive as the initial investment and the maintenance are costly.
2. Laser cutters have lower efficiency when it comes to thick plates which means it is more suitable for thin plates.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Plasma Cutting

Here are some points where plasma cutting has an edge over laser cutting.

1. It is highly suitable for thick plates. It can achieve high cutting speed when compared to laser and flame cutting.
2. The initial investment is lower compared to lasers. Moreover, the maintenance cost is also low.

 

There are a few disadvantages of the plasma cutting machine which make it less favorable than the laser cutting machines.

1. The plasma cutter has poor perpendicularity and it will leave a large oblique cutting edge.
2. It produces slag at the bottom of the cutting process during the cutting. To maintain the quality of the cut, this slag must be removed by grinding which adds up the labor cost.
3. During the cutting process, it releases harmful dust and arc light.
4. It consumes more cutting nozzles which cost a lot of money.

Laser Cutting Vs Plasma Cutting: Comparison

1. The laser cutting machine makes lesser damage to its workpiece when compared to the plasma cutting machine. The plasma cutter requires frequent changes of consumables like nozzles and torches. The damaged consumable can cause damage to the cutting plate and affect the quality of the cut as well. So while using the plasma cutting machine, ensure to use good quality consumables like amada laser parts, trumpf laser parts, prima consumables, etc.
2. The laser has more focused light whereas the plasma has a slightly larger cutting point. So small cuts are more clearer and precise in laser than in plasma.
3. The speed of the laser cutting is more than that of the plasma cutting machine.
4. The laser cutting machine leaves behind smooth and good quality cuts. Also, it produces less heat during the cutting. Thus, there are lesser chances of thermal deformation of the workpiece, saving the material from any kind of damage. Also, the edge is perfect which avoids any kind of secondary process. The only thing you need to be careful of is the thickness of the plate as plates of higher thickness do not perform well with laser cutters.
5. The accuracy of the plasma cutter is less but the maintenance and environmental requirements for cutting are less compared to laser. So for products that do not require high precision, plasma is the most cost-effective choice as the maintenance cost is low. Good quality consumables like amada parts, trumpf consumables are easily available online. Also, the skill requirement is low and it is easy to operate for the operators.

Conclusion

Every business has its own requirements. Some businesses require the use of non-conducting materials, then for them, laser cutters are the best. On the other hand, some businesses have thick sheets to cut, then for them, plasma cutting is preferable. If the type of material is not the issue then budget might be an issue because just buying the machine is not enough. 

To enjoy getting the best output from the machine, it is important to maintain the machine. You can easily find the amada parts, trumpf and prima parts online. For that, all you need to do is Google “amada laser parts” or “trumpf laser parts” and you will have a list of the suppliers. 

We hope these comparisons will help you choose the cutter that fits best your needs.

Source:

https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/laser-cutting-vs-plasma-cutting-the-ultimate-comparison

What You Need to Know About Press Brakes?

Press brakes are one of the most vital pieces of any equipment. Press brakes are fabrication tools used to bend a sheet or plate of metal. These brakes help fabricators to create formed parts like enclosures, brackets, channels, ductwork, structural forms, etc. These brakes are versatile and have various applications in various industries, which we will see in this article.

The only thing you need to ensure is investing in good quality machine parts like Amada parts, so that you can get accurate results. Now, you need to know much more about press breaks to choose the ideal ones, right? So, let us start with knowing its types, uses, and benefits.

Types of Press Brakes

There are different types of press brakes classified depending on the generation of their bending force. The four types of press brakes include:

• Electric Brakes
• Hydraulic Brakes
• Pneumatic Brakes
• Mechanical Brakes

Uses

Aerospace

Did you know that no plane could be built without a press brake? Because without a press brake, workers can never angle the aerospace metal as needed. Press brakes allow operators to bend a metal sheet into almost any desired shape. Thus, aerospace professionals use a press brake to bend and mold the sheet metal, which is used as a protective layering on planes.

Automotive

The automotive industry uses an assembly system to make the process of making cars efficient. The assembly lines can help to make more vehicles a day because it includes the high-quality latest technology. For instance, the workers use press brakes to construct automobiles because they can bend sheet metal to fit as desired. This way, the press brakes help increase the productivity of the automobile manufacturers.

Construction

While construction workers commonly use drywall to fill out a building’s interior and sheet metal for the roofs. These metal roofs are durable to withstand the elements. But they are equally tough to deal with when it comes to cueing them or shaping them according to the fittings. So, it is easy for people to break the metals in one place and then transport it to different places.

Many industries use press brakes to increase their productivity and perform complex tasks easily. Thus, it is advisable that every company that deals with metal manufacturing or metal cutting on a daily basis must invest in a press brake.

Benefits of Press Brakes

Reduced Material Wastage

Machines usually use a good amount of material to curve the desired items. But press brakes cut down the material waste by boosting high-end precision and accuracy while giving the desired shape to the materials.

Punching

If you use an application to punch a systematic row of holes in a part, then a press brake can be fitted easily with individual punch sets or even with a complete die set. This leads to punching holes accurately in one stroke.

Automation

Modern Press brakes can be easily automated to improve accuracy, increase productivity, and reduce overall labor costs. Press brakes have specialized data ports and many innovative accessories to facilitate the process of automation in the metal manufacturing industry. Adding material handling robotics, sheet followers for assisting the operator in lifting heavier parts can help to increase productivity. It also provides the same result with each and every bend. If you are looking to buy a good press brake, you can search for ‘Amada press brake for sale’ online to find some good options that match with your requirements.

Hemming

As you know, hemming is one of the necessary operations in most fabricating methods. It is a process of folding a small portion of the sheet over and closing it back on itself. This creates a rigid, thick, and durable edge with round edges for safe material handling. It is useful for manufacturing all types of boxes, panels, and covers. One can complete the operation with a custom toolset of press brakes or by way of a simple flat hemming die. The goal here is to improve the quality of the output with less wastage, and press brakes can help there.

Complex Forming

Press brakes offer unmatched flexibility. It gets combined with segmented punch sets, acute tooling, and die sets. With this, a press brake can easily form complicated multi-angle parts easily.

Production Bending

Using a CNC control is the ideal way on a press brake for repeating the actions over and over again. Here, the operator can use the product forming process to boost the accuracy with a press brake regardless of the flanges being similar or varying in length and angle.

Conclusion

As you saw, press brakes have many applications that help operators and fabricators to bend sheet metals for creating items of different shapes and forms easily. With press brakes, you can enhance the accuracy of the output and reduce wastage. You can find it in mostly every machine shop or fabrication job shop. Investing in good machine parts and press brakes are important.

So, choose high quality parts like Amada parts to get the best result of press brakes. When we talk about high-quality, it does not always have to be expensive. For example, you can just search ‘Amada press brake for sale’ and you will get all the affordable options.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/what-you-need-to-know-about-press-brakes

8 Benefits of Press Brakes

Press brakes are essential equipment that helps fabricators to create formed parts, including brackets, enclosures, channels, structural forms, ductwork, and custom projects. You can easily find them in every fabrication job shop and many machine shops. Their versatility allows them to be useful for many applications. They help fabricators and operators bend sheet metals and create new items of different shapes and forms.

It is equally important to invest in good quality machine parts as it is to invest in good quality press brakes. Amada parts, Hypertherm parts, etc., are good examples for buying quality machine parts. Before we delve into the benefits of press brakes, let us define what they are.

What are Press Brakes?

They are fabrication tools that are useful to bend a metal sheet or plate by placing it on top of a die and lowering the punch on it. Then through a defined force by tonnage, forcing the material into the die bends a flange up until it achieves the desired form of shape and angle. And, the press brake controller or operator must account for spring back in the material to achieve the correct angle after the removal of pressure. And after the pressure is removed, the ram retracts back to its position.

There are different types of press brakes, and they are classified depending on the type of generation of the bending force. Different types of press brakes include:

• Electric Press Brakes - Belt driven mechanisms move the ram by applying force
• Pneumatic Press Brakes - Light duty brakes for only the thinnest gauge of materials
• Hydraulic Press Brakes - Hydraulics brakes move the ram or bed up/down by applying pressure
• Mechanical Press Brakes - Drives a force applied via a flywheel

8 Benefits of Press Brakes

1. Reduced Material Wastage

Unlike other machines that use lots of material to make the desired items, press brakes boost high-end precision and accuracy results. In addition, this leads to less waste of materials.

2. In-House Forming Capabilities

If you are sourcing your formed parts from outside your facility, you should use press brakes designed to deliver ultimate accuracy that leads to the production of high-quality products. This reduces rejection rates and customer returns with the increase in precision rate and customer satisfaction.

3. Punching

Suppose you own an application that punches a systematic row of holes in a particular part. In that case, you can easily fit a press brake with an individual punch set or a complete die set for punching these holes out accurately and all in one similar stroke. Press brakes can utilize a large part of their overall bending tonnage for punching applications. In addition, offsetting the punch heights lets you get more punches in a line than before.

4. Hemming

The Hemming process is one of the most necessary operations in almost every fabricating shop. Hemming is the process of folding a small portion of the sheet over and then closing it back on itself to create a thicker, durable, and more rigid edge. It also makes a rounded edge for safer material handling. Hemming is essential in the manufacturing of all types of boxes, panels, and covers. A custom toolset or a simple flat hemming die can complete the hemming process.

5. Complex Forming

Amada Press brake for sale can offer unmatched flexibility and cost-effective solutions due to their forming. Combined with a segmented punch, die sets, acute tooling, and sophisticated controls, a press brake forms even complex multi angle parts with ease.

6. Prototype Forming

One of the significant benefits of press brakes is that their setup and tooling are simple. This makes the switching between applications fairly straightforward. It also makes prototype bedding and forming applications a simpler process. Whether you are proving a part or process out, a press brake is a vital tool that allows the parts to complete without any expensive or complex tooling and complicated setups.

7. Automation

Modern press brakes can be automated for increasing productivity, reducing overall labour cost, and improving accuracy. Manufacturers will be happy to know that the press brakes released into the market have various specialized data ports and also other innovative accessories for facilitating automation. Adding material handling to assist the operator in lifting heavy parts can increase productivity and allow for the same result for each and every bend.

8. Flexibility

Unlike other forming processes like folders, a press brake can bend at an extremely wide variety of materials and thicknesses with a wide window of capabilities.

Conclusion

Press brake parts make it easy to manage machines but it is very important to invest in good quality press brakes for smooth and finished end output. Amada parts are the best option you can choose for machine parts. Also, while searching when you see Amada press brake for sale, you know what to do right?

Many of the newer controlled press brakes offer a vast wealth of information in the controllers. Because when the programming is simple and straightforward, it becomes easy for a shop owner to program a job and run a complete 2D or 3D simulation of that bend with the exact information that provides control on the cycle time and material blank sizes.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/8-benefits-of-press-brakes

How to Balance Machine Performance and Value

In manufacturing businesses, being best is not enough. Shops need to improve constantly in order to stay ahead of the competition. They must keep acquiring new technologies, use branded parts like Mazak parts and Amada parts to maximize profitability. However, better machine monitoring data and equipment have made capital purchasing decisions complicated.

Many businesses prefer simplifying machine tool acquisition processes by prioritizing value - but it comes at the cost of performance. To attain high ROI, it's necessary to have a balance between the two. It may seem daunting at first, but it's easier to keep up with technological advancement and grow business with the right methods.

1. Performance v/s Value

Performance and value together serve as a solution for all the factors that make up the machine. And thus, shops must consider all kinds of performance - from equipment to exceptionally versatile machines, important factors, decision-making time, etc.

Small shops, for instance, should evaluate external factors such as what OEM tools are included with machine purchase or how they can help in operations. So, as it grows, they would have resources to dedicate to process analysis and decision making.

2. Total Ownership Costs

This is the most important factor that businesses need to consider - despite their shop size. The more information they would be able to gather, the easier it would be to make sound decisions. For example, information on OEM's scheduled maintenance program can help estimate future service costs.

As the size increases, they can add more context to maximize ROI, such as cost of educational opportunities, application support provided by various OEMs, etc.

But, at last, they need to look for effective OEMs and spare parts like Mazak parts that can reduce the total ownership cost by offering comprehensive support packages.

3. Pre-Part Costs

As the operational volume grows, the importance of pre-part costs increases too. Besides, high volume is the norm in many industries. If these large manufactures have to cut a fraction of seconds from a part's cycle time, it could save them thousands and more dollars in a year. This is possible if they can balance performance and value, considering every factor from energy consumption to coolant evaporation.

OEMs like Mazak have experience and can help with pre-plan costs at a granular level. Besides, machine tool builders can help optimize the process.

4. Total LifeCycle Costs

For shops to maximize ROI, they need to go beyond the total cost of ownership and the cost spent over the machine's lifecycle, including resale value. After all, many manufacturers who purchase new machines plan to fund their next capital purchase by selling the old equipment. So, it's necessary to look at how quickly machines wear out and how much aftermath support is available.

The total lifecycle costs can change how businesses purchase machines. Hence, it's essential to choose brand manufacturers. Because the machines of those manufacturers are well-supported and durable, which decreases the lifetime cost compared to others. While the initial investment is high, the total lifetime cost remains less.

And when the businesses bring in faster cycle times, greater throughput, and durability of the brand solution, the costs further go down.

5. Capabilities and Capacity

Considering that minimizing capital cost increases ROI, many businesses create purchasing plans with a schedule for upgrading the equipment. This pre-planning ensures businesses that they have the equipment that meets the technological needs and requires less than planned maintenance.

So, the good rule of thumb is to replace 10% of capital investment annually to maintain competitiveness and sell the used machines to fund new ones.

Adding capabilities tend to increase the store's capacity. For example, many shops replace their single-use machine with multi-tasking equipment, which provides flexibility and helps get the work done in one.

In short, they need to partner with brand OEMs like Mazak and use branded parts to maintain productivity and budget.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/how-to-balance-machine-performance-and-value

Laser Cut Signs Ideas for your Businesses

Is it welcoming invitations, danger warnings, or shining signboards of comfort and relaxations that rule our world? Be it simple restroom signs, directional street signs, 10-foot tall letters advertising corporations, top skyscrapers, and important communication tools. They help you navigate everyday life facets, even if it might sometimes feel like blocking the scenery.

These types of signage are useful for industrial purposes and require elaborative engineering and professional installation. In this post, let us show you the ways you can make signboards use them professionally.

How to make a sign:

Out of all the endeavors, signs are some of the straightforward lasers cut projects. There are many things one must consider from size, laser machines, try to use the one which has amada parts and fanuc CNC parts as they are easy to replace, and material to design the overall aesthetics.

The sign consists of three things:

Audience + Message + Delivery Method

Audience: This includes the number of people you are trying to communicate with. It consists of things like age, gender, language, reading ability, etc.

Message: It includes things like what you are trying to communicate, i.e., rules, ideas, or images.

Delivery Method: It includes the best way to convey the message to your audience, i.e., either verbally, graphically, or both the ways. At what distance the message you need to see, what colors can communicate the message while attracting the audience’s attention, what is the perfect location for your message to grab your audience’s attention.

Once you set these three things, then you can start with making your signs. In the old days, you might need to have a tradesperson, a perfect painter whose hands are steady. But, with the advancements in technology, laser cutting is making these things easier to handle.

1. Make signs using laser cutting:

Laser cutters are an easy solution for making signs. Lasers can cut and engrave designs from flat sheet materials like acrylic, metal, or wood. The output is always pixel perfect and depends on the material thickness, and is three dimensional, which makes it look professional.

It provides easy options from flat panel to individual letters to backlit or edge-lit designs. For the artsy types who want to bring some uniformity in hand-painted signs, then you can cut custom stencils. You just need to start making signs via laser cutting as a vector design file, and this can also help the laser to work.

Pro-tip: While designing, make sure to consider the position of the sign. Whether it will be hanging, mounted, or freestanding, this will provide you with clarity on how many holes, hooks, or screws you need to add. Additionally, make sure to consider the size and weight of the sign. You can display the small interior signs using small adhesive screws. Whereas on large sign boards will need heavy hardware to install securely.

       1. Laser cutting process:

• Set the type of sign that is best suited for your audience, message, and delivery method.
• Choose the sign material from different materials like metal, plastic, wood, etc.
• Draw the designs on the computer
• Send it to the laser printing/engraving machine
• See you parts being created
• So if any finishing touches needed
• Sell the product

While designing, make sure to research some of the basic design principles, so your signboard comes out very well and has aesthetics added to it.

          2. Turning designs into signs:

If you are making a signboard, then providing a vector based file is essential to cut the design properly. Pixel-based pictures are not a perfect solution to solve. If the sign includes text, expanding the font to curves will ensure that the letters cut correctly without any actual font file loading on the laser cutting computers.

Make sure to follow the above-given instructions using the correct laser machine, which has parts like Amada parts and Fanuc CNC parts, making it easy for you to replace when and where needed.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/laser-cut-signs-ideas-for-your-businesses