Wilson Tool Introduces Ultima Premium Tool Steel

New tool steel helps boost punching productivity

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MINN. (October 7, 2004) – Fabricators looking for increased wear resistance and toughness in their thick turret tooling now have better option, Ultima™ Premium Tool Steel from Wilson Tool International. Engineered to increase wear resistance by up to 100 percent over conventional tool steels, Ultima sets a new benchmark for durability and performance in the most demanding applications.

A New Level of Performance
Ultima premium steel punches are designed to dramatically improve tool life when punching abrasive materials and materials with high tensile strength. Ideal for long-run jobs, Ultima excels in applications in which punches wear quickly.

"With Ultima our customers now have a tool steel option specifically designed for the most demanding and long run jobs," said Glen Shuldes, applications engineer, Wilson Tool. "The tool steel's unique composition allows fabricators to operate more effectively and efficiently."

In addition to increased wear resistance, the premium steel from which Ultima punches are made significantly reduces micro chipping on the cutting edge. Micro chipping is most often where failure of the cutting edge begins.

Remarkable Downtime Reductions
With regrind intervals up to twice as long as conventional tool steels, Ultima premium steel punches significantly reduce downtime and tool replacement costs. Breaking, chipping, cracking, tool fatigue and other downtime problems are minimized, providing long-term gains in productivity and profitability. "Fabricators no longer need to worry about tool fatigue or wear with Ultima punches," added Shuldes.

Everyday Reliability
Although Ultima tool steel is strong enough for the most demanding applications, it is also effective on everyday jobs. "Because parting tools are such an important part of a fabricators daily work load, Ultima was designed to handle the wear and tear of not only long-run applications, but standard parting jobs as well," said Shuldes.

For over 35 years, Wilson Tool International® (www.wilsontool.com) has been a leading provider of tooling solutions that enhance the performance of sheet metal fabricating machinery worldwide. Wilson Tool International is the world's largest independent manufacturer of tooling systems for punch presses, press brakes and punch and die components for the stamping industry. Products are manufactured at their world headquarters in White Bear Lake, Minn., USA, and their European facility in Swindon, England. Wilson Tool's network of sales engineers and international distributors operate in virtually every industrialized nation around the globe.