You may have seen our advertising in various trade magazines promoting the concepts of Lean Bending, Lean Punching, and Lean Stamping. In these ads we use the tag line “100% LEAN.” The campaign’s intent is to describe how Wilson Tool’s products and services help you in your Lean fabrication programs. You see, everything we do (100%) here at Wilson Tool is designed to help you become more efficient and more productive (Lean) in your manufacturing processes.

Wilson Tool punch press tooling products reduce setup times, reduce waste, extend your machine’s capacity and increase your productivity. In addition, our Ultima® tool steel and Optima® coating significantly increase the life of your tooling, helping you actually reduce your tooling costs over the long run.

Our press brake tooling offers faster setups, one step clamping and seating, and quick tool changes. In addition, our patented Nitrex® high endurance surface enhancement provides a surface hardness of HRC-70, which provides extraordinary durability while minimizing galling in even the toughest bending applications.

Wilson’s line of Impax Tooling Solutions® for stampers allows you to decrease lead times, minimize the wear on your tooling and reduce waste.

Our Lean effort doesn’t stop with our products. Our service, widely recognized as the leader in the industry, is designed to deliver the best tooling solution to you as quickly as possible. We know it’s your goal to run as efficient as possible and we are here to help you along your lean journey.

Q: When it comes to LEAN manufacturing, what I can do to help reduce my setup times?

A: Evaluating your process is the first step toward reduced
setup times.

• Observe (videotape) the setup.
  • Time
  • Distance (spaghetti diagram)
• Determine the function and purpose of each element or step in the process
• Define the internal/external elements
• Shift as many internal elements to external as possible*
  *Done while the machine is running the previous job
• Streamline internal elements
• Streamline external elements
• Examine the use of function standardization
  • Dimensioning – standardize shut heights and clamping configurations
  • Centering – gage material and dies from a common location
  • Fastening – use a common device
  • Preset tooling off line – intermediate jigs, tool plates, bit holders, etc.
• Eliminate gets and put-aways of tooling during internal change-over time
• Change over carts or conveyors versus forklift

This free class provides hands-on instruction on the use and maintenance of the entire Wilson Wheel family of tooling. For more information or to register for a class, click here.

Classes available on:
- August 21, 2007
- September 18, 2007
- October 16, 2007
- November 20, 2007
- December 18, 2007

Fabtech
November 11-14
Booth #16107
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL

Metalform
April 1-3, 2008
Booth #213
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex