Roller-Tooled Fineblanking Forms Transmission Hubs: In-die spline rolling enables Feintool to reduce process costs for transmission-hub production by 35 percent

摘要

Slowly but surely, fineblanking continues to weave its way into new automotive and truck platforms. Most notably, the process has gained widespread global acceptance in seating systems and transmissions. For seating, fineblanked gear-recliner mechanisms replace machined parts to yield cost savings of 50 percent or greater. In transmissions, where designers typically have specified machined or powdered-metal parts, more and more call for fineblanked parts to eliminate costly secondary operations. "There are several automobile models out there now with more than 100 components made by fineblanking," says Ralph Hardt, president of Feintool North America, Cincinnati, OH. The firm, based in Switzerland, operates three fineblanking facilities in the United States-Cincinnati, White Plains, NY, and Nashville, TN. It also manufactures fineblanking machines, peripheral equipment and tooling.