Spiralling competition in the new global markets is forcing tool & die makers and stampers to ratchet up everything. Lower costs, increased quality, and faster delivery are required on every deal to get the job. What’s more, diemakers often carry the additional burden of providing die simulation analyses to prove their designs.
That’s what we do at Compass for our clients – all of the above. We provide them with software tools, education, and support so they can do the job themselves. If they don’t have the resources, we can provide them the engineering services needed to fill their gap.
We always work to lower client costs and give them a competitive edge!
Estimating
When you are bidding on a stamping job for millions of parts to be delivered over many years, the estimate has to be right. Compass systems can do the job for you – and do it as fast as 5 minutes.
- Part unfolding to a flat blank
- Flat blank nesting on a coil to determine actual material usage (for transfer applications)
- Progressive die nesting that considers layout, carriers, suspenders, and edge movement
In all cases, we nail the estimate. Never so low that clients lose money, or so high that they don’t lose business.
Forming Analysis
The technology to unfold 3D sheetmetal parts to a flat material blank has been around for some time, but newer technologies go even further.
- Unfold 3D drawn parts to within a stock thickness accuracy
- Analyze the effects of draw beads and pressure pads for use in a die design
- Know immediately that a part will split in a single form without a die simulation
- Develop machinable compensation geometries for springback problems
Die Design
Compass provides a comprehensive suite of CAD tools specifically designed for tool and die:
- Part design and part reengineering
- Material blank development
- Progressive & transfer die design
- Step-by-step (per flange per die station) unfolding of straight and drawn metal parts
- Integration with machining for incremental cost cutting
Die Simulation
Die simulation ensures that design will work before you cut steel. This is especially important to know when working with the new high-strength low-alloy and dual phase materials. Everything is considered in these analyses:
- Punch surfaces
- Die surfaces
- Multi-actions (cams, etc)
- Timings
- Multi-stages (stations)
- Springback
Machining
Feature-based machining has been around for some time, but systems from Compass Technologies go further.
- Automatic feature-based machining not only identifies all the features within a job, it also looks up the company standard manufacturing process for machining the feature and applies it. Even more, an if-than-else function allows more than one tool to be used in the process, as well as alterations in the process based on geometry variations.
- Automatic feature-based Wire EDM programming means upper and lower guides are generated and connected properly – automatically.
CAD Translations
Stampers and toolmakers need to be ready to take on work from anybody. That means accepting CAD files in any format. Compass Technologies has several solutions for viewing or translating depending on customer needs needs.
- CATIA V5
- Unigraphics
- Pro/Engineer
- Solidworks
- Solid Edge
- Inventor
- Mechanical Desktop
- Many more…
