Scrapbooking is a wonderful form of art and memory preservation, practised the world over by both young and old. A lot of self satisfaction is achieved by scrapbookers who put pages together of one or more photos, along with a story, to preserve a memory of an event, or capture a unique moment in time.

Now anyone who is into scrapbooking, especially with embellishments, would be very familiar with the company Making Memories. They also make a wonderfully extensive range of some amazing scrapbooking tools like the tag maker, eyelet setter, stamping die sets and much more.

However the question here is, with the popularity of die cutting machines for scrapbooking and the massive competition in the market from the two big brands of Die Cutting Machines... the electronic Provo Craft Cricut range of machines and the manually operated Sizzix range of machines, can Making Memories make a Die Cutting Machine that is comparable with these two big brand names?

Making Memories entrance into the Scrapbooking Die Cutting Machine market, has only come recently with its Making Memories SLICE machine. The SLICE retails for US$150.00, so it is half the price of the cheapest Cricut machine and slightly more expensive than the Sizzix Big Shot machine.

Where the Making Memories SLICE stands out though, is that it does not require a power cord to be operated. So it markets itself as being more portable than the Provo Craft Cricut, but with the same advantages, and as equally portable as the manual version of die cutting machines like the Sizzix. However since it is an electronic die cutter, it does not really compete with the Sizzix range of manual machines.

Like other electronic scrapbooking die cut machines, the Making Memories SLICE has the same basic similar features, like being able to plug in different design cards (like cartridges) and letting one cut these images out in varying sizes electronically. It also does not need to be attached to a computer like the Cricut.

Where the Making Memories SLICE differs though is in the type of material it can cut. Electronic die cutting machines with all their fantastic features are limited by the thickness of the material being cut. Where manual machines like the Sizzix can cut anything, but are limited by the fixed dimensions of the die shape. The SLICE attempts to reduce the difference by allowing materials up to 0.5mm to be cut, where as the Cricut can only cut thin cardstock.

From all the tests conducted and feedback received from owners of SLICE machines, it does cut materials up to 0.5mm very well. Also, when compared to other types of die cut machines for scrapbooking, it is very compact and needs far less desk space than its competitors.

So with all these wonderful advantages of the SLICE, it is definitely a wonderful machine that will be envied by all scrapbookers for its ability to help them create unique embellishments quickly, easily and inexpensively. Its only slight advantage over its more expensive Cricut competitor, is that it has to be baby sat a little more, by holding the machine while it makes the cuts, as it does not make use of a sticky mat like the Cricut.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/scrapbooking-articles/the-making-memories-slice-die-cut-machine-for-scrapbooking-3305564.html

Jenny James is a passionate scrapbooker who loves to embellish her pages with die cuts made fromdie cutting machines for scrapbooking. She reviews a lot of machines like the Making Memories Slice Machine to see how they perform.

Method for modifying a metal stamping die to compensate for springback includes the steps of metal stamping a first part using a base, or pre-existing die set, and creating a surrogate die having the shape of the first stamped part. These steps are followed by simulated metal stamping of a blank with the surrogate die, where the blank is shaped according to the desired finished part.

Then, the base die is modified by mapping the forming stresses, from the stamped blank, to an indicator blank, which is allowed to relax and then is employed as a template for modification of the base die. Following this, the accuracy of the newly modified base die is determined by metal stamping a second part in the modified base die and by comparing a number of dimensions of the second part with a number of corresponding dimensions of the desired finished part.

"Springback" is a phenomenon characterized by the regressive movement of stamped materials, particularly metals, following removal of a metal stamping from a press. In general, dies must be constructed to overbend materials, so as to produce finishedparts meeting all required dimensional specifications. Springback compensation presents a major obstacle during metal stamping tool development, especially for lightweight materials such as aluminum and high strength steels. If not properly accommodated,springback may cause the shape of stamped panels or structures to deviate unacceptably from the intended design, rendering the stamped part unusable. As manufacturers of motor vehicles, in particular, move to the use of more aluminum, as well as higherstrength steels, to save vehicle weight, the more pronounced springback tendencies affecting these materials adds as much as six months to the standard tooling development time of a vehicle manufacturer. This timing is incompatible with current marketdemands.

Known practices for compensating for springback primarily employ manual correction through an iterative, or trial-and-error, process. Thus, long years of experience are needed for an engineer to properly predict and correct for springback. Thisitself is a problem because materials such as aluminum and high strength steels have springback characteristics which are significantly different from those of mild steel--the staple material of vehicle bodies for more than one hundred years. Thepresent invention provides a method for tooling design to accommodate shape distortions introduced by springback. Because the method may be completely computer based, it may be applied during early draw die development stages, without the necessity of aphysical prototype.

A method for modifying a metal stamping die includes the steps of metal stamping a first part using a base die, creating a surrogate die having the shape of the first part, and using the surrogate die to simulate metal stamping of a blank which is shaped accordingto the desired finished part. Then, the base die is modified by mapping the forming stresses from an indicator blank which is dimensionally identical to the base die. The indicator blank is allowed to relax and deform, and is then used as a template tomodify the base die. A second part is then stamped with the modified base die and compared with the desired finished part. This comparison includes a plurality of corresponding dimensions from the second part and the desired finished part.

The present method further includes additional steps in the event that the previously described dimensional comparison indicates that the second part is not sufficiently comparable to the desired finished part. These additional steps includesimulating metal stamping of another blank shaped according to the desired finished part, using the surrogate die which has been modified to the shape of the second part, and further modifying the base die by mapping the forming stresses from the restampedblank. Then, a third part will be stamped using the further modified base die, and compared with the desired finished part. This process continues iteratively until the stamped part meets all of the required dimensional criteria of the desired finishedpart.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the first part which is stamped in the base die may be stamped either conceptually in a software simulation, or in a physical, pre-existing die set. Similarly, the surrogate die may becreated as part of a software simulation or as a physical die set. The indicator blank is also contained in software.

It is an advantage of a method according to the present invention that the time required to make changes in metal stamping dies is greatly reduced, and this is particularly so in the case of dies used to form materials such as aluminum and highstrength steels.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-business-articles/modifying-a-metal-stamping-die-to-compensate-for-springback-3289887.html

xlnb.cn is a Manufacturer and suppliers of shower drain, sheet metal stamping, metal stamping, Equipment parts by OEM/ODM service with diversified schemes.

A method for improving the release and finish characteristics of metal stamping dies includes shot peening the interior die cavity walls with substantially spherical shot having a hardness value at least equal to the hardness value of the die cavity walls.

Optimizing the parameters of the peening process, such as the Almen intensity and the shot type, size, hardness and uniformity, maximizes the improvement to the release and finish characteristics of the die. Optionally, the initial shot peening is followed by a second shot peening with substantially spherical glass beads. Metal stamping dies shot peened in accordance with the present method exhibit substantial improvement in their release and finish characteristics over unpeened dies.

The present invention relates to metal stamping dies, and, more particularly, to a method for improving the release and finish characteristics of metal stamping dies through shot peening.

The use of metal stamping to produce a wide variety of metal parts is widespread. While there are variations of the metal stamping process, such as forming, piercing, deep drawing and the like and combinations thereof, and different types ofdies, such as single and multiple cavity dies and progressive dies, most of the principles and techniques are the same. The problems are also often the same.

One of the major problems which is common to virtually all metal stamping operations involvingdrawing or deformation of the workpiece,whereby the workpiece contacts the interior die cavity walls during the stamping operation, is a poor release characteristic between the workpiece and the die cavity walls. Poor release characteristics, whichcauses problems both during the stamping downstroke and the upstroke and workpiece removal stage, invariably leads to problems such as machine jams or smashups, misformed and non-uniform parts and poor finish characteristics on the workpiece surfaceproximal to the die cavity walls, such as scratches, galling, scoring, random shiny spots and the like. Although a poor release characteristic is most often the cause of a poor finish, poor finish can also be caused by other factors, such as heatbuildup, improper lubrication, surface flaws and the like.

Because of the high cost of rejected parts and the down time due to die maintenance and reconditioning, as well as the potential very high cost occasioned by a machine or die jam or smashup, constant efforts are being made to improve the releaseand finish characteristics of metal stamping dies. These efforts range from varying the composition of the die material to coating the interior die cavity walls with release agents, plating and the like. Even the die designer continually attempt toimprove the release and finish characteristics of dies by experimenting with variations of draft angles and the like.

While there has been steady improvement over the years, there is a continuing need for further improvements, especially improvements that are economical, reliable and durable.

The present invention was the result of the surprising discovery that shot peening metal stamping dies with generally spherical shot dramatically improves the release and finish characteristics of such dies, as well as substantially increasingdie life. Heretofore, the accepted rule in die construction and maintenance and reconditioning, with respect to achieving satisfactory release and finish characteristics, was to provide the interior die cavity walls with as smooth and uniform a surfaceas possible. Although shot peening has been in widespread use for years to increase the fatigue life and prevent stress corrosion cracking of metal parts, an irregular peened surface on the interior die cavity walls would predictably adversely affectthe release and finish characteristics of the die. Since any improvement in fatigue life or the prevention of stress corrosion cracking through shot peening would not be worth the sacrifice of having to accept poor release and finish characteristics ofthe die, shot peening has never been seriously considered for treatment of the interior die cavity walls of metal stamping dies.

In the broader aspects of the present invention, conventional shot peening techniques and equipment are utilized, i.e., the surface of the part is bombarded with shot by a peening apparatus under controlled conditions. However, in the preferredembodiment, optimum results are achieved by utilizing specific combinations of parameters with respect to shot type, size, hardness and Almen peening intensity. Examples of suitable conventional peening apparatus include air blasting equipment whichpropel the shot media at the part under air pressure, utilizing either suction, direct pressure or gravity feed, and airless or centrifugal wheel equipment which propels the shot media at the part by a rotating wheel. There are also freefall peeningmachines, where the shot media is dropped upon the part from various selected heights.

With respect to the shot peening media, the media must be substantially spherical. Irregular, angular or abrasive media, such as employed in grit blasting and sand blasting, are unacceptable in the method of the present invention. While avariety of generally spherical peening media may be utilized, such as steel shot, ceramic media and conditioned cut steel wire shot, steel shot is preferred. In the case of cut steel wire shot, it must be conditioned prior to use, such as by blasting itagainst a steel plate until the particles are rounded. Whichever peening media is selected, it must have a hardness value at least equal to the hardness value of the die cavity walls to achieve the improvements of the method of the present invention.

The peening process should be conducted under conditions that will yield substantially 100% coverage and saturation of the interior die cavity walls. In addition, it has been found that increasing the depth of the compressive stress layerprovides additional improvement. A substantial improvement, especially in die life, is achieved when the compressive stress layer is about 0.02 inch or greater. This increase in die life is partly due to the fact that some surface metal is removedduring each periodic maintenance or reconditioning operation. Accordingly, the greater the depth of the compressive stress layer, the more the amount of metal that can be removed during maintenance and reconditioning operations before the benefits ofthe shot peening are negated.

The optimum shot peening intensity will vary depending upon the hardness of the dies and the type of die metal. Under the generally accepted Almen shot peening intensity standard, which was developed by the General Motors Research LaboratoriesDivision of General Motors Corporation, the various variables of shot peening are integrated into a single scale for measuring, specifying and duplicating shot peening intensities and results. All measurements are made on the standard Almen No. 2 gage,as shown in the SAE Manual on Shot Peening, AMS 2430 and MIL S-13165. Even though the exact optimum Almen intensity will vary as the die material and shot parameters vary, it has been found that when regular hardness steel shot, with a Rockwell hardnessof from about C45 to about C55, is utilized, the desired compressive stress layer of at least about 0.02 inch will be achieved with Almen intensities of from about 0.004 to about 0.014 C2.

Also, while the optimum size of the shot peening media will vary, steel shot with a Mil Spec size of from about SAE 70 to about SAE 230 is preferred for most applications. For optimum reliability and uniformity of the peening media, cast steelshot certified to Mil Spec 13165 is especially preferred.

Finally, it has been found that yet further improvement is achieved by following the initial shot peening with a second shot peening utilizing substantially spherical glass beads. The optional second peening procedure provides primarily acleaning function and enhances the uniformity of the peened die surface.

The improvement achieved in the die release and finish characteristics by the present method is consistent and dramatic over a wide range of varying die constructions. One of the clearest gages of improvement is to monitor the frequency of diecleaning and reconditioning that is required. Comparison testing between untreated dies and dies shot peened in accordance with the present invention at various stamping work stations at a major automotive assembly plant revealed consistent improvementwith the shot peened dies. From large steel quarter panel dies to smaller front fender steel insert dies, the results are the same. The shot peened dies experienced far less down time and required far fewer periodic maintenance and reconditioningoperations. The improvement as a function of reduced down time and periodic maintenance and reconditioning ranges from a factor of several fold to a factor of over 30. In addition, the surface finish of the stamped parts is consistently uniform andfree from flaws.

In addition to the improvements that the present method provides with respect to release and finish characteristics and the reduction of down time and the need for periodic maintenance and reconditioning, additional advantages are achieved. Costwise, the present method is less costly than most other surface treatments and coatings which are applied to the interior die cavity walls. Moreover, additional cost savings are realized during die reconditioning or modification. Coatings, such asplating, tend to chip and flake and eventually must be replaced at high cost. In the event that the die needs modification due to an engineering change or the like or requires a repair operation such as welding, only the immediate area that is alteredor repaired may require repeening. In sharp contrast, such an isolated modification or repair in a plated die most often requires the entire die surface to be replated.

Thus, the surprising discovery that shot peening metal stamping dies in accordance with the present method dramatically improves release and finish characteristics, instead of adversely affecting them as would be predicted, has resulted in asimple, reliable and economical method which can benefit the entire metal stamping industry.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/method-for-finishing-characteristics-of-metal-stamping-dies-2505017.html

xlnb.cn is a Manufacturer and suppliers of shower drain, sheet metal stamping, metal stamping, Equipment parts by OEM/ODM service with diversified schemes.