Category Archive: Heavy Gauge Stamping & Precision Blanking

Clearing the Air with Electric Trucks

The news is full of innovations in electric vehicle technology. Most of the new technology that is reported on is about the car industry. But truck manufacturers have been working on electric vehicles that can meet the challenging requirements of cargo transportation and delivery.

Working toward this goal, the world’s largest truck manufacturer has been working on the first fully electric truck for commercial use. With the unveiling of the new Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck, Daimler Trucks has developed an emission free truck that has capabilities to deliver heavier cargo loads.

Development of a truck that can carry heavier loads without greenhouse gas emissions is a huge boom for the industry and the environment. As cities across the globe aim to reduce pollution and ease climate change, restrictions on combustion engines are on the horizon. Electric trucks that can meet these new restrictions are greatly needed.

The Urban eTruck features a pack of three lithium ion battery modules enabling the truck to travel 200 km without recharging. This travel range is sufficient for typical urban deliveries. The company has future plans for developing electric drivetrains that have automated and connected driving systems with the commercial launch of a heavy-duty eTruck in 5 years or so.

To read more on the Mercedes-Benz electric truck, see the full article here.

Welding: MIG Versus TIG

Welding is a core component of metal fabrication. It is the process of joining metals using a fusion process where the base metals are melted together using a filler material to form them joint. This is a high-temperature process and can be performed by hand or through robotic welders.

Two commonly used welding methods are known as TIG and MIG. The final outcome for both joins metals together but the processes and material are different and there are advantages and disadvantages to both. In this post we will look at each method’s pros and cons.

TIG welding or Tungsten inert gas process that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode to make the weld. TIG comes from Tungsten, Inert Gas and the weld area is shielded from atmospheric contamination by a gas such as argon or helium. TIG welding requires the welding rod to be slowly fed into the weld puddle.

MIG welding or metal inert gas uses a gun to continuously feed the welding wire into the joint to burn, melt, and fuse the pieces together. Atmospheric contamination is prevented by flowing an argon-based shielding gas or an argon-carbon dioxide mix over the weld puddle.

Let’s compare the two methods:

TIG MIG
Cleaner, less fumes and sparks More sparks and fumes
Less contamination, higher precision
Good for thin material, can be used with no filler Welds a wide range of material
Longer setup, not user-friendly Less setup, easier and more forgiving welds
Welds cost more and take longer More accessible equipment reduced costs
More complex and requires more skill Easier to learn and makes quicker welds
Can weld many different types of metals Most often used with carbon steel, stainless, aum

At Ohio Valley we provide in-house welding services that cover all projects from design and building to checking fixtures and production. Using material handling robots enables us to offer a cost effective solution and we are equipped to handle high-volume automation.

Contact us today to learn about Ohio Valley’s robotic welding service and TIG vs MIG welding operations.

New Technology,New Progressive Die Work With Laser Weld, And A New Year!

As 2016 approaches, we thought we’d tell you a little bit about what’s been happening at Ohio Valley Manufacturing this past year, and what we’re planning for the New Year. Overall, 2015 has been a great year for our company, and we recently received some exciting new work involving laser weld technology. It’s highly advanced technology that joins two steel coils, welding them together. Then, the welded coils run through our machines and are stamped out. The welded coils are being used as crash absorbers in vehicle crash panels to keep drivers safe.

A recent industry report says, “Joining coils is part of the steel industry’s day-to-day business. For machines to work continuously, coil welding machines positioned at the beginning of the rolling mill connect the tail end of one coil to the beginning of the next, creating an endless ribbon… some steel is best joined using laser welding…”

Apparently, we’re among the first in the U.S. and overseas to do progressive die work with laser weld. (We’ve been told we are the first to do progressive die work with laser weld and coil, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet!) In Europe, they have been using similar technology, for several years now, and we’re excited to begin working with it in the U.S. The report quoted earlier in this post also states, “Laser welding has come to dominate in many areas, but resistance welding is still the most widely used…” At Ohio Valley Manufacturing, we have the capabilities to do both – and we also do so much more.

We’re a key supplier of first operation blanking, stampings, for a variety of industries, including automotive, trucking, transportation, appliances, agricultural equipment, lawn & garden products, suspension parts, and more. Learn more about Ohio Valley Manufacturing and our capabilities by visiting our website. Or give us a call at 419-522-5818 and we’d be happy to tell you more. We hope to hear from you soon! But, in the meantime, we wish you a Happy New Year, and thank you for reading our blog.

Roller Leveling Capabilities Improve Quality and Consistency of Finished Parts

At Ohio Valley Manufacturing, we understand the importance of proper material preparation. To ensure that steel blanks are flat enough for processing, the material is run through a leveling or flattening machine. This leveling process uses rollers to gradually flatten the material to a uniform thickness, hence roller leveling. We utilize a Hammerle Leveling Machine to complete the roller leveling process.

We chose the Hammerle machine because it can flatten blanks down to 0.005 inches. This range of specs allows us a wide variety of flatness to. Because we are a full-service fabricator specializing in heavy gauge stamping and precision blanking, it is important that we can prepare blanks to meet any customer’s specifications.

In addition to creating a flat metal blank, leveling also creates a ripple-free surface and neutralizes internal stresses that could cause twisting and bowing when the material is stamped. These stresses are tensions within the material that work against each other to move in different directions, which causes a twisting or bowing effect that can distort the stamped components. By running the metal through the leveling process, the material is stretched, releasing the tensions and making the material more predictable.

Roller leveling offers many benefits when compared to other types of methods. It is a simple and quick way to achieve flat parts. Our capabilities enable us to level multiple grades of steel, stainless, and aluminum that range from 0.020 inches up to .250 inches. The Hammerle machine uses 19 rollers to process blanks up to 29 inches wide with a minimum length of 4 inches.

To serve our diverse customer base, we take all the necessary procedures to continue to deliver the highest quality parts our customers expect. Investing in roller leveling equipment and expertise enables us to maintain our top-quality manufacturing operations.

If you would like more information on our roller leveling capabilities, please contact us or explore our website for examples of projects we have completed.

5 Reasons To Trust Ohio Valley for Your Heavy Gauge Stamping Needs

Ohio Valley Manufacturing has been in the heavy gauge blanking and stamping industry since 1999. As ISO 9001:2008 certified custom manufacturer of stampings we take pride in our services and high-quality production.

If you’re in need on heavy gauge pressing here are five reasons why you should contact and trust us with your patronage.

Production Volume
No production volume is out of reach for us at Ohio Valley. We can provide anything from a large run to high volumes, to as small as a single coil runs. No job is too small or too large scale for Ohio Valley.

Materials
We have the capability of working with carbon steel, aluminum, and stainless steel from .020″ to 5/8″ in thickness. We specialize in a variety of markets including light & heavy trucks, military, and construction just to name a few.

On-Time Delivery
On-time delivery is a staple in our services that is critical to ensuring our customer’s competitiveness in the global marketplace. Ohio Valley’s commitment to innovation and customer service is evident as we continue to supply products and services that meet the highest tolerances and most stringent specifications and to deliver it exactly when it is needed.

First Operation Blanks
Our other services include first operation blanks. Through our first operation blanks services our customers are given the opportunity to receive a press-ready, scrap free shapes ready for final forming. Potentially using our first operation blanks can save our customers on both material and labor.

Industry Standard
ISO 9001:2008 TS – Compliant

If you need reliable, high quality, on time heavy gauge stamping contact us or visit our website today for more information.  For a inside look watch this video of our heavy gauge equipment and capabilities.

Precision Blanking for Winter Outdoor Power Equipment

While we may be right in the middle of summer, many manufacturers are already starting to think about snow blowers and other outdoor power equipment for the approaching winter months. Now is the time for power equipment companies to begin designing and fabricating their new lines of snow blowers, de-icers, snow plows, and more.

New Holland has already announced its new High/Standard Flow Snow Blowers, from FCC, which has been designed to move large volumes of snow. The snow blower attachment is offered in 60-,72-,84-, and 96-inch widths that can be used on several different models of New Holland skid-steer loaders and compact truck loaders.

We expect to see more announcements over the coming months as companies unveil their newest winter power equipment products. At Ohio Valley Manufacturing we have extensive experience working with outdoor power equipment companies to provide precision blanking services. We have over eight blanking production methods, which allow us to handle a variety of different blanking needs.

To learn more about our precision blanking services and how we can meet your unique requirements, contact us directly. We also post more industry news and company updates on our Twitter and LinkedIn pages.

Ohio Valley Manufacturing Expands in the New Year

As we start 2015 we’re very excited to announce that our new press is operational. Over the past year we worked on expanding our manufacturing space to better accommodate our customers’ needs. Our new equipment is a 3000 ton Danly press which is equipped with a knockout system, a bed size of 120” by 96”. The press also has a special place in Ohio Valley Manufacturing’s history as this was the same press our grandfather, Mick Fanello purchased while running his own blanking and stamping company. The press helped him grow his business and we’re excited for it to help us grow Ohio Valley Manufacturing.

The new expansion will allow us to blank and form on this press greater than .500 material and will give Ohio Valley Manufacturing two presses that have this capability under one roof. The new press also provides a back up to our 4000 ton press which we didn’t previously have a backup for. Now this will allow us to have a backup on hand for all our presses.

In addition to our new manufacturing expansion we are also planning a new expansion to our office space to support our growing company. To learn more about our company and our new Danly press, visit our website and be sure to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for more company updates.

Heavy Gauges and Higher Goals

In our last blog, we talked a lot about innovation and progress – well, we’re here again to tell you about a few concrete examples of our commitment to improving our systems and capabilities.  Meet the two newest improvements to our medley of manufacturing equipment: a heavy duty Hammerle roller leveler, and a new feed line setup for our 1800 ton press.

The Hammerle is a beauty and a beast all in one.  It’s a heavy gauge roller leveler (0.020 to 0.500 gauge), and it’s capable of tighter tolerances than that of a regular press line.  This machine will allow us to achieve the higher tolerances in house, which is a benefit to our customer’s schedules as well as specifications.  And it’s already in operation.

Our next new toy is an improved Automatic feed line setup for our 1800 ton Verson press, ¼ inch by 60 inches wide.  This feed line allows us to run heavier gauges than previously possible on our 1800 ton press, and will supplement the capabilities of our 4000 ton press.

These improvements give us several end results: an improved capability for flatness spec needs, an ability to flatten steel of higher tensile strength than we previously had capability for, and the backup presses necessary for emergency or rush orders.  We can now do heavier orders to tighter tolerances faster than we ever could before.  We’re always improving our business here, and striving to stay at the top of our game – these additions to our arsenal are just the latest manifestations of that commitment to help lead manufacturing here in Ohio to greater heights.

Manufacturing Continues to Grow in Ohio

As the nation remains cautiously optimistic over steady job growth, Ohio’s manufacturing industry, especially the auto sector, continues to add jobs as it rebounds from the worst of the recession. Manufacturing and Ohio have a long, successful history, and it is the driving force in the state’s economic re-emergence. Spurred by major growth in automobile demand, the reshoring of foreign jobs to American soil, and innovative initiatives to foster continued improvement, Ohio is gearing up to show the nation, and the world, what the new face of manufacturing in America will be.

Back to one of those innovations: after months of talk of a “skills gap” between trained workers and manufacturing positions, Ohio is now rolling out a work training voucher program. With manufacturing one of the targeted industries, employers will be able to provide extra training, improvement programs and trade certificates. The goal is not only to open up the industry to people who otherwise might not have been able to work in it, but also to help current employees adapt and evolve as their jobs do. It’s a great time to be a manufacturer in Ohio, and here at Ohio Valley Manufacturing, we’re ready to show you what we can do.

A New Look at the Manufacturing Skills Gap

The skills gap is not a new topic for us here at Ohio Valley Manufacturing. Just as it is a double-sided coin for the industry at large – manufacturing jobs created by strong growth, but few skilled workers to fill them – so have we discussed the issue in the same light. As this article describes, with 2.5 million new jobs slated to open up in coming years to due retirement alone, it’s definitely not something to talk about anymore without action as well. Solutions are plentiful from all corners, but there some interesting ideas discussed in the article. Let’s look at a few key concepts:

Education: Not, specifically, the existing education system. Vocational training is approaching an all-time low, yet it is critically important for filling these positions. Much of the duty lies with manufacturers themselves to make sure that educational programs are offered – whether through the school system or not – to properly train the next generation of manufacturers.

Don’t find employees – make them. A program that could quite possibly prove to be revolutionary is outlined in the above piece. Rather than searching out trained, traditionally “qualified” recruitees, a new program is locating those with the most potential to learn a new skill or trade, and placing them in training programs. The program centers around a specific group with the greatest success in that area: U.S. military veterans. Whether through the program or not, it provides a new angle for manufacturers to take in seeking their next generation of workers. Someone who has shown themselves to be a hard worker and a quick study may likely be easier to find than someone with the specific training that is thought to be required.

We look forward to engaging with the next wave of manufacturing through these methods and others.