aluminum Archives - Ohio Valley Manufacturing Inc.

Tag Archive: aluminum

Roller Leveling Capabilities Improve Quality and Consistency of Finished Parts

October 28, 2015 1:29 pm Comments Off

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.

Lightweighting in Vehicle Manufacturing

October 25, 2013 8:55 am Comments Off

One of the biggest buzzwords currently in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry is “lightweighting”. This refers to the attempt by auto and truck design and manufacturing companies to come up with the lightest weight vehicles possible, in order to be as fuel efficient as possible. There are many schools of thought as to the best approach for lighter vehicles – in the auto industry, many companies are substituting aluminum, carbon fiber, and other composites to try to save weight and maintain durability. Designers are scrutinizing every piece of the vehicles, from the frame to the engine, for new and innovative ways to make lighter parts but still provide the same loadbearing and safety capabilities as heavier vehicles.

For the trucking industry, alternate materials aren’t as much an option because of the need to bear higher loads, at higher tolerances. This means that many are using higher grade steels, with higher tensile strength – but at thinner gauges. Stronger steel, however, is tougher to manipulate. The higher grade the steel, the more pounds of force need to be behind the machine that makes the part, and many designs call for steel that is stretching the boundaries of what many manufacturers are capable of. Fortunately for us at Ohio Valley, our specialty is in heavy gauge stamping, and our 4000 ton press can handle what most others can’t.

As designs call for stronger steel gauges, and the lightweighting trend continues, Ohio Valley Manufacturing will be ready to accommodate our customers with their heavy gauge stamping needs. Make sure to check back here at our blog for more insight into how this trend is affecting the agricultural and construction industries, or in the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts and get in touch with us on social media.