7.

PRESS TYPE

Press Technology:

Press Type Typical SPM Range Best For

Mechanical (flywheel) 30-120 SPM General purpose, most common

Servo-electric 10-150 SPM* Precise control, variable speed

Hydraulic 10-60 SPM Heavy forming, deep drawing

High-speed mechanical 150-400 SPM Electronics, thin materials

Transfer press 15-45 SPM Large automotive parts

*Servo presses can vary speed by operation - faster for piercing, slower for forming

8. FEEDING SYSTEM

Feed Method Impact:

Roll Feed (Most Common):

 Speed: 40-150 SPM

 Limitation: Grip release and re-grip time

 Best for: Standard progressive dies

Air Feed:

 Speed: 80-200 SPM

 Limitation: Material weight, precision

 Best for: Light, thin materials

Hitch Feed (Mechanical):

 Speed: 30-100 SPM

 Limitation: Mechanical linkage

 Best for: Medium duty applications

Servo Feed:

 Speed: 10-150 SPM (variable)

 Limitation: Acceleration/deceleration

 Best for: Precise positioning, varying pitch

Theoretical Maximum SPM:

Formula:

SPM_max = 60 / (t_feed + t_stroke + t_dwell)

Where:

t_feed = Strip feed time (seconds)

t_stroke = Press ram up/down time (seconds)

t_dwell = Dwell time at bottom (seconds)

Example Calculation:

Given:

 Press stroke: 100mm

 Feed length: 60mm

 Material: 2mm mild steel

 Operations: 10 stations

Time Breakdown:

Press Stroke Time:

Assume press speed: 150 mm/sec average

Up/down travel: 100mm × 2 = 200mm

t_stroke = 200 / 150 = 1.33 seconds

Feed Time:

Roll feed speed: ~300 mm/sec

Feed length: 60mm

t_feed = 60 / 300 = 0.20 seconds

Dwell Time:

Forming operations need dwell: 0.05 seconds

Total Cycle Time:

t_total = 1.33 + 0.20 + 0.05 = 1.58 seconds

Maximum SPM:

SPM_max = 60 / 1.58 = 38 SPM

Practical Operating Speed:

Add 20% safety margin

SPM_actual = 38 × 0.8 = 30-32 SPM

MALAYSIAN INDUSTRY STANDARDS

Typical Speeds by Sector:

Automotive (Malaysia):

 Small brackets: 50-70 SPM

 Structural parts: 30-45 SPM

 Safety parts: 25-35 SPM (conservative for quality)

 Proton/Perodua suppliers typically: 35-55 SPM average

Electronics (Penang/Melaka):

 Terminals/connectors: 120-180 SPM

 Lead frames: 100-150 SPM

 Small precision parts: 80-120 SPM

Appliances:

 Washing machine parts: 40-60 SPM

 Air conditioner brackets: 45-65 SPM

SPEED OPTIMIZATION STRATEGIES

How to Increase SPM (Without Sacrificing Quality):

1. Reduce Feed Length

 Optimize strip layout for shorter pitch

2. Use Idle Stations

 Spread operations over more stations

 Reduces force per station

 Allows faster press cycling

3. Servo Feed System

 Faster acceleration/deceleration

 Precise positioning

 Can gain 10-20% speed

4. Upgrade Press

 Modern servo press vs old mechanical

 Higher speed capability

 Variable speed by operation

5. Improve Lubrication

 Better strip lubrication = less friction

 Faster feeding = 5-10% SPM gain

6. Pilot System Optimization

 Quick-entry pilots (chamfered)

 Reduces positioning time

 Smoother feeding

7. Tool Design

 Minimize forming operations

 Use cam instead of air bends where possible

 Reduce dwell time needs

PRODUCTION CALCULATION EXAMPLES

Example 1: Automotive Bracket

Specifications:
  Part: Door hinge bracket

 Material: 1.8mm CRCA

 Progressive die: 10 stations

 Operating speed: 55 SPM

 Efficiency: 85% (accounting for setup, maintenance, breaks)

Daily Production:

Working hours: 16 hours (2 shifts)

Available minutes: 16 × 60 = 960 minutes

Actual running time: 960 × 0.85 = 816 minutes

Parts per day = 816 × 55 = 44,880 parts

Monthly (22 working days) = 44,880 × 22 = 987,360 parts

≈ 1 million parts/month

Example 2: Electronics Terminal

Specifications:

 Part: Connector terminal

 Material: 0.3mm brass

 Progressive die: 8 stations

 Operating speed: 140 SPM

 Efficiency: 90%

Daily Production:

Working hours: 20 hours (continuous with shift overlap)

Available minutes: 20 × 60 = 1,200 minutes

Actual running time: 1,200 × 0.90 = 1,080 minutes

Parts per day = 1,080 × 140 = 151,200 parts

SPEED LIMITATIONS & SAFETY

Why Not Always Run Maximum Speed?

1. Tool Life

 Higher speed = more wear

 Punch life: 100k parts at 80 SPM vs 150k parts at 50 SPM

 Balance speed vs tool maintenance cost

2. Quality Concerns

 Too fast = burr issues, dimensional drift

 Feeding errors increase with speed

 Parts may not eject cleanly

3. Safety

 Higher speed = more kinetic energy

 Tool breakage more catastrophic

 Operator safety risk

4. Material Handling

 Scrap removal can't keep up

 Parts collection system overwhelmed

 Manual operations bottleneck

5. Press Limitations

 Mechanical wear increases exponentially

 Vibration and noise issues

 Press not rated for sustained high speed

INTERVIEW ANSWER GUIDE

Q: "What's the typical stroke rate for progressive dies?"

"Progressive die stroke rates vary significantly based on multiple factors. Generally:

 Light duty (thin electronics parts): 100-150 SPM

 Medium automotive brackets (1-2mm): 50-70 SPM

 Heavy structural parts (2-4mm): 30-45 SPM

 Very heavy forming/drawing: 15-30 SPM

The main factors affecting speed are material thickness and hardness, number of stations,
part complexity, and feeding system. For example, a 10-station progressive die for
automotive bracket in 2mm mild steel typically runs at 50-60 SPM in Malaysian
manufacturing.

It's important not to run at maximum theoretical speed - we typically operate at 80-85% of
maximum to balance productivity with tool life, quality, and safety. Higher speed increases
wear and can cause quality issues."

Q: "How do you determine the optimal SPM for a new tool?"

Good Answer:

"I determine optimal SPM through systematic approach:

1. Calculate theoretical maximum based on press stroke time, feed time, and any dwell
requirements

2. Apply safety factors (typically 15-20%) for reliable operation

3. Consider material limitations - harder materials need slower speed

4. Evaluate tool complexity - more stations or forming operations reduce speed

5. During tryout, start conservative (60-70% of theoretical max)

6. Gradually increase speed while monitoring:

 Part quality (burr, dimensions)

 Feeding reliability

 Tool temperatures

 Vibration and noise

7. Find sweet spot where productivity is high but quality is consistent and tool wear is
acceptable
For example, recent project: Automotive bracket progressive die (12 stations, 2mm DP590):

 Theoretical max: 65 SPM

 Started tryout: 40 SPM

 Gradually increased: 45, 50, 55 SPM

 Optimal found: 52 SPM (quality stable, tool temps acceptable)

 Production setting: 50 SPM (4% safety margin)

This balances productivity (50 × 60 × 16 hrs = 48k parts/day) with tool life and quality
consistency."

QUICK REFERENCE TABLE

SPM by Application (Summary):

Application Material Thickness Stations Typical SPM

Electronics terminals 0.2-0.5mm 6-10 120-160

Connector pins 0.3-0.8mm 8-12 100-140

Auto small brackets 1.0-2.0mm 8-12 50-70

Auto structural 2.0-3.5mm 10-15 30-50

Heavy automotive 3.0-5.0mm 12-20 20-35

Appliance parts 0.8-2.0mm 6-10 45-65

Deep drawn cups 1.0-3.0mm 8-15 15-30

PRODUCTION PLANNING FORMULA

Quick Production Estimate:

Daily Production = SPM × 60 min/hr × Hours/day × Efficiency

Where:

- SPM = Strokes per minute

- Hours/day = Shift hours (8, 16, or 24)

- Efficiency = 0.80-0.90 (80-90%)

SPM = 55

Hours = 16 (two 8-hour shifts)

Efficiency = 0.85

Daily = 55 × 60 × 16 × 0.85 = 44,880 parts

Monthly (22 days) = 987,360 parts

Would you like me to create:

1. SPM optimization calculator (Excel tool)?

2. Production capacity worksheet with multiple scenarios?

3. Tool life vs. SPM analysis chart?

4. Press selection guide based on SPM requirements?

Let me know what would be most helpful!