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TEAM
Super light and stable disc
carriers formed in three
dimensions: Demand for
components with these
attributes will grow in the
future.
The automotive industry is facing a big change: Transmis-
sion parts that used to be heavy and bold have to be con-
structed much lighter nowadays. Feintool faces this chal-
lenge with its self-developed Fineblanking & Forming
System FFS™ and has invested substantially in new ma-
chines in its plant near Nashville. The heart of the FFS™
is a 1,600-ton direct servo transfer press with an 18-foot
(6-meter) press table. The system includes a hydraulic
power unit adapted from a 700-ton fineblanking press,
located in the foundation of the transfer press.
The FFS configuration eliminates the usual limitations of
the fineblanking press with a relatively small bed size.
The 18-foot press table accepts up to 12 individual tooling
stations that enable total freedom in part design. The
700-ton fineblanking hydraulic power unit delivers high
volumes of oil at precisely controlled ram positions and
pressures to fully integrate multiple fineblanking opera-
tions at any stations of the forming tools.
UNLEASHED PRODUCTIVITY
The results are three-dimensional formed, lightweight
components with fineblanked part features in critical ar-
eas to achieve precision and finishing results possible
only with an FFS configuration. Disc carriers, pistons,
gear spiders, driveplates and adaptive dampening com-
ponents can be formed, fineblanked, intool rolled and
finished in a single transfer press run. With the addition
of a second 1,600-ton press, Feintool now has three large
tonnage presses in its Nashville plant that uniquely com-
bine coldforming and fineblanking operations.
For several years, Feintool has been investing in fineblanking and forming
technologies in North America. Now the company is expanding its Nashville
production facility. The reason: Increasing global demand for lighter automo-
tive transmission components.
Text:
Lars Reich
POWERFUL
TECHNOLOGY
MADE EASY
HORIZONS 2017