Like many stampers running lean operations, Luitink Manufacturing Co., Menomonee Falls, WI, recently went looking for flexible equipment that could handle changing part quantities and volumes. "We also needed to support a large package of automotive components that dictated the need for an 800-ton transfer press," recalls Glen Luther, Luitink's general manager. "We found a production solution that not only met our automotive-parts requirement but that allowed us to expand our capacity by taking on less-traditional work." The press installed at the firm, a PMX 800-ton progressive-die straightside press from Aida, Dayton, OH, was automated for transfer and feed-line capabilities. The automation setup allows the firm to stamp parts on a kanban system targeting one- and two-week intervals.
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