Transformation of Northern Stamping, Inc.: Meeting Automotive Industry Demands Through Innovation and Process Improvement

Cleveland, Ohio based Tier One automotive supplier, Northern Stamping, Inc. (NSI) has a strong 30-year history that continues to evolve. Along the way, NSI has added new technologies such as automatic transfer presses and robotic welding, while continuing improvement. Recently, increasing production demands from companies such as General Motors, for whom NSI stamps nearly 2.5 million tractor-hitch parts (11 parts per assembly) as well as Chrysler, Cosma Magna, and more have driven NSI to transform its company in a positive way.

To accommodate for the increase in demands, NSI has a newly expanded stamping facility, covering 140,000-sq.-ft. (also having a nearby 85,000-sq.ft. welding facility). To this stamping facility, NSI has made the following changes:

• Implement a computerized maintenance-management system (CMMS) from Woodbury, Connecticut-based COGZ, to increase equipment uptime by tracking task completion and equipment history.
• Maximize use of white boards to keep updated information on press tooling for employees. Utilize colors and labels to represent tools ready to run in the press or tools needing repairs.
• Reorganize the warehouse to ensure packing and flow of parts efficiency, allowing increased productivity by fewer employees (from 10 to 4) and increasing availability to complete other tasks.

These changes allowed NSI to quickly recover from a “failed status” received in a General Motors quality audit held the year prior. The company had received a 15, far below the necessary 76 to pass. This was not for a lack of quality parts, but for “immature” processes and organization. Two audits later, in 2018, NSI positively restructured and scored a 96.

“Our tooling and maintenance departments just weren’t well organized. We did not have processes in place to indicate the location of tooling, the status of dies, none of that. Now we do,” says Duane Enderby, NSI tooling manager who joined NSI before the first audit.

Enderby credits Jeff Krajnak, director of operations; Eric King, plant manager; Todd Aberts, maintenance manager; Scott Sheffield, vice president; and NSI owner,  Matthew Friedman for their key roles in their efforts towards NSI process-improvements.

“It really is a team effort,” says Enderby.

Enhancing Efficiency and Precision: The Integration of ROEMHELD North America's Clamping Solutions

A previously missing component now in place to assist NSI’s transformation: quick die change equipment. NSI’s newer 1650-ton Aida servo press, now equipped with customized hydraulic clamping systems from Hilma USA, led to the inclusion of Hilma hollowing-piston cylinders from ROEMHELD North America. These cylinders were included on 9 NSI mechanical presses and 1 330-ton Aida servo press.

“Steve Amell, ROEMHELD North America’s regional sales manager, worked with us to put together the manifolds on the 1650-ton press,” says Nathan Gottlieb, NSI process engineers and project coordinator. “This included the tubing, gauges—the whole hydraulic system. Then he pretty much pulled out of his back pocket, another type of clamp, a hydromechanical clamping nut. It was like a hollow-piston cylinder with no hoses, because the pressure is internal. We were amazed at the possibilities these presented.”

How the ROEMHELD North America clamping nut works: The nut is placed in the U slot of the die, then fastened with an Allen wrench. This applies pressure to an internal piston, preloading the T bolt and clamping the die. After receiving this pressure, a pin extends to indicate that it is safely clamed.

Revolutionizing Die Changeovers: Cost Savings and Increased Efficiency

“With the old method for changing dies,” says Enderby, “an employee had to use a fair amount of elbow grease and sweat to tighten the bolts. With the hydro mechanical clamps, you slip them in the U slot, give them a quick twist, then just a few turns with an Allen wrench until the internal pressure loads the bolt and the pin extends, achieving 11 tons of clamp force.”

In addition to the ergonomic and safety benefits from this clamp, NSI conducted a cost-justification study that realized the major impact these newly installed clamps will have on NSI’s bottom line.

“With a per-press-hr. operating cost of $125, whether or not the press in running, and an average conventional changeover taking 2 hr., that’s $250 per changeover,” Krajnak explains, adding that on average, NSI performs 60 die changeovers per week across the 10 presses equipped with the hollow-piston cylinders.

“That’s $15,000 per week, and $780,000 per year.”

“With the hollow-piston cylinders, we shave 15 minutes off of each changeover,” says Krajnak. “That’s 0.125/hr. reduction equals 15 hr./wk., which equals 780 hr./yr., and an annual cost savings of $97,500. This reduces our cost by 12.5 percent.”

With these savings and the additional work, Enderby explains that the company has doubled its stamped-parts production over the past year. NSI has been able to increase its workforce from 80 employees in 2015 to 230 in 2018.

NSI’s success continues strong, with Enderby planning on opening 30 more jobs as they progress. With its processes and Quick Die Change (QDC) equipment, it’s fair to say their future looks bright.