While die engineering and design may represent less than 10 percent of the total cost of a die, it can impact 60 percent of the overall cost -- particularly if it isn’t done right. Autodie engineers collectively have decades of experience designing large and complex dies and a deep toolbox of some of the industry’s most sophisticated software to generate virtual die models and simulate die tryouts.
Customers tap into our expertise in two ways:
● Commissioning programs for Autodie to manufacture the dies
● Designing dies that are to be manufactured elsewhere
Autodie is well versed in designing dies for the automotive industry, such as:
● Class A parts: body side panels, doors, hoods, roofs, fenders, etc.
● All major Class B and C panels
● Major reinforcements panels
● Transfer and line dies
● Sophisticated, multicomponent projects
● Dies for forming Advanced High Strength Steel, aluminum, and exotic materials
We can breathe new life into existing dies with a technique we call Newfrom, where we optimize design similarities among specific parts from one generation of products to the next. In one case using our Newfrom technique, we were able to reduce the engineering time by a factor of 20 for a customer.
We have been steadily perfecting hybrid dies for over six years. By maximizing the lost foam pattern process, we minimize the cost and labor of adding components to the die after the fact; this includes the need to place, dowel and fasten items by hand. And because Hybrids are lighter and have less complex componentry, they don’t require the same amount of maintenance. These efficiencies add up to dramatic cost savings over the course of a run. In one instance, we reduced manufacturing cost per part by 75 percent over five years.
Our experienced engineers also have designed parts unrelated to stamping dies, such as spare parts for the Military Tier 1 and components for solar panel arrays.