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Wila is Next Step in Press Brake Tooling Evolution at
Mid-West Machine Products
Company Chooses Wila New Standard Tooling for New Robotic Bending Cell
Mid-West Machine Products was established in 1969 with a single drill press and founder Paul Guernsey's single-minded resolve to succeed. The company has grown and adapted over the past 40 years to serve the needs of their customers and address the continually changing world of global manufacturing.
The company's current facility is over 90,000 square feet and contains an impressive array of state-of-the-art manufacturing technology. Mid-West has always been a leader in embracing new technologies to better serve their customers. The company has a long list of area firsts with automated CNC punching cells, robotic welding, robotic bending, and automated material handling systems.
When the company began considering upgrading their robotic bending technology last year, Paul worked closely with his son, Allen Guernsey, to determine which equipment would best fit their needs. After researching several options, Allen and Paul decided to purchase an Accurpress Accell 9-axis press brake from Action Machinery and integrate it with a MotoMan© robot. Once the brake and robot had been selected, the question of tooling had to be addressed.
When Mid-West purchased their first press bake in the 1970's, conventional American-style tooling was the only available option. In the 1980's, Mid-West began utilizing up-acting press brakes with European-style tooling. Throughout the years, Mid-West had invested over $200,000 in European-style tooling. With this kind of investment in existing tooling, it would have to be something truly revolutionary to get owner Paul Guernsey to make a change.
Both Paul and Allen had heard about Wila New Standard tooling, but seeing a demonstration of the system provided the proof that they needed. When asked recently about his decision Paul said, "I can't believe I'm buying a 3rd tooling style after all these years, but it was the speed of set up that convinced me."
Wila's New Standard tooling is precision ground and hardened using Wila's patented CNC deep hardening technology for maximum durability. Punches and dies are automatically seated and clamped eliminating the most time consuming aspects of set up in "European-style" brake tooling. Wila even outperforms other quick-change tooling styles with changeover times up to 80% faster than the competition.
Being competitive in today's global environment requires constant re-evaluation of available technologies and processes. Mid-West Machine embodies the American spirit of curiosity, inventiveness, innovation, and hard work. The company's success is a shining example of what is possible to achieve in US manufacturing today.
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