THE 3-DIMENSIONAL SERVICES GROUP HOSTS HOT STAMPING CONFERENCE

The 3-Dimensional Services Group (www.3dimensional.com) a leading manufacturer of production-intent prototypes and low-volume production, and its affiliate Urgent Design & Manufacturing, Lapeer, MI hosted a one-day conference devoted to understanding the manufacturing technology behind hot stamping. The conference was organized by the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and its sponsors, APT, Hitachi and Weld Systems Integrators. The all-day forum, held on September 17, 2019, and titled “Hot Stamping Experience and Tech Tour” was held at the Urgent Design & Manufacturing Design Center and its manufacturing facility.

Over 70 registrants and sponsors attended the event. The keynote speaker was Eren Billur,

Owner of Billur Metal Form, who presented the Fundamentals and Applications of Hot-Stamping Technology for Producing Automotive Parts. He was joined by other notable speakers: Harald Lemke, Chief Commercial Officer, Formetrix who addressed Novel Cost-Efficient 3D Printed Hot and Cold Forming Tools for High Volume Production; Mike Austin, Director—Manufacturing Engineering, Diversified Tooling Group who spoke on Hot-Stamping Developments and Optimization; Nathan Harris, Industry Management- Automotive, Trumpf, Inc. on Laser Cutting Hardened Steel; and Bob Collins, Senior Applications Engineer, Weld Systems Integrators, Inc. on Welding Fasteners to Hot-Stamped Coated Steels.

During the day attendees were provided a guided, plant tour of Urgent Design &

Manufacturing, showcasing the company’s many technologies in fabrication and metalworking such as fiber-laser cutting, robotic welding, hydroforming and tube bending. The focus of the tour was on the company’s hot-stamping cell and its role in producing complex metal components.

According to Chad Peterson, The 3-Dimensional Services Group General Manager, “The conference was the ultimate success. We were pleased with the turnout and are glad that we could do our part to foster a better understanding of hot-stamping.”

He added, “The mandate for lighter and stronger components is a game changer. Some

component design geometries can’t be cold stamped due to work hardening of the material, strain limitations and increased spring-back. Trying to achieve these components’ geometries would require three to four forming operations, and material would work harden to the point that it’s not practical or possible. But hot stamping, with blanks or parts in a red-hot state, enables the drawing, with the material’s end strength far superior to what cold stamping can provide.”

About The 3-Dimensional Services Group

The 3-Dimensional Services Group, headquartered in Rochester Hills, MI and consisting of 3-Dimensional Services, Urgent Plastic Services, Urgent Design & Manufacturing, 3-Dimensional Services—Europe and Michigan Integrated Technologies has earned a reputation for building production-intent prototype parts and producing low-volume production parts 50 to 70% faster than conventional shops.