Metal Stamping Quality

Our Engineering Department upholds our quality standards in the design process with expert knowledge, experience and proper design technique. Engineers start with the die design process by drawing on their experience of successful projects and previous engineering tests and trials and integrate knowledge of similar tools to make the best recommendations for new tooling projects. Our Engineers can design and run tools in a virtual production simulation to debug the production process and ensure parts run seamlessly when physical production takes place. Tool makers and engineers are involved in making recommendations and finalizing tool design before officially handing the project off to the Tooling Department to begin building the tool.

While parts are running in production, we have quality assurance camera vision systems incorporated at the press. Our vision system developers will utilize calibrated master part samples to test part strips and verify vision systems are working properly before implementing them in high-volume production. The vision systems will do 100% inspection of parts coming off the press with highly accurate camera imaging. The cameras built into the vision systems take pictures of the parts after parts move out of the tool and measure dimensions, forms, bends and holes compared with the part print to ensure a perfect match.

Press operators also perform a first piece and last piece inspection of parts at every run or specific cycle of parts. Operators utilize gaging tools at the press and bring sample parts into the Quality Lab to check dimensions of parts using automated quality lab equipment.

In the tool room, there are also quality processes while building and assembling the tool before running it in production. While the tool makers are building the tool from our engineers’ design, tool makers further test and debug the tool as they are assembling tool components. If tool makers realize any changes for the tool that will improve the design for production, they will provide suggestions to our engineers who will review and approve the design modification before updating the final design.

Our Tooling Department also integrates quality detection sensors into the tools that ensure quality during tool try-out and final production. Every tool has a minimum of two sensors per sub-die set. The tools include stripper sensors for checking slugs and misfeed sensors to make sure the material feed is in proper location while running in the press. Part ejection sensors are also applied to tools to make sure the parts leave the die while running in production. Our Automation Department is responsible for designing and producing our camera vision system and sensor technology and works closely with our Engineering Department to design the integration of detection sensors into progressive tools.

Once the tool is running in production, our tool makers are also responsible for quality maintenance of the tool. Tool tickets are assigned for tools requiring maintenance and state any operational problems or quality issues that need attention in the tool. Tool makers are notified every time the tool requires adjustment and at the last piece production run so tool makers can perform an inspection of the tool.

In the Quality Lab, we conduct all our in-process inspection, capability studies and quality tests. We do calibration testing, PPAPs, feasibility testing and measurability of parts and their features and everything required to test and implement quality control before releasing the job into production. We initiate process planning based on customer requirements and incorporate inspection controls unique to every program. We make sure all critical part dimensions have been studied and will be in spec 100% of the time.

Sample parts are brought into the department to get approved prior to running in full production and our skilled quality engineers and inspectors measure part layouts and handle first-piece production run, last-piece production run and in-process inspection reports. We utilize high-level quality inspection equipment including SmartScope OGPs, a Zeiss Contura CMM and Keyence OGPs. The variety of this advanced quality inspection equipment allows us to measure flat and 3-dimensional parts accurately and efficiently.

We also have a dedicated safe launch team that is responsible for inspecting all parts during the pre-launch production phase. The safe launch team makes sure any production issues are corrected and the job is completely debugged before going into full production mode where there are zero issues.

Wiegel produces a variety of precision metal stampings made from copper, precious metal and ferrous metals. We specialize in manufacturing of both precision electrical connectors and non-electrical parts that are used in our world’s most demanded consumer products and essentials.