Unlike conventional metal stampings from a power press, fourslide production uses a series of relatively inexpensive tools operating in sequence to product parts ranging from flat stampings to complex fasteners, terminals, contacts, and connectors. The technique is suitable for smaller metal parts where lower volumes, complexity of form, tooling costs, and fluidity of design are driving factors. Examples are precision metal stampings, flat springs, and wire forms less than 2-in. wide and 0.075-in. thick.

Fourslide manufacturing begins with the raw material in flat strip form being fed off a coil and stamped or blanked in the machine. The strip is then fed into the forming section, where four tool-carrying slides approach the part from four directions, forming the material around a center form or mandrel. All machine motions are cam driven. The cam set-up determines the sequence, timing, and number of tool strikes.

In one case, a contract manufacturer of precision medical parts needed to incorporate a single metal component into a one of its customer’s assemblies, which would be produced in the modest quantity of approximately 50,000 units per year. The manufacturer could have gone the traditional route of stamping the part using a progressive die on a power press. However, after evaluating the quantities and costs involved, engineers opted for fourslide forming services from Fourslide Spring & Stamping, (www.fourslide.com), Bristol, CT.

According to the manufacturer, the fourslide process paid off, taking less than five weeks from order placement to first article parts. Tooling modifications were substantially less expensive than a typical progressive die, costing less than $1,400.

Visit www.fourslide.com/fourslide-reference.htm for an animated demonstration of the process.