OSG rolling dies more than triple tool life in screw production
Yasmin Natacha Nunes da Silva | OSG Sulamericana
Founded in 1955, Metalúrgica Hassmann S.A. (Hassmann) is one of the largest fastener manufacturers in Brazil. Equipped with a capacity to produce more than 40,000 different types of screws, rivets, and special parts, Hassmann supplies high-performance products with dedication, efficiency, and excellence in quality to the automotive, agricultural, truck, construction machinery industries, among others. Hassmann is distinguished by its dynamism, production capacity, quality, inventories, and flexibility to meet the market’s needs, always seeking full customer satisfaction. With quality and environmental management systems implemented and certified for decades, Hassmann has consolidated a high-quality standard, as well as a deep respect for the environment and the next generation. Hassmann currently has three facilities in Brazil – its main factory and headquarters, a distribution center, and a facility for surface treatment. Outside of Brazil, Hassmann opened a distribution center in 2019 in Tampa, Florida, United States to support its exports to more than 25 countries. Today the company employs more than 500 highly skilled workers.
Hassmann’s headquarters is located in Imigrante, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Hassmann.
Hassmann’s headquarters is located in Imigrante, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with an estimated factory and warehouse area of over 40,000-square-meter. During a visit to Hassmann’s manufacturing plant in Imigrante, OSG Sulamericana proposed an application optimization on Hassmann’s screw production. Although the company was not experiencing problems on its application, Hassmann was eager for potential improvement in tool life and cost benefit.
The screw application under evaluation is made of 10B30 low carbon steel. Hassmann has been manufacturing these screws for approximately 50 years. The screws are mass produced by using a model IC-530 heavy-duty hydraulic thread rolling machine made by I-Cheng. A pair of M16 x 2 rolling dies are installed to form the threads on the material. In terms of production volume, around 1 million pieces of screws are produced annually.
Hassmann’s screws are mass produced by using a heavy-duty hydraulic thread rolling machine. A pair of M16 x 2 rolling dies are installed to form the threads on the material.
For this application, Hassmann originally used a local competitor rolling dies made of M2 high speed steel with nitriding surface treatment. Upon a detail evaluation of the application, OSG Sulamericana Sales Engineer Anderson Scalginsky recommended OSG’s M16 x 2 (170 x 80 x 54 NI) rolling die in the same size of M16 x 2 with nitriding surface treatment. Made of M2 high speed steel, the die width measures 80 mm and the external diameter measures 170 mm. Although OSG’s rolling dies share identical specifications as the competitor, the level of quality control is unparalleled. The raw material for OSG Sulamericana’s rolling dies comes from suppliers approved by the OSG headquarters, resulting in approximately 20 percent longer tool life versus local suppliers. Moreover, the thread profile of OSG rolling dies is regulated with high precision, leading to a more superior thread grinding finish. The radius run-out of OSG dies is also much more controlled compared to the competitor.
A pair of OSG cylindrical dies. Thread rolling cylindrical dies are used in set of two or set of three. They are ideal for a wide range of precision threaded parts.
OSG has been manufacturing rolling dies since 1956, nearly 70 years ago. Today, the company offers a broad lineup of dies and thread rolling products including cylindrical dies, flat dies, trim dies, planetary dies and rack dies. OSG is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of rolling dies, with more than 70,000 cold forming tools being produced annually through several production sites around the globe. Utilizing the same advanced technology the company uses for its world-renowned taps, OSG manufactures a variety of dies in accordance with their intended use with superb precision and tool life. OSG can manufacture dies based on any desired specifications and can provide tailored evaluation and solutions.
The competitor rolling dies were achieving an average tool life of 50,000 pieces. OSG’s rolling dies, on the other hand, are able to achieve 180,000 pieces, which is 3.6 times longer in durability. OSG rolling dies, although around 25 percent more expensive, outperformed the competitor dies to improve cost per unit over 65 percent. Based on Hassmann’s annual production volume of 1 million pieces, an estimated cost savings of R$126,500 BRL (approx. $22,149 USD) can be achieved. Moreover, by switching to OSG’s rolling dies, machine downtime was significantly reduced, which is highly prominent as Hassmann only had a single thread rolling machine dedicated for this application. OSG rolling dies have a significantly higher level of manufacturing and application compared to the competitor in terms of repeatability. Not to mention the reconditioning program of OSG rolling dies, which delivers performance very close to brand-new OSG rolling dies.
From left, Hassmann Machine Operator Luis Gustavo de Oliveira, OSG Sulamericana Sales Engineer Anderson Scalginsky and Hassmann Purchasing Agent Eduardo Schneider pose for a photograph at the Hassmann factory in Imigrante, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
As a progressive company, Hassmann continuously evaluates, develops and utilizes the most technological advanced software and equipment in its production. By providing superior and reliable products, OSG will strive to support Hassmann’s production of high-performance fasteners to fulfill evolving market needs, assure product quality and customer satisfaction.
For more information on OSG die solutions, OSG Sulamericana and Metalúrgica Hassmann S.A.
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