Calendar
Die Maintenance and Troubleshooting Seminar
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Thursday, May 8, 2025
Cleveland, OH & Virtual
PMA’s two-day Die Maintenance seminar offers solutions to problems encountered during die maintenance and provides die design tips and problem-solving methodologies for improving die-maintenance programs and reducing unplanned downtime.
Topics include:
- Types of maintenance programs and their effectiveness
- Impact that press selection and press maintenance have on die-maintenance cost
- Importance of proper cutting clearance
- Tool-steel selection and failure modes
- Heat-treating practices to optimize die lfe and machine uptime
- Improper die-setting practices that can damage dies and presses, and produce inconsistent part quality
- Data-driven approach for solving problems in the press shop
Questions
- Is there really a difference between die maintenance and die repair?
- Can my die designs be improved to ease maintenance on the shop floor?
- Is there a systematic way to select tool steels and heat treatments to improve die life?
- How can I reduce cutting, punching and forming problems in my dies?
- What role does the stamping press play in die-maintenance problems?
- What are the proper procedures for die welding?
Attendees will learn answers to these questions as well as solutions and troubleshooting techniques for real-world die-maintenance issues.
AGENDA
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
- 8:00 a.m. Breakfast
- 8:30 a.m. Welcome/Introductions
- The Cost of Repair and Maintenance
- Controlling Process Variables
- Factors Impacting Tool Life
- 12:00 p.m. Lunch break
- 12:45 p.m. Presentations
- Grinding and Shimming Procedures
- Punching and Cutting Processes
- Slug-Control Methods
- 4:30 p.m. Adjourn
Thursday, May 8, 2025
- 8:00 a.m. Breakfast
- 8:30 a.m. Presentations
- Heat Treatment of Tool-Steel
- Tool-Steel Welding Repair
- Tool-Steel Selection Based on Failure Modes
- 11:45 a.m. Lunch break
- 12:30 p.m. Presentations
- Maintaining Forming & Drawing Processes
- Tool & Die Forensics
- 3:00 p.m. Adjourn
SPEAKERS
Chris Kerchkof, Sales Manager, Eureka Welding Alloys
Chris Kerchkof has been with Eureka Welding Alloys for more than 25 years and has held various positions in the production side of operations over the years while making his way to the corporate side of operations. He currently is the sales manager and robotics division supervisor and heads up day-to-day operations at Eureka Welding Alloys.
Tim Steber, Regional Sales Manager, Solar Atmospheres
Tim Steber is a regional sales manager for Solar Atmospheres, a quality-driven vacuum heat treater. Tim has more than 40 years of experience in machining, fabricating, mechanical design engineering and technical sales. He began his career as a machinist and pursued his degree in Mechanical Technology while working. He then served as a design engineer for aseptic packaging equipment, and later with Vacuum Furnace Systems, designing vacuum-furnace hot zones, furnace chambers, water systems and inert-gas quench systems. Tim is a current member of the PMA Mid-Atlantic District board and previously served as chair of the Philadelphia Chapter of ASM International. He has offered many technical presentations to PMA regionally and nationally. Tim also was an adjunct lecturer at Lehigh Carbon Community College, from where he earned an associate degree in Mechanical Technology,and a technical presenter at Lehigh University and UCONN.
Peter Ulintz, PMA Technical Consultant, Pace Technologies, LLC
Peter Ulintz worked in the metal stamping and tool and die industries for 37 years prior to serving as PMA’s technical director from July 2015 to May 2024. His background includes tool and die making, die processing and design, engineering management, and product development. Peter now is an industry consultant, training metalforming industry employees at PMA technical seminars and conferences, in addition to providing in-plant training. He is past president of the North American Deep Drawing Research Group, and authors the Tooling by Design column in MetalForming magazine.
SEMINAR LOCATION
Precision Metalforming Association
6363 Oak Tree Blvd., Independence, OH 44131
216-901-8800
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Holiday Inn Cleveland South
6001 Rockside Rd., Independence, OH 44131
216-524-8050
To make hotel reservations, reserve online to receive the rate of $115 per night plus applicable taxes. Hotel accommodations include free self-parking.
REGISTRATION
IN-PERSON/VIRTUAL
$499 Members
$699 Nonmembers
Note: In-person registration includes breakfast and lunch. Virtual registrants will receive their unique log-in link via email from Zoom. If an additional connection is detected using your unique link during the seminar it will be disconnected.
To register by phone, please call Marianne Sichi at 216-901-8800 ext. 150.
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