How do I make this?

[Alexei]

Quick forum post asking for advice, I want to make this part - its 1.2mm thick stainless steel


I would like to make 500 of these a week (well my design is slightly different but only slightly). At the moment I only have a small print shop not a tool shop but I’m going to be tooling up with in the next month purely to make this part. What I need to know is what equipment should I be buying for maximum cost effect and can it be done with just a home shop set up?

Any help is appreciated
Alex

[vpt]

That could be cut on a plasma/water/laser table. Or I would assume once you have a design and don't even want to change it you could make up a punch die to knock them out.

[dian]

yes, punch and fold.

[A.K. Boomer]

I don't get what the "rotate" part is about, unless their just saying it's the place to put the keyring (brilliant )

it looks kinda heavy, hope you don't plan on hanging it on a chevy

im wondering how to do the file part, and if it should be done before or after the bending,,, lots of ways to skin that cat I guess...

[vpt]

I don't get what the "rotate" part is about, unless their just saying it's the place to put the keyring (brilliant )

it looks kinda heavy, hope you don't plan on hanging it on a chevy

im wondering how to do the file part, and if it should be done before or after the bending,,, lots of ways to skin that cat I guess...

haha and hahahaha

For the file part I would personally do it after the bending and I would be tempted to just stick it to a 50 grit belt sander for a couple seconds to get the "file" surface.

[John Stevenson]

Definitely not home shop.
You are talking a serious press to handle 1.2mm stainless but has any one noticed the second opps ? File s teeth on the back thinned down for the screwdriver and a ground scallop for the cutting operation.
Laser will give you a shape, water jet will but slower and more expensive given that 1.2mm will cut very nicely with laser. so you are looking at cut, 2 ? 3? second opps, fold and engrave.

Cut and second opps could be done with progressive dies, again not home shop and expensive.

This is one of those jobs that needs to be taken direct from the drawing board to chequebook engineering.

[Old Hat]

Go to the App store.
Find an app to an outfit that can make those using 3D printing.
Get some investors, set up in some tiny Island nation.

Market them internationally, avoiding any nasty pattent hang-ups.
Become rich, donate to causes and politicians.

Then when the lawsuites start rolling in.
Exhile on the beaches back in the tiny Island nation.

[JoeLee]

It looks like there are some other processes that will be required to obtain the beveled edges once the part is stamped out.
Perhaps punch, stamp or grind and fold.

JL..............

[TGriffin]

There is more there than meets the eye. I see a blanking die to cut the blank, a stamping die, laser or etching process for the lettering, a forming die for the shape, a heat treat process, a tumble deburring process, a few secondary operations to form the cutters and screwdrivers, all followed up by an electro-polishing step to make it pretty.

Tom

[John Stevenson]

Go to the App store.
Find an app to an outfit that can make those using 3D printing.

Then try to find an app to locate the people who could afford to buy a 3D stainless printed item.

There must be loads of people queuing up to buy a $1,000 bottle opener

[jlevie]

Making one of these could be done with "home shop" level machines. Meaning lots of hours of labor and sending the part out for laser marking. Production of 500 or so per month would require a sizable (very sizable) investment in quality machines and tools.

[macona]

Progressive punch and die. That should make most of it, then a grinding fixture for the cutter and a yag laser engraver for the markings.

[macona]

There is more there than meets the eye. I see a blanking die to cut the blank, a stamping die, laser or etching process for the lettering, a forming die for the shape, a heat treat process, a tumble deburring process, a few secondary operations to form the cutters and screwdrivers, all followed up by an electro-polishing step to make it pretty.

Tom

Lots of those steps can be combined. And I would skip electro polish. There are some seriously nasty chemicals involved there.

[Alexei]

yes, punch and fold.

That's what I'm thinking, I'd better go to a proper die maker and get his take on what press to buy. as for the writing on the peace I'll be able to screen print that on or use a pad printer. I'm looking forward to being able to post the finished product on this site.

[Alexei]

Then try to find an app to locate the people who could afford to buy a 3D stainless printed item.

There must be loads of people queuing up to buy a $1,000 bottle opener

wow someones lost there entrepreneurial spark, There must be loads of ways to blank this part out, plasma cut, laser it, punch, chemical mill it etc. Personally I like the ideal of a punch though I'm going to need a pro to advice me on it. Buddy it isn't going to cost £1000 a piece.. How much do your bikes costs anyway?