A. J. Rose-Higgins

Design Award

Kreider Corp., Springfield, OH, received the A. J. Rose-Higgins

Design Award, which included a $1500 cash prize. Created by the

Worcester Pressed Steel Co., Worcester, MA, and sponsored by A. J.

Rose Mfg. Co., Avon, OH; the Design Award recognizes a manufacturing

company for outstanding achievement in developing an innovative

product design.  Kreider won for its design of a pneumatic rotational

transition machine, developed to boost production rates and remove

an ergonomics problem. 

The company boasts a lineup of four-slide machines and stamping presses

ranging in capacity from 10 to 280 tons as well as two plastic-coating

machines and other equipment used in the manufacture of stampings,

wire forms and sub-assemblies.  New to the equipment roster is the pneumatic transition machine, which gives a lengthwise twist to parts. Kreider uses the machine to twist a variety of part types, ranging from a simple straight part

with one hole and a twist to a complex part with multiple slotted holes,

multiple forms, a twist and plastisol coating. The machine employs two pneumatically powered work holders placed opposite of each other to hold 

and twist parts. 

Previously, Kreider produced the parts via physical labor, where an operator

placed a part in a clamping device and then used a T-handle to manually

twist the part to the desired angle. Besides the potentially harmful stresses

placed upon personnel, the process required operators to manually hold

part-print dimensions and squareness.  With the new machine production

has increased more than three times and the largest ergonomic problem

in the shop has been eliminated.

Award of Excellence

METALFORMING / JUNE 2004 www. m e t a l f o r m i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m