Revolutionary Application for the “Cold Forming” Industry
                                                                                                                                                   by Bob Loudermilk 

“Lean Manufacturing” has taken on an evolutionary role in fastener manufacturing.  As the concept was first established in the early 90’s from the “Japanese”, we learned that this was a new step forward in our industry.  Eliminating waste, and adding value, was, and still is an integral role in this management philosophy.  While there are many sets of identifiable “lean” tools that have been discovered, and implemented over the last few decades, Patriot Forming Technologies recognizes a very important one that has yet to wake up most forming manufacturers.

Centrifuge parts cleaning is a vital manufacturing process that the Asians have been utilizing for years.  Why hasn’t it caught on here, Stateside?  I suppose you can say it’s because successful American manufacturers just get set in their ways, and have the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” type of mentality.  This attitude isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but typically hinders a company from collecting dividends from their continuous improvement process.  Think about it.  If forming, thread rolling, and thread tapping oil is so expensive, why not extract it off of the parts, and reclaim it back into the originating machine.  Especially when that machine’s oil is new and was just changed.  More knowledgeable companies understand the value of having clean parts running through the system,.  By utilizing a centrifuging process in line with the parts chute, cnventional washing of blanks, and rolled parts isn’t usually necessary any longer.  We all know that washing parts between operations is labor intensive, and creates waste water which is expensive to handle and get rid of, not to mention, it becomes and extra operation.  Hold your profits!  Why give away your profit to the “Waste Water Management Company”?  Also, if blanks are not being washed between operations, contaminating secondary machinery fluids drastically reduces it’s cycle life, and creates additional wear and tear on your machine’s internal working parts.  If you are not sending clean parts to the following operation, this also adds to premature roller die, and tap wear.  Centrifuge parts cleaning keeps the shop much cleaner and safe.  No more cocking your tubs over some type of grated oil pan, and messy oil leaking out of the tubs, all over the floor.  Operators have enough responsibilities’ without continuously mopping up their work area, and maintaining these oil traps.  Maybe they can run an extra machine, keep a better eye on the wire stand, do a better job of plotting and charting parts, double check the tooling for the next set up, etc…

I know what you are thinking, where do I find one of these units, how much are they, and how good do they work?   There are a few of these products out there on the market.  The ones that I have had experience with aren’t usually built very well, and if they are, they are extremely expensive.  This is the reason that I have designed, and build my own unit.  It is robust, easy to integrate in line, simple to maintain, and is very affordable. We have feeding conveyors which are manufactured to match these units, and also have mating conveyors to complete the entire process, from the former to the tub.

If you would like to find more information about pricing or availability for this machinery, please contact

                                                                        Bob Loudermilk @
                                                                        Patriot Forming Technologies
                                                                        Tel.: 219-413-6128
                                                                        Email: bob.l@PFT.Company
                                                                        Website:  www.pft.company