Tag Archives: shim packs

Weld Fixture Tooling Executives Travel 1,166 Miles in Six Days to Meet Long-distance Customers.

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The President and Founder of Rentapen Inc., a small machine design and build services company and manufacturer of weld fixture tooling components, drove from Alabama to Michigan gathering feedback from Customers.

On April 26, 2013 Founder, George Straley and President, Susan Straley arrived in Waukesha, Wisconsin after traveling 1,166 miles in 6 days.  The husband and wife duo traveled from Florida to Wisconsin making five stops along the way.  They met with machine tooling design and build customers, a robot and automation systems company, a furniture manufacturer, and a manufacturer of forklifts.

Sue and George Straley - Owners of Rentapen Inc.

“Everyone was very friendly and gave us tours of their factories.  Most all of them reported being very busy, which is great for us,” Susan Straley said.  “I loved hearing how they are so glad they found us and like working with our team.”

One customer announced they were sending Rentapen 35 more fixtures to quote.

George Straley started Rentapen Inc. in 1976 and has been designing machines since.  In the 1980’s the Straley’s moved their business to Waukesha, Wisconsin, and became a provider of 2D Computer Aided Drafting (CAD).  They soon started designing in Pro/E 3D solid modeling and quickly became the experts.  They have helped several customers set up Pro/Engineer for Machine Design, automating the bills of materials.  Soon after that the introduced a major cost saving product in weld fixture design with their own line of RAPid Tooling Components™.  In the beginning of producing their product, George and Susan packed RAPid Shims™ from their dining room table.

“Each time we train someone to sand, oil, count, and pack our precision metal shims.  I tell them about the hours that our family spent counting and packing shims at our kitchen table in 2002,” said Susan Straley.

Rentapen Inc. provides 3D design and build of weld and assembly fixtures.  Though Rentapen provides machine design engineering services to manufacturers, Rentapen also is a manufacturer.  Producing their line of RAPid Tooling Components™ that are used on weld and assembly fixtures located on production floors throughout the United States.  The line consists of Blocks, Plates, Clamp Risers and Shims.

Rentapen’s RAPid Blocks™, RAPid Plates™, Clamp Risers and Shims precisely hold a company’s product in their Weld Fixture while it is being manually or robotically assembled or welded.  Rentapen Inc specializes in weld fixtures for manufacturers.  When a company is tooling up their factory to produce their new product and the product contains items that need to be welded together, that company will call Rentapen to design and build a machine tool that they can use to improve efficiency on the production floor.

“We were able to see the fixtures we designed and built being used in the Robotic Weld Cells,” said George Straley.  “We listen in these meetings for areas we can improve or problems that we can solve.”

Rapid Tooling Components™ reduce the design cost of the fixture by eliminating the need to design, detail and check similar parts over and over again. Three dimensional computer models are provided by Rentapen Inc. that customers can use to incorporate into their designs.  These modular components are the new standard in weld jig and assembly fixture design.

Rentapen Inc., is the weld fixture specialist, and is home of RAPid Tooling Components. Rentapen Inc. has been providing machine tool design services to manufactures since 1976.  A Certified Woman Owned Business and owns RAPid Tooling Components™. For more information about Rentapen Inc., please call 262-542-8891.

 Power, Automation and Robots — Manufacturing from Alabama to Michigan

Growing Weld Fixture Design and Build Company Takes Part In Efforts To Close Skills Gap In Wisconsin.

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Growing Weld Fixture Design and Build Company Takes Part In Efforts To Close Skills Gap In Wisconsin.

Rentapen Inc., of Waukesha, WI, a 3D Design Service Company and Tooling Components Manufacturer participating in the efforts to lessen the manufacturing and engineering skills gap.

On March 13, 2013 Governor Scott Walker signed the bill known as “Wisconsin Fast Forward”. This bill is designed to address the skills shortage in the state’s workforce and will better link employers and job seekers.

Rentapen Inc., a Machine Tool Design Company and Manufacturer of precision metal shims is just one of several manufactures helping with the effort to get the word out that jobs in manufacturing provide job security and require extensive skills. According to manufacturers, there is a large disconnect in Wisconsin between the workforce and the number of skilled workers ready to fill positions.

According to the panel of speakers at the New Faces of Manufacturing Summit hosted by Waukesha County Business Alliance, 68% of manufacturers reported a lack of talent or skills in the manufacturing industry.  High school students and college freshman, who have not determined a major, do not think about manufacturing.  When they do think of manufacturing, they think of it is dirty and made up of people who are low income and lower skilled.

Rentapen Inc. has been a member of the Waukesha County Business Alliance for almost two years and has been affected first hand by the skills gap.  Recently, Rentapen Inc. has joined the “Dream It Do It” Marketing Action Team.  This action team is made up of individuals around South-Eastern Wisconsin, and is dedicated to lessening the skills gap.

Rentapen Inc. has found that some of the most skilled workers are graduating from technical colleges.  Rentapen has hired over 5 individuals from Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) alone; these students have started as interns and have excelled and been retained.

PG3_9364“It’s exciting to be in manufacturing right now.  We are in a busy and growing industry.  Finding, training, and maintaining good talent is key to being competitive in the global marketplace,” said Susan Straley,  President of Rentapen.  “We are pleased to have the support of the College, and the State in helping manufacturers succeed in Wisconsin.”

The second part of the bill that Governor Walker signed creates a workforce training grant program at the Department of Workforce Development. This grant program will be used to leverage additional private dollars to help both new and current employees acquire additional job trainings skills.  The bill, coined “Wisconsin Fast Forward,” creates a website that uses real-time job data to match employers and potential workers, provides $15 million in state funds for worker training grants and creates an Office of Skills Development within the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to help provide specific training for employers who need workers with specific skills.

Rentapen Inc. and many other manufacturing companies are struggling to find skilled workers to fill a variety of positions because the education that people are getting does not fit the skills needed in the actual working environment. Individuals are taking courses to receive a 4-year diploma but are not attaining the correct skills needed to excel in the work place.

234a658 “The problem is parents and adults are pushing students to get degrees in subjects that do not necessarily prepare them for jobs that actually exist in the market,” said Thies.  “There is a large amount of history majors, political scientists and lawyers than is needed in the workforce.  At the same time, the average high schools do not have a manufacturing class or a program designed to teach about a CNC operator. There is also need for machinists and welders; these courses are not offered or encouraged in a lot of high schools throughout the state and the nation.”

 

Manufacturing is one of the fastest growing industries like nursing, retail and food service. The manufacturing sector is aging. Within the next five years a new generation of workers will need to have the skills and experience to take over for the generation that is leaving. Companies are trying to deal with the hundreds of years of experience that will be walking out the door in the next five to ten years. There may not be thousands of new jobs, but there will be thousands of openings, and Wisconsin does not have the skill sets to fill in.

Rentapen Inc., is the weld fixture specialist, and is home of RAPid Tooling Components. Rentapen Inc. has been providing machine tool design services to manufactures since 1976.  A Certified Woman Owned Business and owns RAPid Tooling Components™. For more information about Rentapen Inc., please call 262-542-8891.

Please visit Rentapen’s Youtube channel to watch a variety of educational and entertaining videos!

 

 

Weld Fixture Tooling Company Filled A CAD Drafter Internship

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Rentapen Inc., Located In Waukesha, WI Is Dedicated To Hiring CAD Drafters, Weld Fixture Machinist and Employees of All Ages.

On January 29, 2013 Rentapen Inc. filled a CAD Drafter Internship position with a young and experienced  student from Waukesha County Technical College. He is joining a CAD Drafting team made up of men and women of all ages.  Christopher Doll, has been a part of Rentapen Inc.’s, team since 2005 and is the Engineering Lead Designer and has a Masters of Science in Engineering from University-Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Design Fixtures and Jigs using Pro/E and Solidworks

According to The Social Liberian “There are eight different age generation categories.”  Rentapen Inc. the Weld Fixture Specialist, is currently employing four different age generations.

This local Waukesha, WI, company is employing generations as young as Generation Y (Born: 1977-1994) and as experienced as the Baby Boomer I Generation (Born: 1946-1954).

Rentapen Inc., has been in business since August 20, 1976 and has been able to stay in business through many different generations, but there is one key piece that holds this company together; they are excepting of all ages and are willing to teach their employees.  Have you ever heard the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” in the case with Rentapen Inc. you can.  Every day the younger and older generations work side by side to reach a common goal; to build, design, and create the best weld fixture components in the manufacturing industry.

“I am in the Baby-Boom Generation and I am learning new things from the other team members all the time,” said Susan Straley, President of Rentapen.  “Just last week our staff was teaching me about our website and social media.”

 

Teach and Guide CAD Drafters and Interns

There are many conflicts in the manufacturing industry when it comes to generation differences.  Like any business today, conflicts can come from recruiting, building teams, the many different changes in a company, and different styles of management.  However, Rentapen Inc., is embracing the generations and changes; in their industry change is a good thing because it allows for growth, efficiencies, and cost savings.

The weld fixture specialist is excited for the growth of their line of RAPid Tooling Components™. With the different generations working together there has been an increase in the orders for RAPid Shims™ and the CAD Drafters in the office are busier than ever.

Rentapen Inc., is a Waukesha, Wisconsin based company that provides Weld Fixtures and 3D CAD models to manufacturers.  Since 1976, Rentapen Inc has consistently saved customers time and money.  Rentapen Inc., is a Certified Woman Owned Business and owns RAPid Tooling Components™.  For more information Rentapen Inc., please call 262-542-8891 or visit www.rentapen.com.

 

 

Weld Fixture Design 101 Posts A New Blog To Educate Manufactures and Engineers

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Rentapen Inc.’s President, Susan Straley, Educates The
Engineering Industry With Her Weld Fixture Design Blogs.

On February 25, 2013, Susan Straley posted her latest blog educating the engineering industry about an easy and practical way to determine fastener length. Susan Straley, known as the Queen of Lean Machine Design and President of Rentapen Inc., has been educating the manufacturing and engineering industry about weld fixture designs since October 2011. Her blog is called Weld Fixture Design 101. The lessons are being published as often as every two weeks.

The Weld Fixture Design Blog informs the audience on how to design a simple weld fixture, the use of their RAPid Tooling Components™, and trends in the many different outlets in the manufacturing industry.  The Blog is also designed to help Rentapen Inc., gain knowledge from their readers about what is important to them.  This helps Straley connect to her audience and potential customers.

 “I enjoy posting the blogs in machine design groups on Linkedin because there are both experienced designers and new students of engineering who participate in discussions and add their experiences and viewpoints to the mix,” said Straley.  “Then I also get ideas for future lessons.”

Rentapen Inc., has been active in the hiring and training of interns from many different colleges in the Greater Milwaukee, WI area.  Along with the Weld Fixture Design 101 Blog Rentapen Inc., has created a series of videos and instructions that have incorporated what Straley has written about in her blogs.

Design Fixtures and Jigs using Pro/E and Solidworks

 “I remember when I was just starting out as a CAD Drafter.  There was so much of the practical stuff that wasn’t taught in the classroom at school,” said Straley.  “And when I learned that 40% of the Engineers in the U.S. are going to retire within 7 years, I knew I had to start sharing some of the knowledge that comes from years of doing the work.”

The Weld Fixture Design 101 Blog demonstrates how to use Rentapen’s standardized yet versatile RAPid Tooling Components™. Rentapen’s precision weld fixture components are made up of RAPid Blocks™, RAPid Shims™, Clamp Risers, RAPid Plates™, and standard shims that precisely hold your product in your weld fixture while it is being manually or robotically assembled or welded.

Subscribers to the Weld Fixture Design 101 Blog are sent notices directly to their email when a new lesson is posted.  However, the blog can also be found on the various social media sites that Straley participates.  There has been 47 different Blogs published and they cover a variety of topics from creating a tapped hole to steps to design a product-holding jig or fixture.  You can connect to Straley and Rentapen Inc., via Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin,YouTube, and many other social media platforms.

Click the link to view the latest YouTube video: Easy and Practical Guide to Length of Fasteners in Machine Tool Design

What Where and How of Metal Shims

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What, Where, and How of Shims and Shim Packs

I am excited about our new Free 3D CAD Models ordering service on Rentapen’s web site.  I know I promised to talk more about the simple weld fixture (weld jig), this week,  however I am delaying that because this is (I think) so COOL!!

Our line of tooling components are now even easier to use.   I invite you to play with this new 3d model downloading service.  These files are Free!  Since we are still discovering kinks, be sure to let us know if you find any problems.

The videos I have for you today are about how to use this service.  But there is so much more to learn. These videos aren’t polished, but you will get the idea.

First, I talk about shims and show how they are placed in a real fixture. You might want to turn the volume down a bit, I start in the shop…

I know I go on and on about shims at times. I am a big advocate for shimming in weld fixtures.

With so many variables involved in how much heat will be created during welding and therefore, how much distorting will occur on the product being welded, shims and shim packs are essential. They help the production group set up the fixture before full production begins. So that when the weld jig or fixture goes into full production it is putting out a product that works.

In this next video I  show you how to download a file for a RAPid Block(TM) and a RAPid Riser(TM).

And in THIS video, our team member, Kory, tells you how to get your Pro/E parameters into your STEP file.

 

I hope you have fun trying out the new 3d models and seeing how you can use them. I’d love to see what you come up with! Didn’t you like playing with legos??

Send images of your designs using RAPid Tooling Components to news@rentapen.com

The Queen of Lean Machine Design

 

Long Live the Shim King

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Rentapen Inc. Earns the Title, Shim King, for Their High Growth in Metal Shim Production

Rentapen Inc.’s shim business experienced a ten percent growth in sales in this past year.

Rentapen, located in Waukesha, WI sells hundreds of thousands of shims each year. Their shims are used in work holding fixtures and weld fixtures.

Metal shims are used to finely adjust the location of how the fixture holds the product so that it is welded together within the dimensions set for the product to work well.

A pack of thin metal shim is placed between two components in the fixture. The first component is fixed in place and the second component is attached to the first component with the pack of shims in between. Removing one shim or adding one shim slightly adjusts the location of the second component. This is important to manufacturers who want to have their product’s parts assemble easily after being welded.

When George, Founder and Sue Straley, President of Rentapen, first started selling shims they had someone else cut them with a water jet.

“We cleaned, counted, and packed the Rapid Shims on our kitchen table,” said Susan Straley.

Then, eight years ago George and Susan Straley moved Rentapen into an office and purchased Rentapen’s first laser cutting machine. “We got a 150 watt Kern Laser that cuts up to 1/8 inch steel and can run at night without an operator present,” said George Straley.

Rentapen’s Shim business continues to grow today, making them the Shim King.

“And that make me the Queen of Lean Machine Design,” said Susan Straley.

Rentapen offers steel shims, stainless steel shims, metal shims, NAAMS shim shapes, Bridge shims, Adjustment shims, custom sizes and shapes of shims, Reid Tool Supply shim shapes, and Douglas shims.

Rentapen also makes die sharpening shims.

“One customer requested we paint a couple of the thickness so that the guys in the shop can tell the difference without pulling out the calipers. And we did that for them. We are here to meet our customers’ needs. We are in the business of satisfying our customers,” said Susan Straley.

Jig or Weld Fixture Design – Locating Round Tubing

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In this lesson on Jig or Weld Fixture Design we are going to discuss round tubing. 

I can think of three ways to locate a round tube off the top of my head.  That doesn’t mean they are the only ways.  You might be able to think of other ways.  So share any ideas you may have down in the comments section, or email me at straley at Rentapen.com and attach pictures or jpgs so I can share them in future blogs.

V-BLOCKS

We often use v-blocks to hold round rods or tubes.  A v-block is simply a block with a v cut into it.

If I need to design in adjustment with shims, I often will sketch on paper a rough plan. 

Sketching an adjustable V-block

If I am able to use purchased products, like RAPid Tooling Components to locate the V-block, I will sit with the catalog next to me and decide which blocks will work so I can pull those models from the library. 

 

A sketch helps me think about which blocks will have the slip fit dowels and the tapped holes and which ones will have the press fit and the counter bores. 

 

This video kind of explains what I have sketched. 

 Another popular way to hold a tube or rod in place in a jig or fixture is with a goal post. 

Consider the material that the tube is made of and how much use the fixture will get when deciding what material the plates should be.  The plates above are RAPid Tooling Components™.   These plates come in hardened steel (4140 PH) and Ampco 18.  Remember that weld splatter sticks to like metal.   Aluminum sticks to aluminum, steel to steel, etc.   So if you are welding steel, the Ampco Bronze may be a better choice for the plates of the goal posts. 

 

Sometimes the best way to hold a tube is with a pin that is inserted into the center of the tube.  The best method depends on the application, the size and length of the tube,  and your customer’s preferences

 Here is a little video that goes over some of the ways to locate a round tube or rod.

What have YOU done in the past that worked that I have not discussed here?

 

 

The Preliminary Review – Weld Splatter

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It’s a jig, it’s a fixture, whatever you call it, it holds the product together while it is being welded or assembled. In this lesson we are going to look at weld splatter and what to do to keep your fixture ( or jig ) functional.

In tip #5 of the previous blog we talked about looking over the fixture design to review efficiency and functionality of the design. You might want to develop a check off list of items you should explore at this stage.

#1 Can you get your part out after it is welded. Remember the splatter!
#2 Can you eliminate any parts?
#3 Can you make any parts with less machining?
#4 To maintain adjustability, what do you need to protect from weld splatter?

Let’s take a look at our simple weld fixture and see if we can improve upon it.

In the short time we have together I tried to be brief and may have skipped over some important stuff. So be sure to sign up for future updates and education on the form at the right. =============>>>

There it is. Now for a bit of light-hearted fun, check out the song video we recently added to our Shims page!

Please feel free to comment or add suggestions for future topics.   I’d love to hear from you!

 

[author][author_info]Susan Straley, aka, Queen of Lean Machine Design, is the President of Rentapen Inc. in Waukesha, WI. She helps manufacturers reduce costs through excellence in 3D Machine Design Services, RAPid Tooling Components(TM), and Just-in-Time Laser Cutting Services(TM). Susan can be reached at 262-542-8891.[/author_info] [/author]