FORMABILITY ANALYSIS SERVICES
Formability Analysis & Circle Grid Analysis (CGA) for the Manufacturing Industry
The Phoenix Group offers formability analysis and CGA services to help businesses evaluate and optimize the manufacturability of their products. Using advanced tools and simulation techniques, our expert team predicts and assesses factors like material deformation, strain distribution, and potential defects. By considering material selection, tooling design, and manufacturing constraints, we provide valuable insights to enhance product design for successful fabrication.
Our services cater to various industries and manufacturing processes, offering benefits such as improved product quality, reduced development time and costs, enhanced production efficiency, and minimized risk of failure. The Phoenix Group’s formability analysis services enable clients to make informed design decisions and achieve successful manufacturing outcomes.
Industry-Leading Formability Training
Assessing, stabilizing, and improving die performance depends on a systematic structure based on the formability system. The foundation of the formability system is formability analysis that uses scientific evaluations of die capabilities and root-causes of die issues to create die improvement plans that are followed to completion.
This foundation depends on formability analysts to be formability subject matter experts (SME) that perform formability analysis, conduct panel reviews, and aid structured problem solving in the pressroom by determining key inputs and outputs to the system and reducing their variation to achieve a more robust stamping process. The formability analysts are responsible for applying, demonstrating, teaching, coaching, and promoting the use of the formability system that focuses on:
- Fixing formability problems (die improvement & recipe optimization)
- Keeping them fixed (Preventative Maintenance)
- Supporting new model launch (die robustness)
- Cost savings (blank size & shape optimization)
The Phoenix Group offers comprehensive formability analysis training to equip analysts with the necessary skills and knowledge for successful analysis and optimization of product manufacturability. By providing hands-on training and practical exercises, The Phoenix Group ensures that formability analysts gain proficiency in identifying and addressing formability challenges. Through their training, professionals acquire the expertise needed to optimize product designs, reduce development time and costs, and enhance production efficiency. The Phoenix Group’s formability analysis training prepares analysts to tackle real-world manufacturing scenarios effectively.
Formability Analysis Case Studies
QMS Consulting
Metal suppliers
Ford Motor Company
Civil Affairs Battalion
Worldauto Steel
General Motors
Meet The Formability Experts
About Russ Balzer
Bio
Since 2007 Russ has provided expertise in various roles at The Phoenix Group. Russ began his career with Phoenix as a Lab Supervisor, then took on responsibility for Safety and Quality Compliance. In addition to supporting our Quality System services projects, Russ currently serves as Technical Director for WorldAutoSteel, a global consortium of steel producers serving the automotive market. As Technical Director, Russ manages a variety of engineering projects, and has tactical and strategic responsibilities in WorldAutoSteel’s efforts to use and promote Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Education
- B.S.S. Environmental Compliance, Ohio University
Experience
- 15+ years Mfg. Operations Management
- Engineering Project Management
- Safety & Quality Management Systems
Skills
- Materials Testing
- Project management
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Safety & Quality Management Systems
- SQA - Level 2 containment
- 2nd party audits
Certifications
- Lead Auditor ISO9001:2015
- Lead Auditor IATF16949:2016
- Life Cycle Assessment Certified Professional
Key Projects
- QMS Auditing:
Midwest Fabricating – internal audit
Hayes Performance Systems – internal audit
AK Steel (AW) – internal audit
- Project Management:
WorldAutoSteel – manage global Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) policy project, including advocacy, and education, across a wide range of stakeholders (government, academia, industry).
WorldAutoSteel – manage modeling and engineering projects including component design, benchmarking, LCA and cost modeling.
About George Coates
Bio
Since 1991, George has been providing engineering and consulting services for industry leaders in the steel, automotive, and manufacturing industries. George’s areas of expertise include: management and strategic consulting, project management, automotive stamping throughput improvement, supplier metal conversion, metal formability and reference panel systems, and new vehicle launch manufacturing support. George is an active contributor to WorldAutoSteel technical programs, including project manager / instructor for AHSS Application Guidelines, Version 6.0.
Education
- B.S. Metallurgical Engineering, University of Cincinnati
- MBA coursework, Miami University (Ohio)
Experience
- Twenty-eight years with The Phoenix Group
- 10 years with a major US steel producer
- 5 years with the Procter and Gamble Company
- 10+ years Consultant to WorldAutoSteel
Skills
- Management and strategic consulting
- Leadership development
- Team installations
- Project management
- Metal formability and reference panel systems
- New vehicle launch support
- Technical director for the WorldAutoSteel program staff; emphasis on AHSS implementation solutions, strategic implications for steel in future mobility, materials and environmental impacts from vehicle light weighting.
Case Studies
About Kirk D. Wiley
Bio
Starting his career on the manufacturing line at General Motors, Kirk has experienced nearly every aspect of the automotive and manufacturing industries, developing a comprehensive perspective for clients. Kirk’s areas of expertise include: systems design and team processes, metal formability, stamping and assembly optimization, die shop management, throughput improvement, process engineering, manufacturing systems design and implementation, supplier metal conversion programs, manufacturing cost savings, production troubleshooting and die optimization, and tool and die training programs.
Education
- BBA Industrial Marketing, Western Michigan University
- Coursework completed, MS Manufacturing Management, Kettering University
Experience
- 25 years manufacturing experience
- Operating Systems design, implementation and maintenance
Skills
- Team concepts
- Leadership development
- Tool & Die training programs
- Formability
- Lean applications to maintenance departments
Key Projects
- Manufacturing Cost Savings project at Chrysler Sterling Stamping. Realized $3.4M savings on a 10 month, A Transfer press project , $1.5M savings on a 8 month, B Transfer press project.
- Formabiility System Installation at 12 OEM Stamping Plants. T&D training events at another 6. Significant savings recorded in individual case studies.
- Leadership Training design and delivery across the Ford Motor Company Stamping Business Unit plants.
- Pioneered application of Lean Manufacturing principles to Tool & Die department operation.
Case Studies
LOOKING FOR FORMABILITY ANALYSIS SERVICES OR TRAINING YOUR OWN FORMABILITY LEADERSHIP TEAM?
If you’re interested in learning how The Phoenix Group can help your company, contact us today.
