ODM Tool & Manufacturing Co.

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ODM Tool & Mfg. Co., Inc.
to Take Delivery of Minster E2-1200 Press

E2-1200-240
A Minster E2-1200-240 HeviStamper Press, similar to the model recently purchased by ODM, which is expected to go into production in August of 2020.

When officials at ODM went looking for a high-quality, dependable large tonnage press, their search ended at Nidec Minster.

ODM needed a robust machine, capable of stamping the thicker-material, high tensile complex parts it produces, primarily for the automotive industry. The solution was a Minster E2-1200 HeviStamper with a 240-inch left-to-right bed.

With business conditions shifting more and more toward the larger transfer-type parts, ODM had been eyeing not only back-up capabilities for its existing large tonnage presses, but additional capacity as well.

Partially built, and available as a stock machine, the E2-1200 caught the attention of ODM’s owner Chip Michaelsen, and other ODM personnel during a visit to Minster in summer of 2019.

Parts_01
A sampling of the complex stampings and assemblies produced at ODM.

"Our team made a trip to Minster," ODM Vice President of Sales Jay Michaelsen said. "We were interested in a 700 ton press at the time, and we saw the 1200 ton. That got us thinking about being able to have a dependable solution for our large tonnage parts."

Specially designed with excellent built-in parallelism for heavy progressive die work, heavy material blanking and forming jobs requiring higher production speed, the Minster E2 HeviStamper Series of presses has earned an unprecedented reputation for quality, durability, and value.

ODM placed the order for the Minster E2-1200, which is expected to go into production in early summer 2020.

Parts_02
A small sample of some of the larger complex stampings produced at ODM.

Located just southwest of Chicago, ODM was founded in 1946 as a tool and die shop. Today the third-generation, family-owned business focuses on stamping production and welded assemblies with a staff of toolmakers to keep up with die maintenance and repairs.

With more than 100 employees and 150,000 square feet of production space, ODM's product offering has evolved toward a more value-added approach.

"It's not always just stamp-and-ship with us," Michaelsen said. "Our niche is bigger parts with value-added processes. We excel at producing parts that we run through our presses, and then on to a robotic welder, or to perform insertions or assemblies."

ODM currently has more robotic and spot welding stations than presses, as secondary operations have become an important part of the overall solution-based offering. Additional services include hardware insertion, assemblies, tapping, riveting and part washing.

Press capacity ranges from 100 to 1500 tons at ODM with a growing emphasis on more high strength materials. To supplement the new Minster E2-1200 ton press, ODM has purchased a heavy duty CHS feed line, with an extra robust straightener designed to handle some of today's toughest dual phase materials.

ODM has also purchased a new Gudel Transfer System. With this added capability they will now be able to run most jobs in either the new Minster E2-1200, or their 1,500 ton as a backup, both having a 240” bed.

Parts_03
A small sample of some of the larger complex stampings produced at ODM.

ODM's primary market is automotive, but Michaelsen said with the upcoming addition of the Minster E2-1200, the company hopes to expand more into the appliance and hardware industries.

ODM currently utilizes a "blank de-stacking" technology that has some advantages in the appliance industry.

Specific blanks are de-stacked and fed into a press transfer where the blank size and position provides for maximum material utilization.

ODM Logo"There's an added operation in the process, but, depending on the part, the material savings more than makes up for it," Michaelsen said. "When you're running 700,000 parts a year for Ford, that's what they're looking for."

To learn more about ODM, its products, services and unique solutions, contact the company at  (708) 485-6130, or visit them online at www.odmtool.com.

ODM Exterior
Expanding production facility at ODM, located in McCook, IL, just southwest of Chicago.