Badger Metal History Mission Statement and Customer Markets

Mission Statement

Die and Mold Maintenance Specialists
Over 25 years of experience in die materials, metallurgy, and manufacturing make Badger Metal Tech the reliable resource for die and mold maintenance. North American Manufacturing relies on Badger Metal Tech to provide comprehensive "Preventative Maintenance Programs" for die cast dies and plastic injection molds. Maximizing tooling life and enhancing performance are one of the keys to controlling costs and saving energy. Using the latest in application technology, MetaLL ife and TherMaLL ife are two cost effective surface treatments used extensively in the tooling industry.

Die Casting Die Thermal Fatigue and surface heat checking, gross cracking and soldering continue to be a significant limitation to the die caster's ability to produce a quality product at competitive price levels. The Draw and Forming industry faces more demanding performance from tooling due to the increased use of AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steel),and HSLA (High Strength Low Alloy) steels, especially in the automotive industry. Thermoset plastic molders are polishing, plating, stripping, polishing, plating in an endless cycle to keep their tooling from sticking and heat checking.

To this end, Badger Metal Tech with NADCA assistance are committed to providing in a timely manner, proprietary quality surface treatments that extends the life and improves the performance of die casting tools as well as enhancing the performance of all other types of perishable tooling, including drawing/ forming/ stamping dies, and thermoset plastic tools.

Based in Wisconsin for the past 23 years, Badger Metal Tech supplies to Die cast die suppliers and end users, the Drawing/Forming/Blanking market, Thermoset plastic mold industry, and other Toolshops, Suppliers,and Labs.

History

The application initial process was developed 1983 to extend the life of cutting tools particularly for taps. During cutting operations, taps experience a severe amount of stress concentration that sometimes causes fatigue at the thread root and then subsequent premature failure of the tool. When the benefits of doing MetaLL ife to taps was confirmed, the process was tried successfully on other types of cutting tools, including drills, endmills, milling cutters, geometric chasers, etc. One of our cutting tool customers was also a tool shop for die cast tooling. He said his die casting customer was having a problem with premature fatigue cracking on a die and asked if our process could keep this from occurring. The rest is history. The technology has been improved and modified since then. Today the process is being applied with equal success in the Drawing/Forming/Blanking markets.

With our TherMaLL ife process, thermoset plastic molders in 2006 may now have a lower cost and viable alternative to the expense of repeatedly polishing, coating, stripping, polishing, coating, stripping, etc...Dies that mold abrasive glass and fiber additives or chlorinate based PVC materials will no longer be attacked by corrosion and heat checking that shortens the life of H-13 plastic molds. TherMaLL ife will not affect the smooth finish required in most plastic tools. Testing is underway in 2008 to confirm these facts both in the lab and field trials.

Another market that is being explored in 2008 is hot forging. By utilizing and combining MetaLL ife, TherMaLL ife, and Tungsten Carbide deposition to the surface of hot forging tool (also made from H-13) Badger may be able to significantly extend this industries tool life as well.

"Prior to MetaLL ife, a die caster's only alternative to repairing heat checking, cavitation breakout, and minor cracking was to weld the tool, resink the tool, or build a new die...all of which are costly and progressively more extreme procedures. For over 25 years Badger Metal's technology has been showing die casters a far less costly and more effective alternative by helping die casters to be proactive regarding their die maintenance procedures. Our roots are planted in the die casting industry with large branches that include customers in the drawing/forming/blanking industry. We continue to mature with NADCA and the rest of the die casting industry by sharing the fruits of our labor and experience."

In June 2001, we began offering a second process that prevents soldering during the die casting operation. TherMaLL ife has shown die casters that there is an effective way to stop inter-metallic soldering (adhesion of aluminum to die steel). Since then applications have been found in both the die casting and drawing/forming/blanking/extruding industry and thermoset plastic mold markets..

A major portion of tooling cost is buried in production and maintenance costs.
We can shrink the bottom portion of this iceberg by decreasing these hidden costs.

Customers

Our trade mark and services are well know throughout the northern hemisphere including Canada and Mexico. We process die cast plastic tooling and other tooling from a wide variety of markets including:
Automotive
Industrial
Commericial
Consumer
We constantly revise IT strategies to track accelerating computer technologies for manufacturing and administration systems. These procedures along with customer contact tracking we coordinate with our custom designed programs and systems to provide our customers with superior service and satisfaction. These technologies allow us to have instant access to all data regarding a customer's history, or preferences. Badger Metal Tech is ISO and QS compliant and receives 95% -98% scores from our customers that are certified.

Badger participates on committees that are studying many of the aspects of proper application of die materials. including alternate die steels that may have application in the die casting industry, die surface coating & plating technology, the effects of residual stress on tool steels, and heat treatment specifications. We are constantly looking at ways to improve our quality and assure ourselves as well as our customer of this fact. Quality situations are addressed immediately and feedback is provided to our customer to assure corrective action was taken.

Service Oriented Business

Quotations are provided via fax, phone, or email from customers request within 24-48hrs upon receipt of customer castings. As of January 2002, we can also download your dxf formatted files from you via ftp (file transfer protocol).
As of October 15th, 2002, Fast Quotes (Die Casting or Draw Forming/ Blanking) are now available online for NEW tooling where castings are not available. By a simple click you can email us prints and drawings of the inserts and tooling.
Our standard lead time is only 3-5 days after receipt of material. We also offer, at a premium, an Accelerated Delivery option that in most cases allows us to process a tool with 24-48 hours from receipt.
When heat stress tempering is recommended, we can also provide this in a timely fashion.
Badger's traffic department is familiar with customs requirements for Canadian shipments which enables us to shorten the delay that is usually experienced when trying to move material across the border.
Corporate membership in trade associations fortify and enables us to be an up-to-date source for consulting to learn what is new in tool steels, heat treat, welding, and coatings. We provide URL links to the universities and organizations that are doing this testing for NADCA.
We are associated with www.diecastingresource.org - a comprehensive site for die material related information. This site provides a channel for current technology transfer.
We provide a useful index for free computer apps. These tips are for addressing everyday computer issues and nuisances.
For those customers that request it, we provide historical a die tracking history of their processed part numbers and post it on a secure website. Click here to see a: SAMPLE WEB
MetaLL ife and TherMaLL ife technology continues to evolve. We do continuing research to find better methods of applying the process and well as new ways to provide more benefits. These improvements and benefits are then validated by both accredited labs and subsequent field tests.
Unrelated but interesting. Are you a movie buff? Check out 1989 thru present ratings on theater movies

MetaLL ife and TherMaLL ife technology never stands still. We do continuing research to find better methods of both applying the process and well as new ways to provide more topography capabilities, compressive stress characteristics, and soldering resistance benefits. These improvements are then proven and validated by both accredited labs and many field tests. For those customers that request it, we even track die history of processed part numbers and post it on a secure website.
Click here to see a: SAMPLE WEB

Summary Of Services Offered

Call us for Details on any of the following services - 800-366-1973

ISO and QS compliancy
World Wide Web Site - updated daily
Rapid 3-5 Work Day Turn Around Time
Historical Database Tracking with secure web site access

Accelerated Delivery 24-48Hrs for Small Window Situations
Transit truck shipping to east or west coast in 2-3 days
Weld Hardness Checks for metal integrity verification
Heat Stress Tempering prior to processing

Digital Hardness Checks in Casting Area
Depth Certification by dynamic control measuring
Controlled Repeatability as a function of metal hardness
Die Photomology digitally enhanced

Supported Lab Test Results by universities and testing institutes
800 Service Support in US and Canada
DMC Participation and NADCA Corporate and Chapter Support
CD Power Point presentations for End Users
VHS Video from Discovery World - Business Today Show