This article explains a major paradigm shift that is taking place in our industry. Today, you can dramatically reduce the number of mistakes that take place during the entire process of designing, building and trying out the die. It is now possible to try out and debug the die while you are still in the design stage—before material is ordered, before the design hits the shop floor, and before going into the physical tryout press.

Watch videos of Logopress3 DIE DEBUGGER™ running (Logopress3 die design software includes DIE DEBUGGER™) as well as how to videos that walk through the process of setting up DIE DEBUGGER™ as you are designing the die.

2) Automating Die Design - A Case Study (PDF)

Published: August 2015, MetalForming magazine
By Raymond J. Proeber, President of Accurate Die Design, Inc.

After using a 3D die design software product for 10 years whose core was based on "direct modeling", Bill Schwartz, die designer at Wisconsin Metal Parts said “We were getting absolutely killed on design hours.” The company switched to SolidWorks (whose core is based on "parametric modeling") and designed several dies with it over the next 6 months. After that they added SolidWorks Gold Certified Logopress3 die design software. The article talks about:
-The benefits of parametric die design over direct modeling die design
-The benefits of a specialty die design add-on package
-A detailed case study on the design and 100% detail of 3 dies that make 4 different parts
-The various benefits they actually realized such as dramatic time savings and reduced mistakes after adding Logopress3

3) Die Design Software Brings Dies to Life (PDF)

Published: January 2015, Cover of STAMPING Journal
By Kate Bachman, Editor

Universal Metal Products needed to diversify its manufacturing footprint and expand beyond the appliance industry. Using SolidWorks-based Logopress3 software with blank prediction, flattening and unbending, round draw, dynamic interference detection and animation, and strip layout capabilities, the $50-plus-million-annual-sales stamping manufacturer accelerated its die design and improved accuracy for tooling for its 67 four-slide and multislide presses and 54 progressive-die stamping presses.

4) The Past, Present and Future of Die Design (PDF) (Watch video after reading article.)

Published: February 2011, Cover of MetalForming magazine
By Raymond J. Proeber, President of Accurate Die Design, Inc.

After a short history lesson on die design, this cover page article gives the reader some insight into where 3D die design software is today. Finally, it offers the opinion that since dies are typically quite different from one another, it is important for the designer to have the flexibility to control the software and suggests that the software should not control the designer.
You can click here to watch a Logopress3 Tool Animation & Dynamic Interference Detection video of the die shown on the cover of the magazine operating on the designer's computer screen as if it was in the press.

5) PICK UP THE PACE (PDF)

Subtitle: Tool-designing software boosts productivity at production job shop

Published: January 2010, FFJournal
By Russ Olexa, Editor-At-Large

Mike Schmit, CAD/CAM manager and one of the tool designers at Oldenburg Metal Tech describes how the company has increased productivity by almost 30%. Oldenburg is a tool and die company whose main focus is the design and build of progressive, compound and draw dies.

6) Estimating and Die Design Technology (PDF)

Subtitle: Getting Ready to Compete in This New Decade

Published: January 2010, Cover of American Tool, Die & Stamping News magazine
By Raymond J. Proeber, President of Accurate Die Design, Inc.

It's time to throw away the old decade and start with the new. Companies are evaluating where they are and where they need to be in regards to technology in order to survive and thrive in the new decade. It is absolutely vital that American companies not fall behind other countries in taking advantage of technology and automation in order to increase productivity.

7) Improving die design (PDF)

Subtitle: Logopress3 boasts user-friendly features for increased efficiency

Published: January 2009, FFJournal
By Liz Sommerville, Editorial Assistant

This is a nice one page article that recognizes Logopress' 20th anniversary and is packed with an excellent summarization of some important Logopress3 features, including the automatic creation of drawings. It also contains a very nice customer comment from a customer who, 8 months earlier was a 2D user.

8) 3-D die design for a 3-D world (PDF)

Subtitle: Third dimension enables faster, better builds

Published: November 2008, Cover of Stamping Journal
By Raymond J. Proeber, President of Accurate Die Design, Inc.

We were very honored to have an article we wrote featured on the cover of Stamping Journal magazine. We hope you find this article to be very clear and concise in explaining what you can expect from 3D die design software, both pros and cons. In the end, since the pros enable dramatically more efficient builds, they far outweigh the cons.

9) 3D Die Design Keys Die Shop’s Survival and Success (PDF)

Published: July 2008, MetalForming Magazine
By Louis A. Kren, Senior Editor

This article features BesTech Tool Corporation’s successful use of Logopress3 and Solidworks for 3D Die Design, after having used a couple of other 3D packages over the years. Mike Korneli, president of BesTech said “You have to stay as current as possible… to survive.”

This article also contains a separate sidebar article entitled: 3D Die Design in the Classroom

10) Regional METALFORM Shines Brightly in Birmingham (PDF)

Published: June 2008, MetalForming Magazine
By Brad F. Kuvin, Editor and Louis A. Kren, Senior Editor

Both Forming Technologies Incorporated (FTI) and Logopress3 were highlighted in this article along with 12 other companies out of the 300 that exhibited at this show. The writers said “... the potential impact of the new technology showcased is huge.”

11) Benefits of 3D Die-Design Add-On Software (PDF)

Published: December 2007, MetalForming Magazine
By Raymond J. Proeber, President of Accurate Die Design, Inc.

The article describes several of the many distinct benefits that a 3D Die Design software package brings to an otherwise generic CAD system.

12) Die Design Goes Full Bore into Another Dimension (PDF)

Published: June 2005, MetalForming Magazine
By Raymond J. Proeber, President of Accurate Die Design, Inc.

Since this article was written in 2005, computers and software have made huge strides in regards to performance and functionality. But much of what is found in this article still applies today.