This series continues with the second decade. Tripar quickly outgrew its first premises and then moved in the east end of Montreal, where their first owned plant was erected.
Continue readingTripar in the 60s: A Rapid Expansion
Trapezoid Airtight IC Boxes
Save over 50% on shipping costs with these new stackable Trapezoid IC boxes
Continue readingTripar’s founding & the early years (1949-59)
This article features the experience of Tripar’s founder, Ben Sevack’s from England to Montreal during the pivotal years of 1923 to 1949. Additionally, we’ll shift more into the foundational period of Tripar, spanning from its establishment in 1949 to the first 10 years in business.
Continue readingInvesting in Progressive Dies: What You Need To Know
“When and why should I invest in progressive dies?” This is perhaps the most common question we get from clients and prospects. In today’s article, we tell all. If you’re looking to save on your fabrication costs, give this article a quick read.
Continue readingTripar Default Manufacturing Tolerances
Do you have a project in mind but not sure what tolerances to use? Don’t worry we got you covered. Here’s a overview that you can use to build your product.
In the absence of the client providing a drawing with agreed upon tolerances, the part(s) shall be manufactured as the per client’s supplied CAD model, with the following Tripar default manufacturing tolerances:
The sketch above is for illustrative purposes only.
Table 1. Default Tolerances
| DIM | Tolerance (“ ±) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ±0.010” | Holes1 & linear dimensions of flat pieces < 0.5” | |
| ±0.015 | Holes1 & linear dimensions of flat pieces 0.5”< 4.0” | |
| ±0.020 | Holes1 & linear dimensions of flat pieces 4.0” < 12.0” | |
| Upon Review | Holes1 & linear dimensions of flat pieces > 12.0” | |
| A | ±0.010 | End to hole or bend |
| B | ±0.010 | Hole center-to-center (on one surface/plane) |
| C | ±0.015 | Bent edge to hole2 |
| D | ±0.020 | Distance over 2 bends2 |
| E | Undefined (TBD) | Distance over 3 or more bends2 |
| F | ± 2° | Angles3 |
| R | 1-2X Material thickness | Inside bend radii |
1 If the hole is not round, the above ranges apply to the largest dimension in the opening.
2 As measured nearest to bend(s).
3 Thin metals have some flexibility, and thus can deflect, even under their own weight. As such, tolerance applies up to 1” from the bend. For reference; 2° over 1” = .034”.
For those who provide, or are considering providing their own tolerance drawings, please see the following two TriparTech article on this subject, as well a sound sheet metal design practices;
Finish
Surface Finish: Shall be in accordance with material specified and associated governing specifications.
Formed or bent parts may have small surface blemishes near the areas of transition.
Residue: Metal fabricated parts are often produced and may be shipped with lubricants or dry film lubricants.
Protective Film: For raw materials which come with a protective film, parts shall be provided with this film, to help protect the parts until you, the customer remove when desired.
Burrs
Small burrs are an inherent part of metal stamping & fabrication processes. Being nearly impossible to quantify & measure, unless otherwise specified parts are provided in their “as stamped” or “as fabricated” condition.
Selecting a Metal Fabricator and/or Metal Stamping Co! What to look for, and why the combination is best… if you can find one …😉
Dealing with the wrong supplier is a costly and frustrating experience for any OEM!
Poor quality parts. Late deliveries. Cost overruns. Price disputes. Loss of trust. Loss of sales.
That’s why selecting the right supplier should NEVER be taken lightly.
And if your supplier also delivers non-conforming parts or is late, price is quickly forgotten and your net price is increased given the problems caused by the failures, customer disappointments, late deliveries, and the loss of customers!
Don’t just look at price when you deal with suppliers! Look at reliability and value.
Finding the right strategic partner is key to ensuring a smooth painless production and delivery to your facility every time. That is normal when you deal with the right supplier. Things run like a well-oiled machine.
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."
What to look for in a metal fabricator or stamping company
- Quality: What standards are being followed?
- Delivery: What is their historical performance amongst existing customers?
- Customer Service: How is their customer service, and how responsive are they?
- Engineering: What technical support is provided?
- Processes: What metal fabrication and/or metal stamping processes do they have?
- Marketing: Does their marketing stand up to scrutiny?
- Location: Where are they, and are parts produced at this same location?
- Customers: Who are they?
- Tooling: Where is tooling designed, built, and maintained?
- Culture: What are their underlying values?
- Sustainability: What practices are employed to help protect our planet?
- Safety: What priorities and practices are in place to protect worker safety?
- Price: What's the cost me? Do I trust that they can fulfill my needs reliably?
Going deeper still
The above factors are discussed below in no particular order. Rather, it is up to you to prioritize those which you feel are most important in evaluating and selecting your supplier of metal fabricated & stamped parts.
Quality: Find out if/what quality standards the supplier is certified to, e.g., ISO9001, or adhering to, e.g. CSA Standard CAN3-Z299.4-85. Ask what other systems they have in place, their defect rates, how they deal with non-conforming raw material, WIP, and final products. Better yet, visit their facility, to see if what they claim is really happening!
Delivery: Ask what their lead times are, and how this compares with their historical delivery performance. Ask for reports to back up any claims.
Customer Service: How communicative and timely is the supplier’s Customer Service, from order acknowledgments and replies to inquiries, to shipping information? What is their shipping policy, e.g., do they offer prepaid & charge terms of service? Do they truly look out for you, their customer? Examples include notifying you ahead of time should there be any issue with your order, or keeping tabs of your orders/ trends; reaching out to you if these indicate that you could potentially run out of stock. The bottom line is; in today’s demanding and fast paced world, how easy are they to deal with?!
Engineering: Is any engineering support provided?
This could be any of the following; review of tolerances, drawing/model support/assistance, and tool design. Please see also Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Part 1.
DFM is not necessarily limited to a supplier offering suggestions to make the part more manufacturable, but also to;
– Reduce cost = reduced price to you!
– Suggest modifications to take advantage of any existing tooling the supplier may have! Please see also Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Part 2.
Processes: A metal fabricator typically uses flexible CNC sheet metal equipment such as CNC punch presses, lasers, and press breaks which usually require more labor but little to no tooling, thus are best suited for low-mid volumes.
A metal stamper typically uses punch presses, which require less labor, but hard tooling, typically dies, thus are best suited for mid-high volumes. Please see also Metal Fabrication vs Metal Stamping for Sheet Metal Components.
A case for hybrid manufacturing
For every 100 metal fabricators, there are approximately 15 metal stampers, and perhaps only 5 that do both (“hybrid manufacturing”). The last being the most advantageous. Why? Because a manufacturer that has both will look at your part’s complexities, lot qty(s), and your EAUs, and quote based on the process(es) that work to your best advantage.
Besides being the right and honest thing to do, this is also the smartest way to operate; if that supplier solves your problem for the lowest possible cost, they have a much greater likelihood of having you as their loyal customer… for life! Please see also Hybrid Manufacturing, Options to Metal Fabrication vs Metal Stamping.
Marketing: Look at the manufacturer’s website, then challenge them on anything you doubt, they claim, or to address and answer your questions. Look for independent articles or reviews of them, as well as any awards they may have received. Challenge them to back up any claims!
Location: With supply change challenges, be it from a pandemic, to rising fuel/transport costs, to lead time, ask where are their parts produced? How far is this from you?
If produced in another country, do they have export experience? Are there any import duties?
Local manufacturers have a huge speed advantage. You don’t have to wait 3 or 4 months (or more) to get your parts from China, to later realize that there are quality issues with it.
Please see also The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Impacts Canadian Metal Stamping and CNC Fabricators.
Customers: Ask what markets they serve. Do any align with yours? If so, what are the advantages of working with a supplier who has expertise in your market? Have they offered any customer testimonials? If not, can they provide the contact information of some?
Tooling: Die design, manufacture, maintenance & repair are all critical not only to offer maximum competitiveness, but to also ensure that a customer’s supply is free from defects and the supply chain is reliable.
Does the supplier do their own die design? Do they have an in-house toolroom to support all related activities? Do they prioritize maintenance and repairs to ensure uninterrupted and reliable delivery?
Please see also The Benefits Of Having A In-House Toolroom.
Culture: What are their values? Do they align with your own? These can be anything from workplace safety and environmental sensitivity, to employee apprenticeships, training & advancement opportunities.
Sustainability: What environmentally sound practices does the supplier prescribe to? Do their processes create any effluent? If so, how are these recycled or disposed of? Do they recycle wherever possible? What measures have they put in place to reduce energy consumption?
Safety: What priority and practices does the supplier have with respect to worker safety? Is there a safety committee? Does it meet regularly? How often? Are action items documented? Do they meet or exceed all required OSHA or other imposed safety regulations? What is their accident rate or history? Please see also The Importance Of Safety In The Metal Fabrication Industry In 2022.
If it wasn’t already evident, choosing (or switching) your supplier(s) of metal fabricated or stamped parts should be about much more than price and even quality. Challenge them on all the above points before taking the plunge or making a switch!
Steels: Not all are created equal (& intentionally so!)
As this subject is vast, this TriparTech will focus on the principal varieties of steel strip (coil) and sheets and their uses in thicknesses up to 3/16” thick; what Tripar generally uses. Thicknesses above 3/16” are considered plates.
Continue readingBen’s 100th Birthday!
Ben’s 100th Birthday!
May 23rd sets another milestone in Tripar’s history. Ben Sevack, founder of Tripar, is 100 years old!
Ben, born in London in 1923, grew up assisting his father in his photographic studio. When World War II began, he turned his technical skills towards manufacturing surgical instruments for the war effort and joined the Home Guard. Enduring the relentless bombings of "the Blitz," his hometown was attacked 71 times over 267 days, culminating in the devastation of his own home.
In 1942, Ben was called up for service and recruited by the Royal Engineers due to his technical background. After basic training, he specialized in maintaining field surveying instruments. Despite the army's need for frontline soldiers, a perceptive Brigadier recognized Ben's tradesman experience and allowed him to proceed to Naples.
After the war, Ben embarked on a transformative journey to Canada, determined to forge a new path for himself. In 1949, fueled by his determination for success, he seized the opportunity to establish Tripar in Montreal, the city that welcomed him. Interestingly, the initial press Ben acquired had a fascinating history—it still held the die used for manufacturing ammunition shells.
Little did he know that this fortuitous encounter would shape the destiny of his venture and become an integral part of his legacy.
Ben has always been a passionate traveler, deriving immense joy from exploring new destinations and immersing himself in diverse cultures. His adventurous spirit extends to horseback riding, a passion that allowed him to connect with the natural world and experience new adventures. Language acquisition is another area where Ben excels. Having mastered five languages, several while stationed during the war; besides English, he also speaks Italian, German, Spanish and French, effortlessly communicating and connecting with people from various linguistic backgrounds. These hobbies not only showcase Ben's versatility but also reflect his insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge in different aspects of life.
He has three grandchildren and 4 (soon to be 5) great-grandchildren whom he is very proud of and deeply cherishes and loves. It was lovely spending his birthday all together.
New Capabilities, Stocked Items & Employees Testimonials
New Capabilities: 3 x Trumpf TruPunch 1000
We are pleased to announce our increased CNC capabilities thanks to the acquisition of two additional Trumpf TruPunch 1000 machines.
These CNC Punch Press Machines punch and form sheet metals, such as Galvanized, Cold-Rolled, and Stainless Steel & Aluminum up to 10 gauge (0.140”) thickness.
Stocked Items
Looking to find out what items Tripar stock? A green “In Stock” logo was recently introduced to our online catalog to identify these. If you're looking for a specific item, and you see this green logo, it means that we can supply and ship those items within 48h of receiving your purchase order.
Employee Testimonials
Ever wondered what it’s like to work at Tripar? Visit our Employee Testimonials page.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Impacts Canadian Metal Stamping and CNC Fabricators
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Impacts Canadian Metal Stamping And CNC Fabricators
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which went into effect in 2020 replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA had largely eliminated tariffs on trade between the three North American countries, and the USMCA not only preserves free trade but also updates the rules to accommodate changes in the world since NAFTA went into effect in 1994.
Canada exports $319.4 billion worth of goods to the US each year and imports $293 billion worth of goods. That’s more than the next 11 trade partners combined, so it was essential to allow the trifecta of countries, including metal stamping and CNC fabricators to compete in the North American market. In total, two million manufacturing jobs alone depend on North American trade.
The Impact US Tariffs Have On Steel And Aluminum Imports
It is important to note that the tariffs that the US imposed on steel and aluminum imports from sources outside the USMCA countries in 2018 (as part of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act) is evolving.
As of Jan. 2022, the EU is exempt from these tariffs and the US and Japan are in discussions about removing the tariffs. As such, it is important to monitor these tariffs and potential knock-on effects for USMCA manufacturers.
Metal components are required for a wide range of industries including Lighting, HVAC, Automotive, Consumer Electronics and Aerospace. Therefore, USMCA allows for Canadian sheet metal fabricators and metal stampers to source the raw materials in North America, manufacture a product and then ship the finished product to the U.S. or Mexico without tariffs.