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Hudson’s Top 10 Safety Tips
June 15, 2018 8:08 pm Leave a Comment
At Hudson Technologies, our people are our top priority. In order to better protect our workers on the floor, as well as visitors to our facilities, we’ve implemented exacting safety guidelines, rules, and procedures throughout our company, helping us ensure their safety, health, and well-being.

Workplace safety is particularly important at this time of year. Every June, the National Safety Council hosts National Safety Month to raise awareness of safety issues and reduce leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road, at home, and in the home. To honor the event, we’re sharing our top ten safety tips for keeping your most valuable asset––your people––safe on the job.
1. Wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
Workers and visitors who may be exposed to potential workplace hazards such as electrical currents, high temperatures, chemicals, light radiation, or dusts should wear PPE at all times while in your facility. Examples of PPE include:
- Steel toe shoes to be worn in production areas
- Safety glasses to be worn in manufacturing areas
- Wrist bands or arm protection
- Proper gloves
- Ear protection
1. Tie back long hair.
If your hair is longer than your shoulders, keep it tied back above them to prevent any hair from getting caught in equipment or coming into contact with dangerous substances.
1. Keep facial hair short.
In the same vein, facial hair should be trimmed close to the face, and beards shouldn’t be any longer than three inches.
1. Avoid wearing jewelry.
Jewelry also has the potential to get caught in machinery or equipment. Try to avoid wearing loose fitting watches or rings, and don’t wear bracelets. Necklaces that are longer than 16” should be tucked inside your shirt.
1. Wear clothes that fit close to the body.
Avoid wearing loose-fitting garments to prevent your clothes from getting caught in equipment.
1. Clean up spills on the floor immediately.
Be sure to completely mop up spills right away to prevent potential falls and related injuries. This is especially important when handling slippery materials such as oil.
1. Keep waste off the floor.
Keep all walkways clear by disposing of garbage and waste in the proper disposals. Do not leave any debris on the facility’s floor, since it could cause falls.
1. Report all accidents.
No matter how small an incident may seem, it’s essential to follow all reporting procedures and inform management of any accidents right away. It’s crucial that the company have all incidents documented to ensure that proper protocol is always followed.
1. Never move a safety guard.
When operating a machine, never remove or alter the position of the safety guard. Doing so could increase your risk of injury.
1. Lift with your knees.
When lifting heavy objects, make sure to bend your knees when lifting––not your back. Know your limits––don’t lift anything too heavy. If an object is too heavy for you to handle by yourself, ask for help.

At Hudson, we encourage you to incorporate some of these steps into your own safety guidelines and to keep the conversation around workplace safety going not only in June––but all year long. To learn more about National Safety Month, visit the National Safety Council’s website to access its free resources on emergency preparedness, wellness, falls, and driving throughout the month. If you’d like to learn more about Hudson Technologies, contact us today.
3 Ways to Cut Costs From Your Stamped Metal Product Design
May 16, 2018 5:50 pm Leave a Comment
The team at Hudson Technologies is proud to offer a full range of metal fabrication services, including deep draw and shallow draw metal stamping.

Close collaboration is one of our core values, and not just within our team: We work with every client to ensure that their manufacturing project is optimized for quality, performance, and pricing. We carefully evaluate your needs and tailor product design to ensure reduced manufacturing costs and streamlined production, without ever compromising on finished quality.

Wondering how we keep down costs, and how you can ensure you always get the best price for your stamped metal product designs? Check out our three cost-saving tips below.

1. Consider Different Materials.

Material choice plays a huge role in the overall cost of your design. Depending on the required part size and specific project requirements, material costs can be easily managed with regard to both material type and thickness in order to maximize performance.

For example, a thin-walled aluminum part may perform just as well as a thicker-walled part made of a heavier metal, depending on the application. If that heavier metal is stainless steel, the aluminum part could come in at ⅓ the material component cost!

Carefully evaluate your applications’ temperature, environmental, strength, and chemical corrosion requirements. This will help in determining the necessary material performance while ensuring you get the best value. And don’t forget to consider specific manufacturing needs — some metals are more difficult to deep draw than others, which can drive up processing costs.

2. Keep Part Shape in Mind.

A part’s shape can play a major role in its tooling and forming requirements. For example, when considering a deep drawn metal enclosure, keep in mind that a round deep drawn case is easier to manufacture than a case with corners. Also, consider:
- Inside bottom bend radius
- Ratio of diameter to draw depth (for round cases)
- Inside corner bend radius (for square and rectangular shapes)
- Ratio of width to length to overall case height
It’s even possible to reconfigure the depth of a part’s draw; some designs can be adapted from an extreme deep draw to a lesser draw by crafting two shallower halves that are then welded together.

3. Take a Look at Different Manufacturing Options.

How many parts will you require? The scale of your project will dictate the best-value process. For example, a low-volume (<50,000 pieces per year) job would be best suited to line tooling or processing through a series of tooling setups and presses. While the part itself may end up costing more, the low investment in tooling will allow for significant savings.

High-volume runs of over 50,000 pieces, on the other, make more sense with progressive or transfer tooling styles. While these processes involve significant initial tooling costs, the production itself is highly automated, allowing for a much lower price per part.

Working With Hudson Technologies

For over 75 years, Hudson Technologies has been an industry-leading metal diaphragm designer and manufacturer, and we’re proud to assist clients throughout every step of the metal stamping process, including critical cost analysis and budgeting.

To learn more about our stamped metal product capabilities, check out our Turnkey Solutions eBook.
What Are the Benefits of Expanding Manufacturing Internationally?
February 15, 2018 7:05 pm Leave a Comment
In today’s increasingly global economy, businesses of all types and sizes are establishing themselves in various foreign markets.

Expanding operations internationally allows for new opportunities and typically proves a valuable long-term investment.

Hudson Technologies made the step to global expansion and saw the benefits firsthand— in 2017, we had a record number of foreign exports, meeting demand from countries throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

We’re currently fulfilling orders for our standards parts — such as metal diaphragms, which account for 75% of our foreign sales — as well as various custom items.

After partnering with some of the most respected, well-known companies across the globe, we’ve documented the increasing number of advantages in having a strong international partnership.

Below are five key advantages to keep in mind if you’re considering expanding your business.

Distribution & Channel Growth

When businesses enter into international partnerships, the distribution network is naturally expanded. This can lead to the acquisition of new customers and diverse revenue channels. Geographic expansion is usually an important first step toward overall new business growth.

Access to New Technologies

Expanding abroad also allows companies to gain access to new technologies, tools, and innovations — without the need to expend resources or incur high costs.

Setback Protection

International partnerships allow businesses to diversify their assets and protect themselves from unforeseen circumstances that may arise at home. For example, companies with global operations can counterbalance setbacks in one area by achieving success in another.

The diversification of products and services also allows companies to maintain strong revenue streams and ensure constant innovation and improvement.

Access to Talent

Establishing operations in another part of the world inevitably means seeking out new talent with unique skills and expertise. These new talent pools often allow for increased productivity while boosting overall company language skills and cultural awareness. Plus, a diversified employee educational background can prove a valuable asset.

Development of New Processes

Branching out to new locations allows businesses to discover new, exciting methods of achieving goals and accomplishing everyday tasks. These new techniques can then be applied to other markets.

Working with Hudson

As the leading deep drawn stamping manufacturer and supplier of precision metal products in the United States, Hudson is proud to serve as an international partner for various companies around the globe. In 2017, we set an international sales record:
- 8% of total sales dollars were shipped internationally
- 26 foreign countries shipped to in 2017
- 34 total foreign countries shipped to since 1940
No matter what your specific application needs or industry requirements, we can provide a cost-efficient, reliable solution to meet them. All of our deep drawn metal products ship quickly, at competitive speeds, so clients never need to worry about unnecessary downtime.

We are also certified to the international AS9102 standard, complying with strict documentation and verification requirements for inspections, design, and production to ensure optimal quality in everything we do.

Learn More

Hudson Technologies has been an industry-leading metal diaphragm designer and manufacturer since our founding in 1940, and we’re proud to be expanding worldwide — serving clients across industries, across the globe. To learn more about the products and services we provide here in the United States and internationally, check out our comprehensive product overview.
RoHS and REACH Compliance at Hudson Technologies
November 20, 2017 4:57 pm Leave a Comment
As a leading U.S. manufacturer of enclosures, casings, and deep drawn stampings, Hudson Technologies believes it is part of our responsibility to stay at the forefront of environmentally friendly manufacturing methods. Therefore, we’re proudly compliant in both RoHS and REACH standards.

Compliance With Eco-Friendly Regulations

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances), a legislation passed by the European Union in 2003, restricts the use of six major hazardous materials in electrical manufacturing. These materials often end up in landfills or elsewhere, releasing toxins into the environment. Frequently referred to as the lead-free directive, RoHS also restricts some raw materials and plating types to ensure a more environmentally friendly electronics manufacturing process.

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) is a 2007 European Union Regulation put into place to protect the environment and human health through safer product manufacturing processes.

REACH addresses the production and use of various chemical substances and aims to manage their impact. All of our products are REACH-compliant.

Compliance with both RoHS and REACH allows us to easily meet customers’ specific environmental requirements, whether those clients are based in the United States, Europe, or elsewhere.

Our Green Manufacturing Initiatives

To put these and other green initiatives into place, the team at Hudson spent two years and over $2 million in research, development, capital costs, and training. Our operations and products now meet the most stringent environmental regulations and standards in the industry, and our 115,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Ormond Beach, Fla., is 100% eco-friendly.

One of our most important changes was the introduction of new lubrication and aqueous cleaning systems. Instead of using traditional chlorinated lubricants, we now proudly employ state-of-the-art biodegradable lubricants, all of which are safe and environmentally friendly.

And our newly implemented aqueous cleaning system is water-based and requires no harmful solvent-based cleaners. These eco-friendly changes ensure that no hazardous waste of any kind is produced, thereby protecting human health and the environment. Any wastewater that is produced is sent to the Ormond Beach, Fla., wastewater system, with minimal secondary processing required.

Learn More

The team at Hudson Technologies recognizes the importance of adhering to environmental regulations in today’s shifting landscape, and we’re proud to be a green manufacturer. To learn more about our eco-friendly processes and how they can help with your specific needs, contact us today. We’re on hand to answer any questions you may have.
How Metal Stamped Medical Devices are Moving the Industry Forward
September 1, 2017 4:15 pm Leave a Comment
Manufacturing all the components for tools and devices in the medical industry is an uphill battle to mastering two key aspects: precision and quality.

With the growing needs of life sciences, metal components have become an integral part of building medical devices for active stimulation and surgical treatment of diseases and illnesses.

These devices face a constant challenge of biocompatibility as they must be suitable for both internal and external use in fields such as orthopedics and cardiovascular medicine.

Implants for bones and joints such as the knee or shoulder are continually evolving and require a rapid prototyping of the device design to test for functionality.

Simultaneously, cardiovascular implants like defibrillators, pacemakers, and artificial heart valves demand the use of components that will react optimally with human body fluids.

These continued demands and advancements in medical technology are largely possible due to the development of metals and alloys for components as small as tiny screws or as complex as implantable surgical devices.

Metal stampers for medical devices are aiding the industry in its rapid adaptability to new challenges and issues every day.

To meet the high demands of healthcare and medical operations, metal stampers for medical devices are focused on making sure components align with these specific attributes:
- Easy Sterilization
- Corrosion and wear resistance
- Retaining shape
- Relatively Inert
Deep drawn stampings play a huge role in fulfilling these requirements of medical devices and instruments.

Along with implantable medical devices, precision engineered metal components are also integrated into housing and casing components for cardio and neuro, shields and half-shells, battery cases, and capacitor components.

To keep the industry up to speed with new findings and technologies, metal stamped medical devices rely heavily on two materials: Titanium and Stainless Steel.

Known for its versatility in internal applications, Titanium stamping has exceptional capabilities of resisting corrosion and connecting to human bone and tissue (known as Osseointegration) with very few negative reactions.

It has also become a staple in shields for implantable medical devices based on its inertness and low risk of rejection. Experts in deep drawn stamping can use this material to create medical advances for surgery and surgical instruments like drills, forceps, retractors and more.

The other widely used and highly reliable alloy in the medical device market is Stainless Steel.

Commonly found in devices such as pacemakers and diagnostic guide wires, the material is recognized for high corrosion resistance and excellent formability for various purposes.

Through manufacturing of these deep drawn components, the utilization of stainless steel alloys ensures high-quality parts that maintain all important characteristics before, during, and after usage.

Deep drawn metal stamping capabilities aren’t just limited to the materials used but are quick to support innovations and work with OEMs to speed up the delivery of new devices to the market.

Metal stampers have learned to respond to the needs of the medical industry faster than ever with dedicated prototypes and well-developed R&D units.

The metal components are formed with proper cleanliness, equipment, and surface finish to ensure easy use and maintenance no matter what the application.

Deep drawn metal stamping allows for total accuracy and precision for medical needs with customized designs and specialized modifications– pushing the industry forward during the most challenging times.

Stamping for life sciences requires precision. Download our ebook below:
The Costs of Partnering With a Low-Cost Supplier
August 17, 2017 2:24 pm Leave a Comment
No matter what the specific industry or application, designing and manufacturing products can be an expensive, time-consuming undertaking, so any opportunities for saving are usually welcome. To keep down costs, many companies consider contracting with a low-cost metal forming company. But doing so can lead to significant expenditures in the long run, not to mention added downtime and general stress.

Suppliers offering low-cost parts are typically able to do so by sacrificing quality, thereby failing to meet the strict standards you maintain in your own facilities and processes. While partnering with these companies may save you money in the short term, it’s important to fully understand the risks involved.

How Poor-Quality Suppliers Impact Your Business

There are three distinct ways in which working with a low-cost metal forming supplier can negatively impact your business, all stemming directly from the low-quality products they supply.

Increased Costs

Contracting with low-cost suppliers typically ends up costing more money in the long run. This can happen in a few different ways.

First, there are significant risks involved in accepting low-quality parts. If you receive a shipment and your own quality-check processes detect faults — whether the products are out of spec or are generally just poor quality — you will then have to remove, dispose of, and replenish those parts. These added production steps will cost you both time and money.

And low-quality parts that end up in your finished product can result in steep regulatory fines; in the worst-case scenario, these parts can cause your parts to malfunction, potentially injuring your customers and leading to lawsuits.

Damaged Reputation

Your customers are looking for quality and reliability — the two aspects of your products most likely to suffer when using low-cost, low-quality parts. Clients will definitely notice if your product is low-quality and will likely take their business elsewhere. And if a low-quality part leads to a safety incident or a recall, word can spread very quickly thanks to today’s social media landscape.

Lost Revenue

Working with low-cost suppliers often necessitates sending faulty parts back, leading to production delays and additional downtime. And damaged reputation, reduced market share, and drops in stock prices for public companies can all cut directly into your revenue.

Factors to Consider When Looking for a Supplier

Once you have a solid understanding of the ways partnering with low-quality metal forming companies can hurt your business, you should also know how to identify a reliable deep-drawn metal supplier. Keep in mind these five important factors:
- Supplier history and reputation
- Quality of product
- Reliability and flexibility of service
- Turnaround times
- Problem resolution process
There are other critical factors to keep in mind, but these will help you effectively weed out low-quality suppliers long before the final selection process.

Quality Assurance From Hudson Technologies

As an industry-leading deep drawn metal enclosure supplier with over 70 years of experience, Hudson Technologies understands how important it is that our products perform reliably. For this reason, we take great pains to ensure every part that leaves our facility is of the highest quality possible. All of our products are subjected to our robust quality assurance program.

Utilizing Kaizen and Six Sigma methodologies, we are constantly refining our processes and retraining our employees to develop new and existing skills. We also apply the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) framework to product design and development, establishing quality levels upfront. We practice statistical process control (SPC) for all manufacturing stages, and perform the majority of our machinery calibrations ourselves.

In addition, we proudly maintain a fleet of state-of-the-art quality-assurance equipment — almost 20 visual inspection systems and OGP Smartscope dimensional measurement systems. To ensure we stay ahead of the curve, our skilled staff of quality-assurance professionals is regularly trained in the newest best practices.

To learn more about how Hudson Technologies and our dedication to quality can help protect your reputation and bottom line, contact us today or schedule an in-person facility tour.
What Is Involved in the Deep Drawn Manufacturing Process?
May 31, 2017 6:24 am Leave a Comment
What is Deep Drawn Manufacturing?

Deep drawing, or simply drawing, is a widely known manufacturing process and is used extensively in the forming of sheet metal. It assists in creating items such as pots and pans for cooking, containers, and automobile parts like panels and gas tanks. The term—deep drawing— refers specifically to the depth of the item that is created, which is equal to or greater than its diameter.

The deep drawing process involves a single metal blank and forming it into a 3D round, square, or rectangular shape called a case or enclosure. Sometimes, the sheet metal pieces remain attached to a coil, letting them form effectively. This is called a progressive die process. Although complex contours are possible, it becomes more difficult to manufacture as the intricacy increases.

The Deep Drawn Manufacturing Process

The deep drawing of sheet metal is performed with a punch and die. The punch is used to achieve the desired shape. The die cavity matches the punch; however, it is slightly wider, allowing for passage and clearance. Similar to sheet metal cutting, the clearance is the lateral distance between the die edge and punch edge.

The sheet metal, called a blank, is placed over the opening of the die, where a blank holder surrounding the punch applies pressure to the entire surface of the metal, except the area under the punch. With the blank flat against the die, the punch then moves towards it and makes contact. The punch forces the sheet metal into the die, forming its shape.

Each draw operation is a separate step, and with each step there is a reduction in diameter, increasing the height of the part. To complete the part, there may be several draws, or reductions, made to achieve the desired parameters.

In this process, there are several circumstances to consider when manufacturing an enclosure:
- Material type
- Thickness
- Corner radius
- Bottom radius
- Shape
Both mechanical and hydraulic presses are used in the deep draw manufacturing process. Precision punches and dies are tools usually made of steel and iron. However, materials for punches and dies can span from plastics to carbides. Deep drawn parts are usually created at speeds of 4″-12″ per second.

Watch a cylinder form from a progressive deep drawn metal stamping process:

Advantages of the Metal Drawing and Deep Drawn Stamping

Deep draw stamping is considered a viable solution for the production of parts because:
- Deep drawn parts create seamless shapes from a single piece of sheet metal
- You can attain a high volume due to the process’s rapid cycle times
- Deep drawing offers exact detailing and is highly accurate with its complex axisymmetric geometries
- The precision of this deep drawing process reduces technical labor and provides quicker time frames
Hudson Technologies’ Metal Manufacturing Capabilities

Hudson Technologies’ seamless cases are integral to a variety of industries, including:
- Aerospace
- Automation
- Commercial battery
- Defense & military
- Electrical
- Energy storage
- Medical
- Oil & gas
- Semiconductor
We are a leading U.S. manufacturer of deep drawn metal enclosures and stampings, including metal diaphragms, and are AS9100D certified. To find out more about our capabilities, contact us today.
Deep Drawing Stainless Steel Parts
February 24, 2017 9:41 am Leave a Comment
Stainless steel is corrosion resistant, strong, heat resistant and chemical resistant. It’s no wonder so many companies choose it for critical components. And while industries from aerospace and defense to health care and power generation utilize stainless steel, forming and deep drawing it into frame parts, medical containers, or components for gas turbines requires a high degree of skill and knowledge.

How It Works
Deep draw forming stainless steel produces strong, corrosion-resistant parts for everything from medical parts to the kitchen sink. The process involves applying pressure to stretch a flat piece of stainless steel over a form in a die. Depending on the depth and width of the draw, some parts must go through multiple times to meet desired specifications.

Challenges with Deep Drawing Stainless Steel
Because of the unique properties of stainless steel, special handling is needed during the deep draw process. First, stainless steel work hardens faster than carbon steel. Therefore, it requires nearly twice the pressure to be stretched and formed. Secondly, the chromium oxide surface film (which prevents corrosion on stainless steel) intensifies friction during deep draw forming.

That means that tooling must be coated and lubricated properly to minimize the cost of wear and tear. Lastly, the speed of deep drawing stainless must be adjusted to account for high friction, high pressure, depth of draw and other factors. Failing to calibrate the speed correctly can result in breakage or wrinkles. Typically, the deeper the draw, the slower it needs to be.
Metal Stamping for the Aerospace Industry
January 25, 2017 12:40 pm Leave a Comment
When it comes to the aerospace industry, there is no room for manufacturing error. The tight tolerances and precision measurements required doesn’t allow for “good enough,” it must be perfection.

Whether you need a small, precise connector, a stamped metal clip part, spring, complex gearhead, or steel airframe component, metal stamping can allow you to create a multitude of parts small and large.

Deep Draw Metal Stamping
The deep draw metal stamping process itself is not too complicated. Through the action of a punch, a sheet metal blank is drawn into a die and as the die forms the metal around the punch the blank is formed into a specified three-dimensional shape little by little. It’s considered a “deep draw” process when the depth of the drawn part is greater than its diameter.

One big advantage of this process is that it can be used on many different types of metals, including stainless steel and titanium, along with aluminum, cold rolled steel, brass, copper, HY-MU 80 (other shielding alloys available), nickel, cupro nickel and more.

This type of process can produce both symmetrical and asymmetrical parts. Deep drawn metal stamping is not only versatile, but it also produces strong metal parts. The drawing process leads to a finished part stronger than the original raw material used to manufacture it. This is critical when manufacturing aerospace parts, for example.

Hudson Technologies for Metal Stamping
Design engineers turn to Hudson Technologies for custom enclosures and metal diaphragms for their technology, whether they need a prototype or high-volume production. Our catalog has over 15,000 standard deep drawn shapes and sizes available with little to no tooling charges. Engineered products offer custom components designed to customers’ specifications.With state-of-the-art equipment and a skilled, experienced staff, Hudson Technologies can deliver stamped metal parts that match your exact specifications.

To find out more about our products, contact Hudson Technologies online or call (866) 241-4448.
Types of Tooling for Metal Diaphragms
November 30, 2016 5:53 am Leave a Comment
Diaphragms are semi-elastic individual wafers with unique properties made from metal or elastomers that produce a predictable spring rate. In this article, we are referring to round, concentric ringed, thin metal diaphragms and the types of tooling used to create them.

Hudson Technologies uses two different tooling methods in order to form metal diaphragms. All tooling is designed and built in our large in-house tool room. A multi-shift staff of highly skilled toolmakers uses sophisticated CNC and inspection equipment to measure ripple forms to blueprint specifications.

Tooling is maintained for the life of the program, including replacement or re-facing as needed.
1. Metal to Rubber Tooling
  For prototype and production parts that are greater than .0015” thick and <50,000 piece annual volume we consider a tooling strategy using metal to rubber tooling.This is a specific design that works very well in these production parameters. The tooling is a relatively inexpensive, fast method to produce high quality parts.
2. Metal to Metal Tooling
  For parts that are <.0015” thick or have a very high production volume, we consider a high precision metal to metal tool to be the best choice.
  Metal to metal tooling offers the ability for precision alignment to hold exact requirements for burr height, geometry, and very long tool life. It’s perfect for working with very thin material and high volume.
Hudson Technologies is a stand alone manufacturer of precision metal diaphragms with the expertise, equipment, quality, flexibility and capacity you need to cost effectively do feasibility studies, design metal diaphragms, produce prototypes, meet production demand and expand product lines. From one piece to high volume production, we are with you every step of the way. Quick-change tooling allows for efficient production of multiple products at varying quantities and reduced lead times. This means that no matter what the application, Hudson has the tools to meet the requirements necessarily to keep time and costs lower.

If you’d like a product quote, please contact us today.