Company Profile

"First. Best. Only."

These are the words used over and over when describing Tymac products. Tymac invented the first electronic die cast machine monitoring system. Back in 1980, Tymac introduced the die casting industry's first microcomputer-based process monitoring and diagnostic system. By 1982, Tymac was first again, commercializing the first central plantwide monitoring network system. Tymac was the first to introduce velocity control. Today, Tymac provides the industry's only predictive control system.

History

Founded in 1973, in its earliest years Tymac functioned as an engineering consulting company which sold services to solve difficult manufacturing engineering problems. However, unlike the typical consulting firm, the company would generally also engineer and manufacture a product for its customer. This broad experience in engineering and manufacturing led to the development and patenting of die casting instrumentation.

In the later 1970's, when home computers arrived on the scene, Tymac was quick to realize their potential, developing a microcomputer-based portable analyzer. We believe it to be the first application of microcomputers to instrumentation, and the first application of dot matrix printers for graphic hard copy. The prototype portable analyzer was attached to a simulated die casting machine and demonstrated at several locations. It was a hit - General Motors and Ford both granted Tymac substantial contracts within months. It quickly became the industry standard analyzer and almost completely displaced the competing electromechanical recorders. The savings and fast payback (Outboard Marine reported 30 days) were compelling reasons to purchase.

In 1985, it became apparent that control of the process (versus monitoring alone) would provide even greater savings. Furthermore, the return on investment would be under 12 months in almost all cases, and in the majority, under six. Other companies had attempted real-time closed-loop control of the process, and had failed. However, Tymac believed that its in-house expertise in the area of closed loop control and its multidisciplinary experience would succeed. Projected savings ranged from $50,000-$600,000 per year, per machine. Initial orders came in even before a prototype was built, because of the company's reliable track record. The first such systems were successfully installed at Kuhlman Die Casting. According to the advanced procurement manager at Ford, Kuhlman's commitment to Tymac and the subsequent success of its equipment was instrumental in granting Kuhlman a $45,000,000 contract for high tech die casting.

Aside: It is important to understand that the real-time closed-loop control concept was not new at this time. However, the die casting process is unique in the extreme response times and horsepower entailed. Tymac offers the only system capable of controlling the die casting process in real time with a response time much faster (.004 to .012 seconds) than the process itself. This level of performance is as difficult to achieve, as it is critical to savings and productivity.

By 1986, Tymac offered die casters the industry's broadest product line, with the best performance, at competitive prices. Word spread about dramatic improvements in quality and cost reductions gained by Kuhlman Die Casting, ConTech, Alloy Die Casting and others using the SuperShot and other products. By the early 1990's, all major brands of machine made in the US, Europe, and Japan had been equipped with SuperShot real-time injection controls.

In 1993, as a result of customer demand, Tymac engineered a new shot end based on the combined advantages of its best-in-class real-time closed-loop controls, together with the best features of the US and European shot end concepts.

Tymac has maintained its superb R&D program through good and bad economic times. A 2-year R&D program, aimed at eliminating second-order variations and regular calibration, resulted in a completely new control concept. This was beta-tested in 1999. The system, called the SuperShot 2002, was patented a few years later, though as of 2002 it has not yet been offered to the general industry.

Currently, Tymac has customers and representatives in countries around the world, including big names like Top Die Casting, and Castwell.