The huge 260,000-sq.-ft. MTD plant in Martin, TN, deep draws and stamps as much as 1 million lb. of steel per week to supply more than 250 different parts to its assembly lines, and to the lines of some of its nearby sister plants. Its bread-and-butter jobs—deep drawing mower decks and fenders— have become more critical with recent product redesigns, including a new, synchronized-blade systemthat requires tighter tolerances on the deep-drawn deck. The plant employs a 1600-ton transfer press to draw and trim decks at line speeds to 12 strokes/min., which can generate a lot of heat. Any lubrication failings can quickly lead to galling and other premature die-wear issues caused by overheating.

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