RSDC Partners with Automatic Feed for Long Term Solutions

Processing machinery for manufacturing automotive components can quickly become obsolete, especially in today’s rapidly evolving world of technology and consumer preferences.

But with a built-in design for flexibility and expansion, along with the introduction of cutting-edge new solutions, the Nidec Automatic Feed Company is able to help customers like RSDC maintain its reputation as one of the most innovative coil processing companies in the world.

Established in 1949, Automatic Feed is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of coil processing systems, located in Napoleon, Ohio.  Automatic Feed recently joined the Nidec Press & Automation group of companies, which includes premier press builders like Minster, Arisa and Kyori, teamed with automation experts at Vamco, CHS and SYS.

RSDC is the largest metal coil and blank processor in North America, processing up to 1.2 million tons annually at its 625,000 sq. ft. facility in Holt, Michigan.

Supplying primarily automotive OEMs, RSDC maintains an impressive array of capabilities, products and services. And RSDC President Christopher VanDeventer said the relationship with Automatic Feed goes back to the company’s founding.

“In 1996, when the concept of RSDC was formed, we needed press blankers and a cut-to-length line, and Automatic Feed just happened to be the equipment maker of choice to the customer we were going to be supplying, which at the time was General Motors,” VanDeventer said. “Every General Motors metal fab facility either had Automatic Feed blankers, cut-to-length lines, or both. So based on what our customers required, we were able to establish a relationship with Automatic Feed early on, and it was the perfect fit for us.”

Automatic Feed began installing production machinery at RSDC in 1997, and while those original lines remain in use today, they have been updated throughout the years to reflect the changing technology and market desires.

“The lines were built with progressive technology, meaning what we bought isn’t what we were stuck with,” VanDeventer said. “The ability for AFCo to improve upon the original design, and still be able to put new technology in it was a key factor. Some equipment makers don’t have that flexibility to where they can add new technology.”

RSDC is a subsidiary of Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. (MISI), headquartered in Tokyo. Located in nearby Jackson, Michigan, MISA Specialty Processing (MSP) is a sister company to RSDC with similar capabilities. VanDeventer also serves as president of MSP, which features 335,000 sq. ft. of production space for a blanking line, two cut-to-length lines, and a slitter line. Both the RSDC and MSP locations feature state-of-the-art Automatic Feed “LaserCoil” laser blanking lines.

With an abundance of warehouse space and a diversity of processing machinery, RSDC is able to offer its customers worry-free turnkey production and service.

“Our customers are 100 percent automotive. We mainly deal with the large OEMs, both domestic and foreign,” VanDeventer said.” We have a lot of capacity to store raw material. We typically keep four weeks of material for each part our customers order.

“We can slit for them, we can blank for them. We can inspect. We do the complete inventory management. We do the complete scrap management for them. We take care of 100 percent of the outbound logistics,” VanDeventer continued. “So for the customer, they send us the order. They don’t have to worry about anything. We deliver that material when they want it.”

RSDC also offers a web-based production/inventory tool that updates every 60 seconds, allowing customers crucial access to their operational needs. And when it comes to quality, RSDC offers industry-first vision inspection systems on its large processing lines that can see what a human eye can’t and reject material based on specific customer requirements.

The first Automatic Feed LaserCoil blanker was installed at MSP in 2016, and at the time, was the first production coil-fed automotive laser in North America. An additional LaserCoil blanking line was installed at RSDC in 2022.

“The number one thing with the laser is flexibility,” VanDeventer said. “If a customer wants to do some trials and they want to play around with shape and design, we can easily do it on the laser within the matter of a couple hours versus them having to send a die to a die shop that could be out three months just for a simple trial.

“And there’s yield savings,” he continued. “You can nest parts a lot closer with a laser. You don’t need as much gap, as much spacing, and a lot of the cuts that are necessary in a conventional die aren’t needed on a laser. A laser is fluid. All it cares about is how many linear millimeters it has to cut.”

VanDeventer added that for small volume parts, the laser blanker can save customers the cost of having to build, maintain and store expensive dies.

“If you’re doing parts for an EV, selling 30,000 units a year, it really doesn’t make financial sense to build all these dies,” he said. “A die for fenders, a die for the hood, and die for a roof, when we can just laser cut the parts and save all of that added expense. And then when parts are end-of-life because of a model change, a laser line is perfect for providing service parts. We can provide all of those low volume service parts and never have to worry about managing dies.”

Laser blanking lines are able to process both steel and aluminum coils. As the automotive industry has shifted toward more lightweight aluminum, Automatic Feed has demonstrated its flexibility by retrofitting traditional magnetic automation lines with vacuums to facilitate aluminum processing.

“Another good example of adding new technology is going on right now,” VanDeventer said.”The blanker No. 2 line at RSDC is getting an auto leveler system put on it through Automatic Feed. This takes the human function out of correcting the shape on an inbound coil to letting the system do that, so it’s more reactive and it’ll provide a more precise adjustment to the leveler.

“There’s been a lot of things like that through the years. We’ve been able to do a lot of control upgrades, and that’s handled right through Automatic Feed. We don’t have to go to a third party. Their engineers and service group can handle all of that,” VanDeventer added. “The other nice thing is Automatic Feed has a full service department and it’s 24/7, so anytime there’s an issue that we cannot fix ourselves, they’re sending folks up here to assist.”

To learn more about RSDC and the products and services offered to its customers, visit the company online at www.rsdcmi.com.