Four slide machines are versatile and effective machines. They require skilled setup persons to operate them efficiently. Stock gripping, press attachment maintenance, front slide timing, king post head setting, cam positioning are all vital to the successful running of any 4-slide production run. Slight modifications could speed setup and change-over time and eliminate a few of the "glitches." Feed mechanisms can cause marks on the wire or strip stock if not adjusted properly or if there are variations in stock thickness.
Figure 1 and 2 show common causes of marks on stock from feed mechanism. Figure 3 shows a simple way of eliminating these problems permanently. Adding a carbide insert to the gripper wear plate will reduce the amount of regrinding due to stock abrasion. The movable rocker equalizes the gripping pressure over a uniform area to eliminate marks on the metal. It is made from solid carbide inserted into the adjusting slide that is made from hardened tool steel.

Most companies attach the punch plate directly to the press attachment ram and the die holder to the press attachment. This necessitates the use of the same press attachment each time the job is run. A small die set connected to the press attachment will enable repairs or sharpening of the tools without the need for using the press attachment. It will also speed set up time by eliminating the need for aligning the punches to the die sections. Figure 4 shows an isometric of the die set.
Figure 5 shows how the die set is attached to the press attachment. This requires modification to the press attachment, but the extra work will pay for itself in the long run. Spare dies can be made for long running jobs that can also increase productivity.

The major problem with most 4-slide setup is the accuracy of timing the front tool to pick up the material as it is being "cut off." There are several ways to install different stock clamping mechanisms to alleviate the timing accuracy of the front tool. Installing a permanent universal movable clamping mechanism would improve set-up repeatability. Figure 6 shows a clamping assembly that is actuated by a cam. This will hold the material while it is being cut off the strip subsequent to the front tool engaging the stock. This method will reduce or eliminate bowing of the stock that usually occurs when the front tool forms the material.