Author Archive

Return on Position Control

Whether your process is stamping sheet metal or forming composite components, choosing the right press return for your application is crucial. Identifying the capability needs, up front, can eliminate additional costs and start up delays.

Hydraulic presses offer the capability of configuring the press stroke to meet your die or application needs. They also have the ability to adjust the overall travel of the ram and can be configured to return at a given position or a given force. This flexibility yields the greatest advantage for hydraulics for a wide variety of applications.

The most critical factor in selecting a hydraulic press, is to match the press capability to the needs of the application. There are three primary press capabilities available (though all can be combined depending on the required performance of the application).

Return on Pressure

Return on Pressure Control

The most common and economical performance capability for a hydraulic press is the ability to Return on Pressure. Because a hydraulic press can develop full tonnage anywhere in the stroke, this lends a great deal of inherent flexibility. Dies with integral stop blocks but multiple shut heights can be easily run on the same press with minimal set up.

In addition to flexibility and reduced set up time, dies and applications that are designed for this mode of operation gain absolute repeatability at very little cost. Even traditional punch tooling can be run under return on pressure mode by incorporating fixed stops into the tooling or press system. In this mode, the ram will lower and extend to a preset target force and then return to the up limit position.

Today, most dies are being designed with stop blocks either built into them or designed so that the die itself can be closed to “bottom out” and support the force of the ram. In this case, operators can set the target return force set point slightly above the necessary force

Return on Position
Return on Position is another commonly requested performance capability, but is also the most routinely misunderstood. Unlike a mechanical press, in which the ram always strokes to the same bottom position every cycle, a hydraulic press can be controlled to stop and return at any point in the stroke.

The repeatability and accuracy of this type of control varies widely and is dependent upon many variables such as; speed of the ram, the type of valving used, the type of work being performed, etc… The level of performance has an impact on the cost of the hydraulic and control systems.

Basic and simple systems yield somewhat loose performance capabilities due to the reliance on hard shift valves to control the direction of the ram. These systems achieve repeatability of perhaps ±0.020″ - ±0.025″. More sophisticated systems integrate open or closed loop control to significantly improve and tighten the level of performance for repeatability of ±0.001″.

Return on Pressure with Dwell

Return on Pressure and Position

Return on Position is another commonly requested performance capability, but is also the most routinely misunderstood. Unlike a mechanical press, in which the ram always strokes to the same bottom position every cycle, a hydraulic press can be controlled to stop and return at any point in the stroke.

The repeatability and accuracy of this type of control varies widely and is dependent upon many variables such as; speed of the ram, the type of valving used, the type of work being performed, etc… The level of performance has an impact on the cost of the hydraulic and control systems.

Basic and simple systems yield somewhat loose performance capabilities due to the reliance on hard shift valves to control the direction of the ram. These systems achieve repeatability of perhaps ±0.020″ - ±0.025″. More sophisticated systems integrate open or closed loop control to significantly improve and tighten the level of performance for repeatability of ±0.001″.

by Michael Riehn

At Beckwood Press Company, the people make the difference

People are the resource that drives manufacturing, but they can often be overlooked in the overall process.  In difficult economic times, many talented people are the first in line when cost cutting moves occur.
 
The standard thinking is:  “I can’t keep my employees busy, so I’m wasting the bottom line”.  This is a short-sighted vision, when the next economic upturn can be right around the corner.  

The hydraulic press industry is especially sensitive to this resource.  Finding talented hydraulic engineers can be difficult in the good times, so each great hire is a precious resource. 

Electrical, Hydraulic and Structural Engineering teams are a vital component to a great press, and more importantly, a great project.  A hydraulic press manufacturer’s application experience can make or break your project.  It is essential that you get to know the company that you choose before making your final decision.

The lesson from the press  industry can be used for almost any manufacturing processes.  By investing money in new employees and updated technology training in the difficult times, you are able to ‘leap ahead’ of the competition during the good times. 

Lead times become shorter, technology advances, machinery becomes more efficient and new out of the box thinking gives your company an edge when everyone else is scrambling to keep up.

Can you afford to miss out on the most talented people in your industry?

by Michael Riehn

What is a PC HMI Control system and how does it compare to a Panelview HMI?

Panelview HMI with Productivity Package and job storage

Operator Interface integrated with a Beckwood Press

This system includes a touchscreen operator interface with job storage and recipe handling. All cycle parameters are programmed and saved for recall, significantly reducing operator set up time. Additional features are available, see below. System is programmed for application specific requirements to suit user needs.

Common adjustable features include:

• Tonnage/ Pressure
• Up Limit
• Slow Down
• Return on Position or Pressure
• Dwell Time
• Multiple Job Storage
• Serial Communications
• Safety Alarms
• Password Protection

Other Features may include but are not limited to adjustable:

• Ram Speed Control
• Integration of controls through Auxiliary Equipment
• Language Options
• Data Collection
• Graphical & Report Trending
• Expandable Memory
• Ethernet communications
• Diagnostic Control
• Press Monitoring
• Production Rate
• Plus much more.

PC HMI with Productivity Package and job storage

PC HMI from Beckwood Press Company

A PC based system includes all of the features of the Panelview with the following additional attributes:

• 10,000 recipes job storage
• Data acquisition
• Trending
• Multiple control access points
• Report generation
• Customized panel matching (can emulate other control templates reducing orientation for press operation and seamless transfer)
• Onscreen PID tuning
• Multilevel security password protection
• E-mail alarm & alerts
• Networking to LAN system
• Text message, e-mail or smart phone press control
• Excel recipe loading and storage
• Alarm status and report queries

Additional options may include:

• Fingerprint ID security with multilevel access tiers
• Self diagnostic programming (system and parts) for quality control
• Vision system part inspection
• Vibration analysis
• Oil particle counter
• Oil aqua sensor

For more information on hydraulic press control, contact Beckwood Press Company.