Article

New Press-Drive Option Promises Full Energy Over Wide Speed Range

Monday, June 01, 2009

The Minster Machine Co., Minster, OH, has developed what it calls the Dual Energy Drive (DED) for stampers looking to diversify their range of applications within a single press. The DED feature, allowing one press to act as a single- or double-geared machine, delivers full stamping energy over a wider speed range, according to company officials. The single-geared operating mode allows metalformers to perform progressive- and blanking-die work at high speeds. With the push of a button, the same press can be switched to double-geared mode, where it can operate with full energy at slow speeds for deep-draw and transfer work.

The operating modes are selected via touchscreen control, and modes can be stored with tool data and recalled during tool installation and setup. The innovation, claim Minster officials, means that stampers no longer have to deal with the speed limitations of a double-geared press when quoting progressive-die work.

DED-equipped presses can be fitted with coil lines, destacker units and transfers for running both coil-fed progressive and blank-fed transfer applications. In addition, the DED feature can be combined with other Minster features such as infinitely adjustable stroke or alternate slide motion.

The Minster Machine Co.: 419/628-2331; www.minster.com