Save Money, Raise Productivity Through Coil-Line Upgrades
August 25, 2023Comments
Assessing upgradeability of feed-line equipment requires a complete evaluation of mechanical, electrical and power components, and productivity. If needed, upgrades can deliver significant efficiency and cost savings.
Metal formers continue to struggle with price inflation, supply-chain issues and in finding skilled labor. All of these factors challenge manufacturers in terms of efficiency and cost control. Combating these issues requires equipment that produces as optimally as possible in a maintenance- and operator-friendly manner. Luckily, manufacturers need not always buy new equipment to improve productivity and overall operations. Case in point: Upgrades and remanufacturing of existing coil blanking or cut-to-length (CTL) line equipment often can bring significant efficiency and cost savings to operations. The trick: evaluating whether investing in existing equipment is worth the effort versus paying for a new machine.
Equipment running for more than 10 yr. likely will benefit from an equipment audit to ascertain possible efficiencies to be gained. Manufacturers should begin this process by meeting with the equipment or service provider so that everyone can gain a clear understanding of the end goals. Is the manufacturer looking to increase throughput, reduce energy consumption, simplify equipment operation, etc.?
At this point, the equipment/service provider will evaluate the condition of a manufacturer’s current equipment features and capabilities—or lack thereof—and the existing control system. Determining whether the upgrade is worth the investment involves establishing some measurables to prove out value. Considerations impacting this decision include:
- What is the life story of the equipment—age, operating conditions, previous updates?
- Once upgraded, will the equipment meet the required specs?
- Will it be similar to new and, if so, at what cost—25, 33, 50 percent cost of new when complete?
- What is the anticipated longevity of the equipment post-upgrade?
- Does current equipment produce an unacceptably high percentage of scrap?
- Will a control upgrade positively impact overall power-consumption levels?
- Are obsolete or near-obsolete components required for existing equipment still available through the supply chain? Do these parts even exist?
- What is the cost of scheduled downtime vs. unscheduled downtime due to unavailable, obsolete or near-obsolete components?
- What kind of warranty does the upgrade include?
After evaluating existing equipment and matching it across the manufacturer’s goals, the equipment/service provider will recommend one of the following solutions:
- An upgrade to accomplish the desired outcomes
- An investment in new equipment
- A combination that integrates new equipment into an upgraded or remanufactured line.
Along with direct cost savings from reduced power consumption of upgraded equipment, feed-line users also gain power efficiencies and lower demand for total incoming power. This newly available power capacity enables metal formers to increase production without investing in additional equipment to generate higher levels of incoming power. In some instances, switching from DC to AC drives on press-feeding and -stacking equipment has achieved energy savings surpassing 70 percent due to significant reductions in power consumption.
New drive controls provided updated technology for the uncoiler (including tension control), leveler (including loop control) and feeder (including profile feed), exit feed, and scrap chopper. This offered additional line functionality, including coil mapping, fine leveler adjustment, tail-out mode, automatic coil threading, batch part run, microfeeder-sequence mode, sequenced exit-feed scrap-chopper mode and exit-feed shear-speed mode. In addition to updated functionality, the change to AC servo drives provided significant energy savings. 
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