Phoenix Hydraulic Presses, Inc., Hilliard, OH, has developed a versatile two-axis press that combines accuracy with precisely controlled vertical and horizontal cylinders. Originally developed for the pharmaceutical industry, the press will find use for a variety of applications including forming, compaction and compression. Operating in a force-over-time mode, the press employs a Delta motion controller and an Allen Bradley Micrologix 1100 programmable controller to provide synchronized application of vertical and horizontal force on the workpiece. Pressure is controlled to within ±5 percent. Ramp, dwell time and ram speed are individually controllable for each cylinder, with ram position accurate to within 0.005 in. Process recipes are accessed through a PanelView operator interface with a 10-in. color screen.

At the heart of the press is a 20-ton vertical cylinder and a 5-ton horizontal cylinder that operate in a force-over-time mode as selected at the operator interface. The ramp time for each cylinder is 30 to 60 sec., with a dwell time from 5 sec. to 2 min.