Page 13 - MetalForming March 2012

What has really kicked flexibility up a notch, however, are the four-axis AP&T SpeedFeeder press robots used to move blanks and parts to and from the presses.
“Using SpeedFeeders with four axes results in virtually unlimited flexibility,” says Moller. “Not only can they move for- ward, backward, downward and to the side, they also can spin around.” Each SpeedFeeder has lifting capacity to 220 lb., and all of the operations in the pro- duction process, from blank feeding and lubrication to finished pressed product, are quick and efficient, an important prerequisite for a high level of productivity.
“This solution provides a production speed three to five times faster than in the past,” notes Moller. “It also requires fewer workers since both of the presses can now be run by one operator.”
AP&T North America, Inc: 704/292-2900;
www.aptgroup.com
Three-in-One
Arc-Welding
Power Supply
Thermal Arc, a Thermadyne (St. Louis, MO) brand, introduces the Fabricator 252i multiprocess arc-welding power supply for gas-metal-arc (GMAW), gas-tung- sten-arc (GTAW) and shielded-metal-arc (SMAW) welding. Weighing 66 lb. and with an output range of 5 to 300 A (250 A at 40-percent duty cycle), the Fabricator 252i enables users to select the best process for the application at hand. For example, perform GMAW and gas-shielded flux- cored welding in the shop; opt for SMAW and self-shielded flux-cored arc welding on rusty or dirty workpieces; and use DC- GTAW to weld stainless steels as well as copper, nickel, bronze or brass alloys.
Thermal Arc designed the Fabricator 252i for light industrial fabrication, main- tenance and repair applications and for light construction. The power supply incorporates advanced inverter tech- nology to reportedly optimize arc per- formance for all three welding process- es. Features include:
• GMAW inductance control, to improve arc stability and reduce spatter; • GMAW spot- and stitch-welding control, ideal for sheetmetal welding;
and
• Lift-arc start, for GTAW arc starts
without using high frequency.
The Fabricator 252i features power-fac-
tor correction, which lowers the unit’s pri-
mary current draw and enables it to provide full output on a 50-A circuit. It tol- erates voltage fluctuations from 187 to 276 VAC, making the machine particularly well-suited for running off of any gener- ator that supplies at least 8.2 kVA of power.
Thermal Arc: 636/728-3000;
www.thermalarc.com
Tech Update
www.metalformingmagazine.com
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