Page 79 - MetalForming October 2013

Tooling Technology
Fig. 4—Where possible, Tilley routes sensor wiring through chan- nels in the die. A protective screw-on cap shields the connec- tor’s pins from accidental damage while the die moves in and out of the press and while in storage.
the sensors are not, then the die stops at the full open posi- tion and the location of the scrap or slug is announced by the die-protection control to the operator for its removal. Like- wise, if one or more corners of the stripper arrive sooner than the rest, the sensors then can help to detect spring or nitro- gen-cylinder failures behind the stripper. A double whammy of sensing.
Part ejection can be extremely tricky, as the parts can fly out of the die at high speeds and, most challenging of all, rotate and spin. This dynamic and fast-moving target can be quite difficult to detect and requires significant test-bench development to ensure there are no blind conditions where the optical sensor fails to detect the part. Likewise, the sen- sor applications specialist must ensure that the part can be detected regardless of which edge or surface is presented to the sensor.
As seen in Fig. 3, Tilley employs a reflective photoelectric sensor to perform part-out detection; note its respective cables protected within hydraulic tubing. Where practical, Tilley has carved channels into MIG’s dies to accommodate the sensor wiring. In many cases, however, this is not eco- nomically feasible, so he uses hydraulic tubing to protect the wires.
To merge the sensor wires into a single connector, Tilley meticulously routes the sensor cables within hydraulic tub- ing to a junction box where a military-style multiple pin connector is mounted (Fig. 4). The connector requires no sol- dering, so that the toolmaker responsible for the die can install the wires within their respective pins on the connec- tor with a special crimping tool and service the connec- tor—should it encounter damage —as needed. Note the use of the protective screw-on cap to shield the connector’s pins from accidental damage while the die moves in and out of the press and while in storage. MF
Does your press system have obsolete controls, motors, drives or electrical components? If they are no longer produced or supported, do you have a plan?
The Schuler team can support you with an equipment assessment and turnkey modern technology solutions to ensure you don‘t lose critical production uptime. Don‘t wait until later to prevent what can happen now.
Productivity
Safety
Expertise Partnership Future
Five building blocks - the right service for you.
www.schulerinc.com/Service
FORMING THE FUTURE
www.metalformingmagazine.com
MetalForming/October 2013 77