Page 25 - MetalForming November 2014

in Eastern Europe, for example, com- panies are granted subsidies only if they purchase machines that are con- sidered state of the art or meet certain energy-cost targets. Stampers want to save money with each stroke, and that helps drive sales of energy-efficient servo presses.”
Schuler has offered direct-drive servo presses since 2007, in capacities to 3000 metric tons. On both sides of the Atlantic, the use of new materials also drives sales. With the new servo- drive presses, buyers seek higher ton- nages, larger bed sizes and, impor- tantly, larger, sturdier dies.
“If a stamper runs a die at 12 to 15 strokes/min. on an old mechanical press, a servo-drive press may allow the job to run at 30 strokes/min.,” Kinzyk explains. “That will wear or, in a worst-case scenario, damage the tool- ing. This condition gives metalform- ers two options: Buy or build a brand new die, or upgrade the existing tool- ing. Those seeking upgrades have pro- moted the formation of consulting businesses, with companies advising on how tooling can be modified to make the switch to servo-drive presses.”
Schuler itself works with new-press purchasers on how to proceed with existing tooling. Of course, many met- alformers are at the mercy of their cus- tomers, who either supply the dies or will not help offset the cost of tooling buys or upgrades. In the best-case sce- nario, a metalformer can work with its customer and/or die designers and builders at the onset of a project, when engineering changes and new designs for parts or dies are most likely to occur.
“If you can influence the design of the part or die, that is best,” Kinzyk says. “But in reality, an OEM or Tier One or Tier Two company will say, ‘This is the part. Tell us if you can make it, and how much it will cost.”
Even with such hurdles, Schuler has seen U.S. and Mexico sales of servo presses increase considerably as met- alformers and their customers learn the advantages of servo solutions. The company has been proactive in inviting tool and die designers and builders to
training seminars to showcase soft- ware that can simulate the process, saving tryout time and money before the die is built. Kinzyk also points out that besides a higher output rate and better part quality, integrated process- es are big selling points for servo-press manufacturers, as the ability to influ- ence slide velocity allows precious mil- liseconds to stop the slide at bottom- dead center and perform in-die
welding, clinching, thread-forming and other processes without costly out-of- press secondary operations. He says it is part of a systems approach to edu- cate metalformers on how this tech- nology affects all aspects of the forming process.
“We look at the whole process, from the material to the final part, and how we can influence any of that with servo technology,” says Kinzyk. MF
Superior Work Holding & Transferring Solutions
to Reduce Production Downtime
Series PLC Precision part locating and holding
Series PSP Superior part locating and positioning
Series GRM1
Compact sheet metal handling
Series
PLK & PLKD Weld area clamping
Series
C5091 Depalletizing/Slip Sheet Pulling Applications
Series PB clamping
Series PFC Heavy part clamping
s P
P
PE
EC
g for assembly
Series GRM Sheet metal handling
Part hol
ld
di
in
n
ng
Series PHL High load part lifting
1-800-624-8511 ext.5
For a free Clamp binder including all catalogs, visit us at: phdinc.com/mf1114

www.metalformingmagazine.com
MetalForming/November 2014 23