Page 22 - MetalForming February 2016

From Pushbuttons to Touchscreens
belongs to the firm’s new DSF-series control, and was shown at the helm of a complete servo-press line developed for metal stamper Ultraform Indus- tries. Allen Bradley Logix-based, the control offers several new features. One of them, according to Aida America product manager Shrinivas Patil: the use of virtual-angle signals to initiate transfer-system motion.
“We manipulate the motion-profile curve,” Patil says, “and condition it so that the transfer system can follow the press regardless of the servo-motion profile selected. This is accomplished using Aida’s proprietary software that eliminates the need for complex cal- culations when running transfer dies using non-uniform motion profiles. It dramatically reduces transfer-setup times and shortens the learning curve.”
Patil also echoes what others say regarding HMI-design optimization and intuitive processes. “For example, we’ve integrated tonnage monitoring onto the main display screen,” he says.
“Before, the operator had to toggle the main press screen to view the tonnage- monitor curves. Now it’s all on one screen.”
Patil notes a couple of additional new features to the Aida servo-press control designed to make operators’ lives simpler: three-speed step-feed control, and “smart” soft stops.
“One of the most time-consuming and challenging tasks out on the shop floor are setup and fine-tuning of new dies,” he shares. “Specifically to help with this task, with the new control we now offer a choice of three fixed speeds when the press is in the step-feed mode.”
Using the step-feed control mode, operators can select slow, medium or fast ram speed during the initial runs of a new die, or during troubleshooting, depending on where they are in the press stroke. They might, for example, run faster at the top of the stroke and then use the slowest speed when the ram approaches the workpiece, to get
This display belongs to Aida’s new DSF- series control, shown at FABTECH at the helm of a complete servo-press line developed for metal stamper Ultraform Industries. Allen Bradley-based, the con- trol, offers several new features. Among them: the use of crank-angle signals to initiate transfer-system motion; three- speed step-feed control; and “smart” soft stops. Shown is the main run screen, where operators can view multiple parameters (tonnage monitor, virtual/actual crank angles, etc.) all in one place.
20 MetalForming/February 2016
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