Page 34 - MetalForming September 2016

Servo Technology
be covered by the infeed and line supply. However, with the proper energy-storage devices in line, the servo-press supply system need only provide power for the actual work done and system losses. This greatly minimizes the infrastructure required, and installation costs.
“We see ROIs from these energy- management systems at around 18 months,” Barry says. That justification process will become clear during his presentation in Nashville.
In-Process Quality Control—More ROI Fuel
There’s even more to consider when cost-justifying a servo press, it turns out, in addition to the press-stroke flexibility afforded by the servo-press drive system. That flexibility not only pays dividends during the stamping process, but it also can promote in-die measurement, inspection and quality control. Yes— stampers can perform dimensional inspection in the die (without slowing the process), and then divide good- and
bad-parts streams, eliminating the need for a secondary inspection and verifi- cation station in the die, or the need for an additional post-production inspec- tion process. That’s the gist of the pres- entation from Link Systems’ Barrett.
“While we can and do set up in-die measurement and inspection stations with conventional presses,” Barrett says, “the ability to slow or pause the ram with a servo press takes this to the next level. There are certain types of measurements that are difficult or impossible to make inside of a con- ventional press that become much sim- pler to make with a servo press. For example, we can pause on the upstroke and fire a PLS to bring in an LVDT or other device. We see this as very viable in the aerospace or medical industries, for example, where you often need 100- percent part verification.”
Barrett also will explain to conference attendees how the flexibility of press- automation equipment truly comes to light when matched with servo presses.
For example, consider an application where a servo press passes through bot- tom three times on one station.
“We can fire a PLS at a particular crank angle,” he explains, “but only on the third pass through, for example. Or we can gather data from the die- protection sensors on the upstroke after a bend in high-strength steel has been made, or we can bring in different sets of limits on the tonnage monitor for each pass through bottom.
“In most cases we’re seeing this type of work being done at full production speed,” Barrett concludes. “My pres- entation will share some details, pre- scribe best practices for sensor selec- tion and use, and emphasize the need for diligent operator training to ensure it all comes together.”
For more information on the Servo Technology Experience, presented by MetalForming magazine and the Pre- cision Metalforming Association, visit www.metalformingmagazine.com/ servo. MF
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32 MetalForming/September 2016
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