Page 22 - MetalForming-Jan-2018-issue

Servo Advantages
immediate goal was to use the new press to make adjustments to tradi- tional tooling, ultimately the servo press would serve as an R&D project leading to new press-specific tooling and new ways to leverage servo-press technology.
The press also simulates press rates provided in the toolbuider’s customer quotes. This has helped reduce final tryout time in customers’ presses.
Servos Serve Up Success for Ohio Metalformer
One company taking advantage of servo-driven-press technology is Automation Tool & Die (AT&D), Valley City, OH. In 2013, after researching the technology and seeking to prove out the advertised advantages related to part quality and process productivity, it purchased an Aida DSF-N2-3000 330- ton direct-drive ServoFormer. The two-
point straightside press can produce at speeds from 1 to 100 strokes/min., and features a 102-in. (left-to-right) bed and 25.6-in. die height.
With the ServoFormer, unlike fly- wheel mechanical presses, excess ener- gy through the nonworking portion of the press stroke is stored in capacitors. As the press idles, power consumption is minimized. This regenerated-energy design lowers operational costs and conserves electricity, according to Aida officials. Reported results include lower operating costs as compared to mechanical and hydraulic presses— 30-percent savings in kWh and as much as a 70-percent reduction in peak load.
Encoders located at the motor and the crankshaft provide redundancy to help ensure against unintended motion that affects part quality and possibly damages tooling and press components.
Bringing a servo-mechanical press inhouse allowed AT&D to assess the technology’s performance, which would determine whether the compa- ny would migrate to higher-tonnage servo-driven units. Satisfied that the press delivered more rapid production of higher-quality parts while extending tool life, in 2016, AT&D again went the servo route. This time, it opted for a 700-ton Aida DSF-M2-6300 straightside press, featuring a 168-in (left-to-right) bed and speeds to 75 strokes/min.
Offering infinitely programmable stroke and velocity profiles, AT&D can program constant velocity for forming applications or use standard programs to ease setup and operation. Program- ming technology enables increased production rates at shorter stroke lengths, according to Aida officials. Similar to the 330-ton servo press, the 700-ton press also benefits from capac- itor-stored energy. In addition, both presses feature automated coil-feed lines from Dallas Industries.
Look for more details on AT&D’s servo-press path and its other forward- looking initiatives, including the embrace of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, in a future issue of Metal- Forming. MF

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MetalForming/January 2018
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