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means a lower carbon footprint for stamping plants.
5. Maintenance. Electric shaker sys- tems, virtually maintenance-free, save hundreds of hours in plant mainte- nance over a year’s time, enabling staff to focus on other maintenance tasks possibly deferred due to upkeep required on pneumatic shaker systems. Pneumatic conveyors require regular lubrication of air lines and seals to pre- vent leaks, and this maintenance must be conducted over many thousands of feet of tubing typically found in medi- um- to large-sized stamping plants.
6. Flexibility. Electric shaker con- veyors offer flexibility to meet a variety of production configurations, and ease reconfigurations as well. For example, MPI’s M-series units are engineered for industry-standard T-slot configu- rations—common in stamping plants. Pneumatic units prove more difficult to install, and reconfiguring production lines also requires reconfiguration of long-run air lines.
7. Less noise. Noise in stamping plants is a given—an environmental condition subject to limits set by the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Pneumatic shaker sys- tems emitting loud air bursts with each trim clearing present a bigger issue. Electric shaker systems operate almost noiselessly via relatively small motors.
8. Extensibility. In the age of IoT and Industry 4.0, as stamping operations increasingly utilize plant-floor sensors and controllers that communicate with higher-level manufacturing execution systems, electric shaker systems can be configured to connect with these net- works. For example, although most elec- tric shaker conveyors feature simple On/Off switches or wire directly to the press, a variable-frequency drive can provide finer control of the shaker motor’s operation. Also, sensors can monitor shaker amperage to alert oper- ators of a jam. A technician then can clear the jam before scrap backs up. MF
Article provided by Magnetic Prod- ucts, Inc. (MPI), Highland, MI; 248/887- 5600, email info@mpimagnet.com, www.mpimagnet.com.
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