Coil Feeding Equipment for Stamping ‘Arguably, one of the many signifi- 9 Sb cant developments of the twenti- eth century in the metalforming industry was the introduction and wide spread use of ‘coiled stock to feed stamping presses. Modern coil han- dling and feeding equipment has dramatically increased efficiency and throughput, and it has also had the side benefit of eliminating the drudgery and hazards of hand ‘feeding. Coil handling and strip feeding machines elimi- nate the need to lift and handle heavy bars and bundles of steel, as well as breaks the physical contact between humans and the stamping press, and therefore, can legit- imately be considered a safety device. it has also simpli~ fied die design by eliminating the need for positive stops In the die. There is a wide variety of coil feed- ing methods in use ‘today. The type of equipment that is chosen will deter- ine how much valu- able floor space will be required to house it and to a certain extent, will determine how versatile and productive a stamping system will be. There are many important considerations in selecting a system that will best suit the requirements of any application. ‘Some of those considerations include purchase price, operating ‘costs, coll weight, range of material width and thickness, feed length and speed requirements, material finish, floor space available and compatibility of controls, to name just a few. The fol- lowing pages will attempt to shed some light on these and other important considerations. it must be noted that there is an infinite variety of equipment and ways in hich it can be configured, with many customized sys- tems that are designed to meet a specific application, This volume covers the most commonly used methods. Coil Weight One of the primary decisions that must be made when selecting a coil feed system is choosing the correct coil weight capacity. The run time between coil changes fac- tored with the amount of time it takes for a coil change Pa att fete will help you to determine the optimum coil weight for your operation. Of course, the maximum coil weight selected should be within the capacity of the existing ‘cranes or lift trucks to avoid having to upgrade these as ‘well. Generally speaking, by maximizing coil weights, lost production time due to coil changes can be minimized, But in some cases the additional cost of equipment to handle larger coils isn't justified by the corresponding increase in efficiency. Although width is a major factor in determining coil ‘weight, some other generalizations can be made con- cerning how quickly a coil will be depleted. Material thickness is another important consideration. For a given coil size the thinner the material the more linear feet it contains - resulting in longer run times. In general, if you run thin material, short progressions, or slow speeds the run time between coil changes will be longer, in which case smaller coil weights make sense. Equipment for handling smaller coils will cost less and the coils: be a lot easier to handle. On the other hand, if you use thick material, run ong progressions, or high speeds, the coils will be consumed at a ‘much faster rate. Larger coil weights and the proper , equipment to change coils and thread quickly will be advantageous in this case. ve) 5 Therm time between calls must be consid- ered in combination wth the amount of time i wil take to load and thread @ new call. Typically, ign gauge, low strength imatrial is more pliable and fas les stored energy in the col This means that threading is easier, fester and requires less equipment than wil be the case with heavy {gauge so the effect of larger cols on overall ficiency i not 25 great even if col changes must be made more frequently. Unless the equipment is propery outed, you can assume thet the ticker the gauge or the higher the strength, the longer twill take to thread a new coll ane the more hazardous i will be nts case, larger coll \woigt capacity and the options require to safely and icky thread thick material vl cost much more intaly Dut can be justia by the increased productivity and safely Let's look at a couple of examples. f an application calls for 250" thick by 24" wide steel with a 36" feed length running at 30 strokes per minute, a 10,000 Ib. coil with a 20" LD. will yield about 163 parts and the run time wsCOE PRESS EQUIPMENT CORPORATION between coil changes will only be about § 1/2 minutes. If it takes 10 minutes to load and thread a new coil then the net yield will be roughly 630 parts per hour if we ignore time for breaks, set up, maintenance and repairs. If the coil weight is doubled to 20,000 Ibs., a coil will yield ‘about 327 parts. The run time between coil changes ‘would increase to nearly 11 minutes and the net yield will increase by 48% to about 935 parts per hour. In this case the additional cost of equipment to run the bigger coils ‘would be easily justified by the increased productivity. In another application using 032" thick material at 24" ‘wide with a 20" feed length running at 30 SPM a 10,000 I coil would yield 2800 parts and run for roughly 77 minutes between coil changes. Assuming a time of 5 ‘minutes for coil change, the net yield would be about 1690 parts per hour. Ifthe coil weight is increased to 20,000 Ibs. a coil will yield about 4600 parts and the run time will be 153 minutes. Including the coil change time the gain would only be about 3% to 1740 parts per hour and it will be difficult to justify the increased cost of ‘equipment to handle the larger coils. Infact in this case you might want to look at even smaller coils because the Cost savings for lighter equipment may more than offset any loss inefficiency. Unwinding the Coil ‘The three basic methods for unwinding coils most com- monly used are coil cradles, centering reels and pallet decoilers. The coll cradle, which is sometimes referred to 28 a coil box, holds the coil by its outside diameter cradling it on powered rollers called nest rolls. The sec- ‘ond basic type of unwinder is the centering reel which holds the coil by its inside diameter over a mandrel with ‘an expanding arbor assembly. The third type which are known as pallet decoilers or pan reels are used primarily in narrow strip applications. The coils are laid on their side and stacked on a pallet which is then placed on a motorized turntable for unwinding. All three styles are available in a wide variety of configurations and have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Regardless of the method chosen to unwind the coil, the performance requirements of the application must be satisfied in terms of payoff speed and acceleration/decel- eration time, The uncoiler drive will have to be sized to provide the power required to overcome friction, acceler- ate the inertia of the coil and any other rotating compo- ent to line speed prior to exhausting the stored material in the loop, overcome a drag tensioning brake if supplied, and run at the required production speed. The horsepow- er required is directly proportional to the torque and: ‘speed requirements. For a given application if the payoff ‘speed requirement is doubled then the horsepower requirement will be doubled as well. Always use the ‘worst case in terms of material thickness, width, coll size, and payoff speed to determine the drive size requirement for any application. Until recently most unwinders were supplied with an AC motor, direct coupled, or with an air clutch, running at a fixed payoff speed, or possibly with a mechanical variable speed mechanism that was manually adjusted. Loop con- trol consisted of a switching device (either mechanical or photoelectric) to tum the drive on and off without varying the payoff speed. Because the payoff speed wasn't gen- erally matched to the actual production speed it meant that the system was continuously experiencing the shock of starting and stopping which takes its toll in terms of, wear and tear and increased energy costs. Today, the ‘majority of payoff equipment is supplied with an electron- ic variable speed drive, either DC, AC inverter or AC vec- tor, which is controlled by a loop sensor that automatical- ly varies the payoff speed to match that of consumption, This results in a smoother, more controlled payoff and eliminates material marking that can occur when starting and stopping the rollers on the strip. In addition, eliminat- ing constant starts and stops yields longer component life and reduced energy costs. Coil cradles are primarily used for medium to heavy gauge applications when material marking is not a con- sideration. With a cradle the coil is contained within a box or framework which provides some degree of protection for the operator against material clockspring. The outer wrap is contained between the weight of the coil and the nest rolls as itis unwound. This is an advantage in pre- venting clockspring, and in controlling the coil for thread- ing with heavy gauge or high strength material. But it can also be a problem with thin or cosmetically sensitive material as it tends to be marked or distorted as the outer wrap is squeezed between the weight of the coil and the nest rollers. It depends somewhat on the coil weight and width but normally running material less than .08” thick is ‘not recommended in cradles. Another disadvantage of the cradle style unwinder is that isn't very good for rewinding and re-banding partially run coils. After running for a period of time in a cradle the coil tends to clockspring internally and the wraps become loose, making it impossible to re-band it into @ nice tight coil, That is coupled with the fact that the banding material cannot be passed between the nest rolls and the coll which means that the outside of the coil can't be re-banded until its lifted off of the nest rollsCOE PRESS EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Soe X TO Coa acoso FIGURE T Coil cradles come in three basic configurations as shown in Figure 1. The first is what is known as a combination cradle/straightener or “combo” style which unwinds the Cool off of the top and pays off thraugh a powered straightener into a horizontal loop. The combination style requires the greatest amount of floor space due to the horizontal loop, but because it offers unobstructed load- ing from the rear it lends itself well to quick coil changes with the addition of a spare coil load ramp. The second type of coll cradle is called the inline style. It unwinds the coil off ofthe bottom into a vertical or over- head loop and is considered a space saving design because the loop rea doesn't consume substantial floor space, although it can require substantial vertical height. This style sometimes incorporates powered straightener but s also available with only a pair of pinch rolls to assist in peeling the material off of the col. Basic models for small coits pay off directly from the nest rollers with- ‘out the aid of pinch rols ora straightener. The inline design facilitates threading of heavy gauge material because the leading edge of the coil is close to the nest rolls as it enters the pinch rolls, ince access to the nest rolls is usually blocked both front and back the use of a loading ramp for quick coil change is not an option with this style. The coil must be loaded from the top with an overhead crane ora lift truck and straps. ‘The third type of cradle is known as 2 cradle/feeder/straightener. It unwinds, straightens and feeds directly into the press without the need for a slack loop, making it 2 very compact, self contained, complete coil feeding system. Normally powered by one or more Closed loop servo drives, it usually pays off of the bottom Of the coil and provides the same threading advantages as the inline style, but allows the use of a loading ramp {or quick coil changes. Because this style requires that the coil be started and stopped in unison with the feed ‘motion, it requires a great deal more horsepower than other cradles which feed into a slack loop where unwind- ing is somewhat continuous. This is because the high ‘mass of the coil must be accelerated and decelerated on teach feed progression as opposed to running continu- ously into a siack loop as with the other styles, Due to the vastly increased load they are normally limited to slower speed applications and are often quite expensive due to the additional cost of high horsepower servo drives. In addition, the feeder/straightener concept isn't generally recommended for use with long progressive dies because it doesn't allow an effective pilot release unless the entire straightener bank is piloted. FIGURE 2 ‘The second basic style of unwinder is known as a center- ing reel or horizontal reel shown in Figure 2. The coil is held by its inside diameter over an expanding arbor assembly which grips the coi’ inside diameter. The coil reel is not only the most common method of unwinding but its also the most versatile as wel. Reels are ideal for light to medium gauge material or for non-marking appli- cations because there is no contact with the outer wraps of the material as itis unwound, but they can also be used for heavy gauge or high strength materials if outfit- ted with the necessary equipment to safely contain coil ‘lockspring and aid in threading such material Coil reets come in both powered and non powered ver- ns, Powered payoff reels are motorized with a loop control for payoff into a slack loop and are generally used in applications that don’t require straightening. They can also be used in conjunction with a pull through straight- ener powered by a feeder at the press. Because the pay- off speed varies as the coil diameter changes the maxi- mum RPM requirement for the reel must be based on the rate of production calculated at the minimum coil diame- ter. As the call diameter decreases the speed of the reel ‘must inorease to maintain a constant payoff rate. This ‘means that the strip will tend to hang higher in the loop as the coil diameter gets smaller. The drive must be sized to allow payoff at line speed, at the minimum coll diame ter, and must also provide enough torque to accelerate the inertia ofa full coll to line speed before the material stored in the loop is depleted.COE PRESS EQUIPMENT CORPORATION et Non-powered reels, also known as “pull off reels usually have only a small fixed speed threading drive, or in some cases, may have no drive at all when used for small coils, or light gauge material. Pull off reels rely on a power straightener or a set of pinch rolls to pull the material off of the coil during automatic operation. The ree! normally has a drag tensioning device of some sort to maintain back tension on the material and prevent slack from developing between the coil and pull off device during deceleration and stopping. If slack is allowed to develop it will result in marking and distortion of the material when, upon acceleration, that stack is taken up with @ sudden Jerk and the pull off rolls slip on the material In most applications a simple air or electric brake will suf- fice for this purpose provided itis able to dissipate the heat generated by the braking action and that the response and tension control is adequate. Air or water ‘cooling can be used to increase the thermal capacity of the brake and controls can be added to vary brake ten- sion upon acceleration and deceleration. Although quite expensive, in high speed applications where quick response and the ability to dissipate large amounts of heat are required a properly sized DC motor with blower cooling, speed feedback and special controls can be used to provide the braking action. Regardless of the type of braking used, the drag force must be considered when calculating the horsepower required for pull off. Reels come in many different configurations, the most common of which is the single mandrel, cantilevered style, These are gonerally available in capacities from 500 Ibs. up to 60,000 Ibs. and in widths up to 78°. The weight and width limitation is due to the amount of weight that can be safely overhung on a single mandrel with that ‘mandrel still able to fit into the inside diameter of a stan- dard col ‘The most common range of coil inside diameters is from 16 to 24 inches. As the coil weight or material width Increases the support bearings and mandrel diameter ‘must be increased accordingly. At some point the size requirement becomes impractical for standard coils. Special materials and heat treating can be used to mit mize the mandrel diameter but these measures will add substantially to the cost. ‘The single mandrel cantilevered style reel is available in both stationary and traveling models, Whatever the ‘method of unwinding, whether it be a cradle or a reel, the coil must always be centered to the press for proper ‘operation. Misalignment of the coil causes binding throughout the feed line resulting in misfeeds and higher power consumption. The wider the material is, the more critical centering becomes. Wide stock doesn't like to bend sideways which is what will be required ifthe coil is ‘not properly centered. For this reason when using a sta~ tionary horizontal reel iis important that the coil be pre~ cisely centered on the mandrel pads when itis loaded because it cannot easily be readjusted once it has been threaded. Itis highly recommended that scales be provid- ed on the mandrel pads for this purpose. traveling reel on the other hand allows the coil to be quickly repositioned in the event misalignment is detect- ed. With a traveling reel the coil is always loaded against the back plate with the movable reel then being adjusted to center the coll to the press. If further readjustment for centering is required after threading it can be done easily by moving the reel again to center the coil. The ability to travel will add substantially to the price of the reel, ‘Another variation on the coll reel concept is known as a “double ended” version which features two mandrels fac- ing in opposite directions with a rotating head. This style is ideal for quick coil changes. The empty mandrel can be re-loaded with a fresh coil while the other is running When a coil change is required the head is rotated bring- ing the new coil quickly into position for threading which eliminates lost time in placing and centering ooil on the mandrel while the line sits idle. With the addition of dual hold down arms the double ended reel is also ideal for running partial coils. A hold down arm is lowered onto the partially run coil to contain it, and itis indexed out of the way bringing the new coil into position so that it can be threaded immediately. The partial coil can then be re- banded and removed at your leisure while the new coil is running, thus eliminating down time. Double ended reels ‘re not generally available in traveling models for obvious reasons and are quite @ bit more expensive than single ‘ended units, Dual cone or double stub arbor versions are yet another ‘option that is generally used only for very wide cols, or heavy coils with small inside diameters which require sup- port at both ends to prevent excessive mandrel deflection. With the double stub arbor style a mandrel is inserted into both ends of the coil for support with both assemblies having the ability to travel. This variety is normally quite ‘expensive because in effect you are buying two complete traveling ree! assemblies with stubby mandrels. The third basic type of unwinder is known as the pallet decoiler or pan reel. This style is normally used only with narrow, light gauge materials. As the name suggests, with this method coils are laid on their sides and stacked on a pallet which is then placed on a motorized turntable for unwinding. The top coil is run first and when itis complete the next coil in the stack can be immediately threaded without the need to actually load ¢ coll.Cas Coils are run sequentially from top to bottom until all coils are depleted at which time a new pallet is loaded. The range of width and thickness is limited due to the fact that the strip must make the transition from vertical to horizontal as itis unwound. This reorientation requires much less space with narrow, ight gauge material than it ‘would with wide or heavy gauge material which explains the strip size limitations inherent with this type of unwinder. Some of the advantages of this style include its efficiency in terms of run time between reloading, minimal floor space requirement and a faitly low acquisition price. Because of the gauge range limitation the loop area is generally quite small and is normally contained above or around the coil. Since straightening cannot be done as a part of the unwinding process, pallet decoilers are often Used in applications where straightening is not required, or in conjunction with a free standing powered straight- ener, or 2 pull through straightener at the feed. Straightening ‘The purpose of straightening is to prepare the material after unwinding to allow it to pass freely through the die and produce an acceptable part. The requirements vary depending on the material defects present, the design of the die and the finished part requirements. Straightening is accomplished by bending the strip around sets of rollers to alternately stretch and compress the upper and lower surfaces, exceeding its yield point so that both sur- faces end up the same length after spring back which results in flat material Straightening machines today fall into two basic cate- gories, the most common of which are known as “straighteners” or “flatteners”. This arrangement is gener- ally available in models with between 5 and 11 work rolls. The roll diameters and center distances vary depending ‘on material thickness and width but straighteners and flatteners are generally distinguished by fairly large diam- eter, widely spaced rollers, usually not backed up. This kind of straightening machine is only capable of removing coil set from the material, thus allowing it to pass unre- stricted through the die which satisfies most applications. The second classification of straightening device is known as a “precision leveler’. Precision levelers are dis- tinguished by small diameter closely spaced rollers with backups and the ability to flex those rollers. They normally have @ far greater number of work rollers than do con~ ventional straighteners. Since they work the material ‘much harder and their rollers can be flexed, precision levelers can be used to remove not only coil set but cam- ber, wavy edges, center buckles, as well as trapped stresses within the material so that it will stay flat after processing through a die. Levelers are always powered and require larger horse- power drives than straighteners due to the greater ‘amount of work being done to the material. This is as ‘opposed to straighteners which can be either powered or nnon-powered. Non-powered straighteners are known as ull through” straighteners. As the name suggests, the feed provides the power to pull the strip through the of streightener. The advantages of this style is low cost and the fact that straightening is done after the loop, allowing the loop length to be condensed without the worry that set will be re-induced in the material, which can be a problem if straightening is done prior to the loop. With pull through straighteners the horsepower to straighten must be drawn from the feeder. This can either reduce its speed capability or greatly increase its cost. Additional disadvantages to pull trough straighteners include marking due to the non-powered straightening rolls slip- ping on the material upon starting and stopping and inaccuragy as @ result of feed slippage because of the additional load Power straighteners or levelers on the other hand can be Configured as part ofthe unwinder as in the case of coil Gradles, or fr "pul off" operation with coil reels. They can also be free standing with a second slack loop between the straightener and unwinder as with pallet decoilers or in cases where delicate material would be damaged by puling of of a large coil. In most cases, Powered models are generally followed by a slack loop Which allows continuous operation without starting and stopping. This reduces the power requirements relative to combination feeder/straighteners which straighten mater- ial as itis fed and are required to start and stop with each feed progression demanding far more power than with continuous payoft ‘An understanding of the basic principles of straightening is necessary to obtain effective and consistent results in the set-up and production ofa straightening machine. A solid understanding ofthese guidelines is also helpful for the intial specication of your straightening equipment. Knowing the fundamental capability and capacity of your cai processing equipment will position you to raise pro- duction efficiencies and improve product quality In simple theory three staggered rollers should be suffi- cient to straighten most materials. This basic approach ccan be applied to an application if the amount af coil set present in the material remains constant throughout the ‘oil. Depending on the material composition, thickness, and yield strength the amount of coil set in the material ccan dramatically increase as the coil is depleted. In mostPE at ‘cases coil set is induced in the material during a previous process such as slitting, edge conditioning, of finishing. ‘The outer wraps of the coil are placed under the tension and compression required to bend the material around the outside diameter of the coll. This diameter is typically 54" - 72", The inner wraps of the coil are placed under the tension and compression required to bend the mater- ial around the inside diameter of the coil. This diameter is typically 16" - 24". ‘The potential wide range between the inside and outside diameters of a coil can result in a dramatic change in the amount of coil set in the material. With only three stag- gered rollers, the operator would have to constantly adjust the machine to obtain an acceptable level of flat- ress. Power straighteners are built with multiple work rolls, to effectively address the issue of varying coll set. As more. work rolls are employed in a straightener, the range of coil set that can be effectively removed becomes greater. ‘Another basic principle of straightening is that thicker materials require relatively larger diameter rollers. The center distance spacing ofthese rollers can be relatively larger and still do an effective job of back bending the material. Thicker materials will typically require fewer straightener rollers. As the material thickness specifica tion increases, the roller diameters and support journal diameters must increase. The work rolls must be capable of withstanding the forces required to back bend the material without excessive deflection across their width. ‘Thinner materials will require relatively smaller diameter rollers. The center distance spacing of these rollers will have to be relatively shorter to effectively stretch and compress the material. Thinner materials will typically require a greater number of rollers to effectively remove the varying amount of coil set present in the material, Consideration must stil be given to the support journal diameters of the work rolls on light gauge applications. ‘As the material and machine widths increase, the tenden- cy for the smaller diameter rollers to flex and deflect will also increase. Today's metalstamper faces the dual challenge of high flexibility with his coll processing and stamping opera tions, coupled with continuously increasing targets for ‘output yields and efficiencies. The vast majority of com- panies are not afforded the luxury of building their capital ‘equipment to meet the needs of a dedicated and long term product line. The modern metalstamper must build capacity and flexibility into his coll processing and stamp- ing machinery to meet the long term challenges present- ed by changing product lines, changing customers, and ‘often changing markets. This overlying challenge is a substantial obstacle in the path of proper straightener specification. Some fundamental decisions must be made early in the game related to the level of flexibility of the straightener and the breadth of the epplication demands that it must meet. For most metalstampers there is an acceptable range of these capabilities within the sten- dard product line of a machine manufacturer. Working within this range will position the buyer to be most cost effective in his capital equipment procurement. straightener that is designed with seven work rolls that are 40" diameter and located on 70" centers will effec- tively straighten 250" thick MCRS, given that the ‘machine has been adequately powered and geared. The same machine will have minimal effect on .050" thick MCRS. Likewise, a straightener that is designed with seven work rolls that are 3.0" diameter and located in 5.0" centers will effectively straighten the .050" thick MCRS, but is unlikely to have the horsepower and roll strength to process the .250" thick MCRS. If an application calls for this type of variation in materials, a fundamental decision must be made in regards to the cost effectiveness of building a special machine to meet the full spectrum of needs, versus building a standard machine that will pro- je optimum straightening at either the light gauge end or the heavy gauge end, ‘When determining the level of flexibility and range of materials that a straightener will process, the maximum width of the material end machine must be considered in parallel with the range of material thickness, As the width of a given model of straightener increases, the ability of that machine to process @ material with a defined thick ness and width is compromised. The tendency of work rolls and end journals to deflect becomes greater as the machine width increases. A 12" wide straightener with work rolls that are 3.0" diameter and located on 5.0" cen- ters will effectively process 6” wide and .187" thick MCRS. The same straightener configuration built at 36" \wide will not effectively process this material due to the potential roll deflection. Excessive roll deflection results in ‘a loss of contact surface area, decreased straightening efficiency, slippage of the material through the straight- ener, and in the worst case, broken work rolls. \When an application dictates thet» streightener must Work effectively across a wide range of material thickness and widths, the machine builder will specify "back-up" rollers fr the work rolls. Depending on the maximum ‘Width ofthe material and machine, the back-up rollers may be positioned in one, two, of thee places across the with of the work rll. The back-up roller assembly usual- Iy consists of precision cam folowers mounted on a heavy duty weldment and supported on a precision adjustment mechanism like a jack or screw. The proper placement of back-ups minimizes the stress and potential deflection of the work rol.Ca Accommon mistake in the specification of straighteners is to request a machine that is capable of processing wide coil material without giving consideration to the effect that nerrower material will have on the machine. A ‘machine rated to straighten 48" wide x .125" thick MCRS may have difficulty processing 12" wide x 187" thick MCRS. The cross section and strength of the 12" wide material is substantially less than the 48” wide material, but the straightener rollers will most likely experience a ‘greater amount of deflection when running the narrower material. The forces and stresses are now concentrated at the center of the rollers. This area is furthest from the ‘end journals and bearings that support the rollers Placement of a single row of back-up rollers will give this machine the capacity to efficiently straighten the narrow- er material. ‘The horsepower required to drive a straightener is often a misunderstood part of the straightening equation. Obviously the maximum material thickness and width of ‘material are fundamental in determining the horsepower requirement. There are many other factors, some of them rot as obvious, The maximum yield strength of the mate- rials must be defined. Most straighteners are rated by their capacity to process mild steel, less than 50,000 PSI Yield strength. Materials with higher yield strengths will have a greater tendency to keep their coil set, and there- fore will demand greater horsepower to straighten to an acceptable level of flatness. The combination of work roll diameter and center distance spacing can drastically effect the horsepower demands. If two straighteners both have 3.0" diameter work rolls, with the first machine hav- ing 5.0" center distance spacing, and the second machine having 6.0" center spacing, the frst machine will require more horsepower to process material with the same thickness end width Ina pull-off application the coil size and weight are eriti- cal variables in the horsepower determination. The maxi- ‘mum coil weight must be defined since the straightener motor must provide the torque and horsepower to accel- erate this mass to line speed. The minimum and maxi- mum coil outside diameter must also be defined. Though, a coil has its greatest mass when at maximum outside diameter, this is not always the worst case condition related to horsepower demands. As the coil is depleted the straightener loses the mechanical fulcrum provided by the greater outside diameter. Its ability to overcome the drag brake tension placed on the reel decreases as the coil is depleted. The process requirements for throughput in feet per minute (FPM) are necessary to accurately calculate the horsepower requirements for the straightener. Ths is obtained by multiplying the maximum speed of the press by the maximum progression length. For exemple, if the maximum speed of the press is 40 SPM, and the maxi- mum progression length is defined as 18” (1.5 feed), the ‘throughput for the application is 60 FPM. Care should be taken to not be short sighted when determining this vari- able, Most often, the throughput parameter is established based on past or current production limitations, rather ‘than on the potential of the equipment and tooling in the manufacturing process. With such a wide potential variation in material types, thickness, and widths, no single straightener will effec tively meet the demands of every application. There is no such thing as a “universal” straightener. A legitimate ‘question at this point would be, how does the machine builder address the potential variations in application demands? At the equipment specification process, care~ ful consideration must given to all variables associated with the straightening process. The variables related to the material include the ranges for thickness, width, yield strength, and surface finish. In a “pull off” operation the variables related to the coil must be defined. These include inside diameter, outside diameter, coil width, and ‘maximum coil weight. For all straightener applications the maximum line speed must be defined. Attention to detail in defining all of the variables for a given application wil give the machine supplier a solid understanding of the process requirements, and assure that the correct, machine is selected for the job. Once a machine is property specified and built for an application. Effective results are contingent on correct ‘and consistent set-up. The combinations for pinch roll pressures, drag brake strength, and work roll depth set- tings will determine the level of effectiveness for the straightening operation. Pinch roll pressures are typicelly established by an air pressure regulator and gauge com- bination. All straighteners have a set of entrance side pinch rolls as the primary means of gripping and pulling the material. Some machine models are also provided with exit side pinch rolls to further improve the gripping and pulling capability of the machine. The amount of pinch roll force required for a specific material is based on the material width, thickness, and surface condition. Heavy gauge materials will generally require greater pinch roll forces. Thin materials will have a tendency to wrinkle under excessive pinch roll forces. Too much pinch roll force will not only damage the material, but itcan also result in pinch roll deflection. Any deflection of the pinch rolls results in a loss of effective contact surface ‘area on the material and promotes slippage. ‘The optimum amount of drag brake strength will vary with the coil weight and outside diameter. The purpose of the drag brake is to maintain adequate tension on thePa eo ia strip between the reel and the entrance pinch rolls of the tener, Here are some common set-up problems related to the drag brake. When the coil is at maximum OD. and there is not enough drag brake strength applied, the coil will exhibit a tendency to overspin and develop slack material between the reel and straightener. Eventually the reel will decelerate and lose RPM due to the loss of tension in the strip. As the straightener contin- tues to run the slack is consumed and the strip will be snapped tight. The material may be stretched or damaged when this occurs. Too much drag brake strength applied at any O.D. of the coil may cause material slippage through the straightener or apply excessive tension on the material. AS mentioned previously, as the col is depleted the straightener loses the mechanical advantage of the larger outside diameter and the drag brake strength should be decreased. There is often an acceptable range of drag brake strength that will maintain proper tension. ‘on the strip, and not cause material sippage or damage. Straighteners are provided with a method of calibration for the upper work roll depth setting. The amount of work. roll penetration required to back bend the material to an acceptable level of flatness depends on the combination ‘of material thickness, material type, roller diameter, and roller center distance spacing. Once the optimum depth setting is established for a specific material itis critical that the work rolls are consistently returned to this posi- tion each time the job is run. As standard, most straight- eners are provided with a simple calibrated scale and pointer combination to establish the roller position. When more accurate positioning is required, alternative meth- ods of positioning are utilized. These methods include mechanical indicators, dial height indicators, and LED. readouts. The upper work rolls of most straighteners are contained in precision guiding slide block assemblies. ‘The alternative methods for raising and lowering the rollers within the slide block assemblies include fine threaded screw and nut combinations, worm gear and sorew mechanisms, and precision screw jacks. Stock straighteners are typically equipped with an odd ‘number of work rolls. The extra work roll is in the lower “fixed” bank of rolls. Most coils are unwound by the ‘material being uncoiled from the top of the coil. The induced coil set naturally gives the material a downward bend. With proper set-up, this configuration of the work rolls allows a slight upward bend to be placed in the ‘material as it leaves the straightener. Such a curvature will help the material slide across the die surface with a lower amount of friction. ning ‘Al straighteners have a “zero” or “home” position for the ‘work roll depth setting. Ths is the point at which the upper work roll is tangent to the corresponding lower ‘work rol tis also referred to as the point at which there is zero daylight between the upper and lower rollers. ‘Simply put, if all the upper work rolls are placed in the “zero" position, you could run a line that is .000" thick through the straightener without bending that line. ‘The guidelines for establishing proper work roll depth settings tend to vary as much as the potential variations in material types, thickness, and width. For the purpose of these examples we will assume the use of a seven roll straightener with three adjustable upper work rolls. The recommended roll depth setting is also referred to as ‘amount of penetration relative to the nominal material thickness, For example, ifthe material is .125" thick, 10096 Penetration is at the zero position of the work roll, 50% Penetration is at 083" above the zero position of the work roll, and 0% penetration is at .125" above the zero Position. As a guideline, the first work roll should do the most straightening work, with each successive roll set to a declining amount of penetration. Regardless of the number of upper work rolls, you should be able to draw a straight line through the center of each upper work roll ‘when the machine is initially set-up. This guideline is demonstrated in Figure 8. PERCENT PENETRATION Roll No.1 Emin) oll No.2. Roll No.3 Middl) Ext) LINE DIRECTION. FIGURES Following are some recommended starting points for straightening MCRS. Some trial and error may be required to obtain an acceptable level of flatness for your ‘specific material. Once again, the variables of material type, thickness, and yield strength combined with the ‘work roll diameter and center distance spacing create a wide range of potential settings. wsCe | HEAVY GAUGE MATERIAL: PERCENT PENETRATION oll No.2 Roll No. 3 OO® OO® Material (.187' 50% Penetration ‘Middle Work Roll 25% Penetration (0% Penetration Entry Work Roll MEDIUM GAUGE MATERIAL: PERCENT PENETRATION 50% 250% oll No.2 Roll No.3 ——__- Entry Work Roll 75% Penetration Middle Work Roll 50% Penetration (25% Penetration LIGHT GAUGE MATERIAL: PERCENT PENETRATION raliNor2 Ral. SSSs Entry Work Rol! 200% Penetration Middle Work Roll 150% Penetration 100% Penetration will produce an acoeptable level of flatness. Excessive rol penetration will cause poor straightener efficiency, cause ‘material to slip across the straightener, and: place unnec- essary strain on the machine drive components. A quick visual check of the flatness can be done before the mate- tial is run into the loop area. Use the threading table or similar device to support the leading edge of the material as it exits the straightener. Fine tune the work roll settings to the minimum depth required to give the leading edge a slight upward bend. Document these settings for refer- ‘ence and correct set-up the next time the material is processed Slack Loops Itis generally safe to assume that a feeder can respond much more quickly than most unwinders can. That's because the unwinder is starting and stopping the coil which represents a much larger inertial load. In some cases the unwinder is also required to do the work of straightening the material as well. For it to have enough ower to respond as quickly as the feeder does, it would require a much larger drive and the ability to position, as is the case with a combination unwinder/feeder/straight- ener. This explains why most systems have a slack loop. ‘The purpose of the loop is to provide a reservoir of stack ‘material that the much quicker feed can draw from upon start up while the less responsive unwinder accelerates to line speed and in turn to absorb the material that is unwound while the unwinder decelerates at its slower rate when the line stops. It also allows the unwinder to run at a fairly constant speed during continuous opera- tion even though the rate of consumption is constantly changing due to the intermittent feed motion. FIGURE 4 Slack loops can take a variety of forms, the most common Cf which are shown in Figure 3. The overhead loop con- figuration is used to conserve floor space by storing ‘material vertically and above the unwinder. This method is generally used with either inline cradles, or with cen-PTT i tering reels in cases where the material is of heavier ‘gauge and would require considerable floor space if it weren't stored overhead. The material must also be stiff enough to resist buckling under its own weight as is pushed up and overhead, which can be a limiting factor in the amount of storage. ‘The paddle loop configuration stores material in the form of loose wraps around the coll and may be used in con- junction with a feeder/straightener combination, or with pull through straightener at the feeder or when straight- ening isn't required. This style requires the unwinder to be located as close as possible to the feed and that the ‘material be stiff enough to resist buckling or looping between them: Since storage is somewhat limited with a paddle loop it is generally used only when shorter feed lengths are the norm. Although it consumes the greatest amount floor space, the standard horizontal loop configuration is by far the ‘most common and versatile varity. To accommodate long feed lengths or aid in achieving higher line speeds, the addition of a pit can greatly increase the amount of mate- rial storage in a horizontal loop. To avoid inducing set in the material itis extremely important that the strip be supported in the correct radius entering and exiting the {oop if straightening is done prior to the loop. This is ‘accomplished by using a series of catenary support rollers, oF by using a chute arrangement with the correct ‘minimum radius for the thickest gauge material. ‘The loop storage requirement for any application is equal to the amount of material that is consumed by the feeder while the unwinder accelerates to line speed, minus the ‘amount of material that is unwound during that accelera~ tion period, For example, an operation requiring a 12 inch {eed progression running at 120 strokes per minute results in @ net line speed of 120 feet per minute or 24 inches per second. If the unwinder is capable of one foot per second squared acceleration then it will take 2 seo- ‘onds to accelerate to the 120 FPM line speed. During that, ‘acceleration period only 12 inches of material will be unwound while the feeder will use 48 Inches. The result is that 48 inches of material wil have been consumed but ‘only 12 inches will have been replenished leaving a deficit of 36 inches. I there isnt already more than 36 inches of material stored in the loop before starting, then the system can never reach line speed without first depleting all of the material in the loop. Of course there must be some additional buffer beyond the 36 inches required to overcome the deficit of material in order to avoid having the loop become completely tight before reaching line speed. This means that the total storage requirement should probably be at least 48 inches for smooth operation. If the loop contains less material stor- 10 ‘age than that, it wll necessitate that the press speed be reduced to allow the unwinder to keep up. ‘The amount of material in the ful loop, minus the straight line or tight length of the loop. The actual storage is determined by the depth of a loop, not by its length. In fact, the longer the length of a loop, the less material that is actualy stored in it for a given depth. The shortest loop length for a given depth yields the greatest amount of material storage. ‘The minimum permissible length of a horizontal loop is determined in part by whether straightening is done prior to the loop orif itis done after the loop. If straightening is performed after the loop, as in the case of a feeder/straightener combination, or a pull through straightener at the feeder, then the minimum loop length is determined by the minimum distance that the heaviest gauge of material will loop into without being forced. This will probably result in the material taking some additional set but it really doesn't matter because it will be straight- ened at the feeder anyway. On the other hand, if straightening is done before the loop, as is the case with power straighteners, the mi mum permissible length of the loop is determined by the maximum material thickness that will be run on the line factored with the depth of the loop. This is due to @ factor called the "minimum bend radius” or MBR for that mater- ial. MBR is the minimum radius that pre-straightened material can be bent into, not exceeding its yield point, so that it will return to a flat condition, after exiting the loop. If material is bent beyond its yield point into a radius smaller than its MBR then it will take set and won't return to a flat state when it exits the loop. This is true regardless of the loop configuration. With a horizontal loop the entry and exit cascade sections must be contig- tured for the MBR of the thickest material to prevent the ‘weight of the loop from bending the material around the exit straightening roll as it enters the loop or over the ower feed roller as it exits. ‘The MBR for a loop is determined by the composition and maximum thickness of material that will be run in the loop. The thicker or softer the material, the larger its MBR. ‘willbe. It will vary with the material composition, but a good rule of thumb is the MBR for mild steel will be ‘approximately 360 times its thickness. For example, with ‘V4 inch thick mild steel the MBR is 25 x 360, or 80 inch- es. If it is bent into a radius smaller than 90 inches it will retain some set after it exits the loop which means that it ‘may not easily slide through the die, or produce a good part. Given that the MBR for a material cannot be exceeded then the length of the loop will be determined by it Therefore, for a given loop depth, the greater theCa maximum material thickness, the longer the loop length must be. And in turn the greater the depth, the longer the length requirement. This is true until a depth of two times the MBR is reached. At this point the length of the loop will be equal to four times the MBR. Once this length and depth are reached any added depth results in optimum vertical storage with no further horizontal length being required. At this point every added inch of loop depth yields two additional inches of actual stored material Once the storage requirement has been calculated based on the maximum progression and strokes per minute fac- tored with the response time of the unwinder, use the loop storage chart in Figure 5 to determine the space requirement for a standard horizontal loop. The “Length” figure is the loop length requirement for that material thickness and loop depth. The “Stored figure indicates the amount of material that will be stored in a full loop. With overhead or paddle loop configurations itis some- What more difficult to determine the actual storage in the Joop. Consult the equipment manufacturer to make cer- tain that the storage available will be adequate for the system performance. a | W are the amount of time and skill required for job set up, the cost of energy to operate it, and how the feed inter- faces with the system as a whole. ‘The feed needs to be flexible enough in its set up adjust- ‘ment to accommodate the full range of applications that will evr be run on the line. It must allow adjustment to cover al set ups respective to feed length, material width ‘and gauge, feed and pilot release timing as well as die heights. Ifthe feed is for a dedicated system these vari- ables wil be fairly limited but, more often than not, it must address a wide range of applications. The second requirement, that the feed must deliver the material with sufficient precision inta the tool, means that it must not only move the desired amount of material into the tool, but it must place it precisely in the die in terms of front to back, side to side, and be square with the tool. Misalignment results in binding and short feeds due to slippage and strip buckling. Short feeding results in bad parts and broken dies. When they are new, nearly any feed, if properly installed and set up, is capable of dellv- ering a level of length accuracy that Is acceptable for most applications, They will TOOF DEF RON FRONT generally retain that accuracy | 7 a a 7 = Fz] if properly maintained, but IMCKNESS |e [coms [tem [oem [omen come [me [aoe [oom wee [comm [eee [eon eoe] the amount of maintenance com [ow | ee | se) or] ae | or | sm | wor] an | var | se | | sa | ie | and set up time required will vary dramatically from one oer [ox far | os | a | aw | or | ae ws 2s | | 25 | ww type of food to the next. vow | ce | zr |x| se | rox] ao |e] se | sar! ox | 102] v0" | 1 ee | Regardless of the food that is chosen, when installed it exo [ove | ar [rae | ae [raz] as: |x| ae | sar] sor | a0] sor | we] ee | must be positioned on center, square to the tool, and be ase [raz] an fms | om | rn] ov | ase] ax | sas] aa | or | ae | | se | rigidly mounted so that no movement can take place exer fos | ww fanz] ax | ver | ae |e | ae | sne"| aor | ans] ax | see] se | between the tool and the ‘eed, for it to be able to deliv- ane we fos | av [ses] aw | sow | ax | 202] ar | ane'| ax | ane] se | er material correctly without binding and mis-teeding. In eau | aw |e | me] we | 20x] ae | ava] ar | 2227] oe | ane] oo | 20 | | adaition to proper feed instal- lation, the tooling must be eae Jams | we arr] or | ae | ar |e] av | ane] ae | 200 ae | me | a | Siaced precisely on each set sre _|aaw | vz |aar| ww [ase] w | a | ax |ona'| ar | sou] ov | ux] ae | UP 28 well It's recommended that some sort of registration FIGURE 5 device, such as positive stops Press Feeds ‘on the bolster, be used to insure consistent placement of In the majority of cases, a press feed must meet three criteria to be successful. First, it must be flexible in terms, of set up. Second, it must deliver the material with suffi- cient precision into the tool, and third, it must feed at the correct time. In addition, there are many other important considerations that will ultimately determine just how effective the feed will be. Some of those considerations the tooling. Without good quality material, proper straightening, and precise alignment there will be prob- lems regardless of what feed is ultimately selected. The third requirement, that the feed deliver material at the proper time, means that it must be capable of keep ing Up with the speed of the operation. The time that @ feed actually has to deliver material isthe result of theCOE PRESS EQUIPMENT CORPORATION ‘amount of ime for one complete press or shear cycle, ‘minus the time that the tooling is engaged, minus the time required to detect a mis-feed and stop the press. This means that the longer the die engagement, or the faster the speed of operation, the less time there isto feed. 'No discussion of feeds would be complete without men- tioning plot release. Pilot release is the act of momentari- ly releasing the strip to allow it to be aligned by pilot pins in a progressive die. The pins in the die will correct for slight mis-feeds by pulling the material back into position. This feature is used primarily with progressive dies but it can be beneficial in applications that don’t use non-pro- ‘gressive dies as well. A small amount of misalignment or ‘camber can be tolerated by releasing the material at the bottom of the press stroke while itis held by the tool even if there are no pilot pins. This momentary release helps relieve built up stress and binding of the strip through the feed due to misalignment or camber and alleviates walking problems, ‘Timing is critical to a successful pilot release so itis best if it’s easily adjusted for each tool. Mechanically actuated pilot release insures synchronization with the press at ‘almost any speed but the adjustment procedure is some- what cumbersome. Air operated pilot release is easier to adjust if a programmable cam is available but it has @ limited speed capability - although some units are capa- ble of speeds as high as 400 SPM. Servo driven pilot release is available as an option from a few manufactur- ers. It has the advantage of being completely program- mable and is capable of very high speeds but is an rl od = creer reco LL POUL FEED FIGURE ‘There are two basic feed types, roll feeds and gripper feeds, as shown in Figure 6. The first category, the roll feed, can be either powered by the press, or it can be Powered by its own self contained drive system. Roll feeds that are driven by the press, such as rack and pin- jon or cam feeds, are always synchronized to the rotation of the press. It always begins its motion at some prede- termined point in the press cycle and finishes at another predetermined point regardless of press speed or die fea 2 engagement. Although the index speed must increase or decrease to keep pace with the press, the feed can drew ‘as much power as it needs from the press to accomplish this, within the limitations of the mechanical coupling to the press. This differs from a self powered unit, which begins its motion in response to a signal from the press, but which has a finite, minimum amount of time in which itis capable of indexing, which is based on the amount of power it can deliver, and the load that it sees. The result of this is that the point at which it finishes can therefore vary with the press speed, The faster the press runs, the later in the stroke a self powered unit wil finish 2s opposed to press driven units, which always start and finish at the same point in the stroke regardless of press speed. This synchronization feature makes press driven feeds ideal for high speed indexing, feeding “in die” transfers, or for use with unloaders and other applications that require feed mation to be tled to press rotation in order to avoid a collision, Due to the lack of adjustment in tim- ing, the feed motion for all dies cannot begin until a point in the stroke at which the deepest draw die disengages, Which limits the feed window to the worst case scenario. On the other hand, air and servo powered feeds operate independently of the press and can be adjusted to begin feeding as soon as the die opens. Inherent in their design, press driven feeds exhibit a very ‘smooth motion which is called an s-curve move profile, ‘as opposed to the trapezoidal move profile used by most other feeds. An s-curve motion profile means that the rate of acceleration varies throughout the index, resulting in the elimination of the sharp transitions in velocity ‘which can cause slippage with other feeds. Most self powered feeds go from a stationary condition directly into a fixed rate of acceleration, resulting in a sharp velocity transition called a “jerk” point. These jerk points acour at the beginning, middle, and end of each move. Press dri~ ven feeds, on the other hand, make gradual transitions in velocity, with high acceleration and deceleration in the interim. This results in the elimination of these jerk points, while retaining the ability to make very high speed index- ‘es with good accuracy. Drawbacks to most press driven feeds lie in their difficul- ty of adjustment, feed length limitations, lack of inching capability, and absence of controls interface. Most require that gear sets, rollers, or mechanical linkages be changed to adjust feed length. They are also somewhat limited in their range of feed length adjustment. Since they are directly coupled to the press rotation, they lack the ability to jog the strip for threading. Additionally, because of the lack of electrical controls, mechanical feeds cannot accept set up information from or provide feedback to press control, or automation systems. BeaCOE PRESS EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Servo driven roll feeds have been used in press feeding for a number of years now. The intial apprehension with this developing technology is disappearing as the tech- nology matures. Nearly every manufacturer of press feed- ing equipment now has an offering in this area. The con- cept involves the use of a closed loop positioning drive, usually a servo (but sometimes a stepper) to control the index position of the feed rolls, Servo driven roll feeds share many of the advantages with the press driven variety, such as minimal space requirement, low maintenance, and high speeds. However, servo feeds also provide benefits that press dri- ven units cannot. The fact that they utilize a microproces- ssor based control gives them an added dimension, Features such as programmable move patterns, self diag- nostics, auto correction, and the ability to communicate ‘with automation - just to name a few - set them apart from other types of feeds. Servo drives have been used for positioning applications in manufacturing for a couple of decades. The technology thas matured to the point that these drives are more reli- able and less expensive than they were in the past. The number of domestic and foreign manufacturers has increased dramatically in the past few years. The increased reliability, modularity, and self-diagnostic fea~ tures of servo systems has done a lot to ease the fears that existed earlier, although even now it may still require 2 considerable degree of technical expertise to isolate some problems. Servo driven roll feeds also differ from press driven units in that they are available in a wide variety of configura- tions including conventional two and four rolls units, feeder/straighteners, unwinder/feeder/straighteners, and zig-zag units. Feed control packages range in sophistica- tion from simple to use, single setup controls with thumb- ‘wheels or keypads, to systems that allow programming elaborate multiaxis move pattems, control of auxiliary funetions and devices, as well as offering varying levels of ‘memory and communications capability. ‘Most servo feeds manufactured today utliz a trapezoidal move profile wit its four distinct jerk points that can cause slippage but some are also available with controls that can execute s-curve move profiles. Systems that are electronically synchronized to press rotation are available 28 wel. These units require @ special controls package and feedback device, either a resolver or encoder, that is attached to the press crank to track press rotation. Their top speeds are stil limited by the available drive power as opposed to press driven feeds which can run as fast as, the press and tooling are capable of os Gripper feeds employ a linear motion to move the strip as ‘opposed to the rotary action of roll feeds. They are avail- able in a wide variety of sizes from very simple, compact, low cost press mounted units to large cabinet mounted models which include pull through straighteners. Gripper {feeds utilize @ pair of clamps; one remaining stationary called the retainer, and the other moving in feed and. return strokes called the gripper. During the feed stroke the retainer releases the strip as the gripper clamps and ‘moves it forward through the top half of the press cycle while the tool is open. On the return stroke the gripper releases the strip and the retainer holds it while the grip per retracts away from the press through the bottom half Of the press cycle while the tool is closed. Since it usually takes about as much time for the return stroke as it does for the feed stroke, gripper feeds are limited to a 180 degree feed window at maximum operating speed. ‘The gripper and retainer clamps can be cylinders, air or hydraulic powered, or they can be one-way roller mecha- nisms that hold the strip in one direction but allow it to roll freely past in the opposite. With cylinder powered ‘clamps, the timing of the ctamp and release is critical to accurate feeding and can be a limiting factor in terms of speed. Ifthe timing is not correct the strip can be free at times to fall back resulting in short feeds. Clamping is actuated by solenoid valves or air logic valves. Timing can be controlled either electrically or through valve porting. ‘The pulling force for the gripper can be provided by an air or hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic motor, or by a servo motor. The gripper is usually supported by guide bars or rails and is driven by cylinder rods, chain and sprockets or ball screws. With air or hydraulic powered units the feed length is set by adjusting a positive stop. The gripper moves between the adjustable stop and a stationary stop, ‘and employs a cushion of some sort to soften the blow at the end of each stroke, Feed length adjustment may require the use of tools and often involves some trial and error which usually results in longer set up times. Servo powered gripper feeds utilize a closed loop servo drive coupled to a ball sorew and nut to position the grip- per, and do not use stops or cushions. Feed set up infor- mation is programmed into the control unit via an opera- tor interface, or can be serially downloaded from another device. The control unit then commands the servo drive to position the gripper accordingly. Servo driven units enjoy many of the advantages of electronic roll feeds in terms of programmability and the ability to interface with press automation systems.‘OE PRESS EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Gripper feeds are limited to a specific maximum feed length based on the model that is selected. The longest feed length requirement must be anticipated at the time of purchase. The disadvantage of this is that each addi- tional inerement of length costs more money, and the longer feed length capability dictates that the machine itself become longer and therefore requires more valu- able floor space. The tendency is to buy the shortest ‘machine that wil fil he need. If there is ever a need to run a feed length that is longer than the machine was designed for then it must perform multiple cycles on each press stroke commonly referred to as “multi- stroking’. This capability requires an optional and more ‘expensive controls package, and because of the time required for the return stroke, the press usuelly must be ‘operated in the single cycle mode when mult-stroking. Air powered grip feeds are generally inexpensive and are commonly used in conjunction with pull through straight- ners to provide a cost effective alternative to roll feeds with powered straighteners, for applications requiring low to moderate speeds and limited feed lengths. Their low purchase price will be offset in time by the higher set up ‘and maintenance costs and the high cost of energy to operate them. Compressed air is often an expensive ‘medium of energy with losses due to leaks, pressure drops and contamination. Because of the many moving parts and wear components, maintenance costs can be Quite high. These machines require timely maintenance to sustain good accuracy and performance. In conclusion, it's safe to say that there are 2s many ways to feed a press as there imaginations out there. There are many important considerations in the purchase, set up, ‘and operation of this equipment that will determine how productive it will be. If the system is to work at maximum efficiency, then each component of the system must com- plement the others. Discuss each application in depth ‘with potential customers so that you can bring the benefit ‘of your insight and experience to their advantage.