Germany-based
Huissel GmbH is the first
Schuler Group customer to invest in a newly developed MSP 800-ton press. Managing director Gerald Schug was particularly impressed by the innovative concept of the lines — they use two exclusively electronically synchronised drive trains in an opposite arrangement, each consisting of a highly dynamic servo motor, a brake module, and an eccentric shaft.
Mr Schug said: “The absence of gears makes the machine much more dynamic than previous servo presses."In conventional mechanical presses, a gearbox in the crown ensures the synchronization of the motors. In addition, the pressure points on the MSP series are further out than those on traditional presses, which increases the possible eccentric load. Part of the overall concept is also a very fine electronic parallelism monitoring system for the slide.
“The knuckle-joint drive in transverse shaft design plays to its strengths particularly in the lower working range," adds Schug. The constant forming speed shortly before the bottom dead center offers mechanical advantages, especially in embossing, bending and drawing.
"Huissel benefits from this, for example, when forming lids and shells for ventilation systems or an approximately 20mm flat sheet metal part made of aluminium for a major automotive manufacturer.”
Mr Schug is also impressed with the automation of the press, which Schuler also supplied, as well as a ‘Power Line’ type coil line in long design, the ‘Power Feed’ roll feed, and the ‘ProTrans’ modular electronic three-axis transfer with active vibration compensation. Triple oiling of the strip material ensures optimum forming conditions.
Huissel also invested in DigiSim simulation software for its own diemaking operations — the possible collision with the transfer can be detected while the die is still in the design phase.
No great prior knowledge is required to control the press, as operators can select from six already programmed slide movement curves which are matched to the desired product.
The “Smart Assist” option also guides the operator step-by-step through the set-up process for new dies, which in this case helps shorten Huissel’s production start-up.
In the unlikely event that a malfunction occurs, the electronic overload protection prevents worse: it immediately registers an excessive press force and changes the torque of the main drive in the opposite direction within a few milliseconds to minimise die damage.
Thanks to an energy storage unit, the connected load of the overall system is significantly reduced.