Leifeld Smart Control Supports the Metal-Spinning Machine Operator in Autopilot Mode

Among the benefits of the new Leifeld Smart Control for metal spinning: better control of the spinning roller thanks to a force sensor. As explained by Leifeld Metal Spinning’s technical director Benedikt Nillies, the new Smart Control consists of the spinning roller with a fork roller bracket, a force sensor and a tool-clamping unit. “The fork roller bracket with force sensor,” he says, “can be used instead of or alternated with standard spinning roller brackets for manual, operator-controlled spinning. Due to the automatic contacting, changeover between the force sensor and the standard spinning roller occurs automatically via a tool change during processing.”

Through the feedback of the axial and radial forces, the sensor improves the control of the spinning roller. Shear forming with a constant force is possible--in addition to the shape, wall-thickness profiles can be defined.

Among the control’s software modules is the Contour Recording Autopilot. With this feature, the spinning chuck contour is automatically probed with a minimal, controlled force by means of a force sensor. The collision monitoring in the background prevents damage from occurring. “This function greatly accelerates and simplifies part setup and enables the use of soft spinning chucks,” says Nillies.

In addition to the standard version of the Smart Control, the firm also offer a “plus” version that includes a Shear Forming Autopilot feature that automatically calculates the gap required for the products by means of the recorded contour. This includes the static gap for conical components and a dynamic gap for a spherical contour profile that changes at every spinning roller position.