Page 16 - MetalForming-January-2019-issue

Servo Finds
at FABTECH
For some in our industry who’ve been around a while—at least for me—the big introduction of servo-press technology came at MET- ALFORM in Rosemont, IL, in March of 2003. At the show, I recall a couple of manufacturers offering glimpses of these new types of presses, which until then had been refined and in use over- seas. The innovative technology, and the high price tag of such units, com- pounded by industry downturns and the recession of 2008-2009, made met- alformers a bit apprehensive.
Today, you find servo presses from coast to coast, blanketing the North American landscape and providing impressive ROIs for automotive, appli- ance and other industry producers as well as their tier suppliers. And, press- line brethren such as feeds, transfers and more have adopted the now- maturing servo-drive technology.
So it should come as no surprise that FABTECH 2018, held last Novem- ber in Atlanta, GA, offered plenty on the servo front. Here’s a glimpse of what was on display, with much more coming online at www.metalforming- magazine.com and in our February FABTECH wrap-up issue.
Stamping presses, coil feeds and more benefit from servo-drive advantages, as MetalForming offers in this roundup of some of what was on display in Atlanta.
BY LOUIS A. KREN, SENIOR EDITOR
Servo Gap-Frame and Straightside Presses in Action
Aida-America showcased its servo-press technology via two machines, a gap-frame and a straightside model, with both direct-drive presses pow- ered and blanking parts on the show floor.
The 300-ton, two-point straightside servo press, model DSF-N2-3000, anchored a pro- gressive-die production line (pictured) blanking parts of near-fineblank quality. A DSF- C1-1100, 110-ton gap-frame servo press blanked high- strength low-alloy parts via Aida’s optimized, servo silent- blanking-stroke motion pro- file. In churning out parts, the presses highlighted versatility
14 MetalForming/January 2019
www.metalformingmagazine.com