Page 13 - MetalForming Magazine May 2022

Tech Update
Energy-Saving, Sustainable Hydraulic Technology Reduces Energy Consumption
The metal forming industry loses mil- lions of dollars in operational costs every year simply by missing a small step during the request-for-quote process: asking cap- ital-equipment suppliers how they can optimize efficiency and reduce costs. Case in point: hydraulic presses, where optimizing productivity, reducing costs and increasing return in investment can be found within value-added capabilities to promote sustainability and achieve the market demands of the green movement.
Recent emphasis on sustainability has press and automation-system provider Schuler promoting its EHF (efficient hydraulic forming) technology, introduced into its hydraulic-press offerings to enable as much as a 40-percent decrease in energy consumption, company officials say. The key to the technology: reduced oil compression that effectively reduces energy waste. With EHF technology, the hydraulic press’s main drives switch off when the press ram stops moving—whether planned or unplanned. The drives then switch back on once the forming process begins; the cycling occurs automatically without operator intervention.
EHF’s ability to reduce energy con- sumption and nonproductive time, say Schuler officials, can boost production volumes, meeting standards for cost- effectiveness and sustainability. The firm offers the technology on new presses and as a retrofit to existing presses.
Schuler: www.schulergroup.com
North American Tooling Industry Increases Utilization, Revenue in 2021
Harbour Results, Inc. (HRI), Southfield, MI, has released the results of its Q1 2022 Harbour IQ Manufacturing Pulse Study, indicating that the tooling industry rebounded in 2021 with companies on average seeing year-over-year revenue growth of 10 percent. Additionally, mold and die shops saw utilization range between 81 and 89 percent throughout 2021 and, although Q1 2022 has started out slightly slower, shops forecast utilization to reach 90 percent (mold) and 82 percent (die) by Q4 2022.
The study also finds that the higher cost of business and access to labor remain top concerns. And for the tooling industry, work-on-hold is trending up while payment terms and on-time payments of accounts have dropped after a brief improvement in 2021.
“Despite all of the chaos in the manufacturing marketplace, we feel positive about the opportunities for the tool and die industry in 2022,” says HRI president and CEO Laurie Harbour. “According to our automotive-tooling launch analysis, we predict the North American automotive-tooling spend to be $7 billion in 2022, up from $5.4 billion in 2021. This increase in vehicle launches will positively impact the industry.”
Last year, die and mold businesses saw significant efficiency improvements, the study also reveals, although average profitability only ticked up slightly from 2.9 percent in 2020 to 3.6 percent in 2021. This suggests that the efficiency improvements may be a result of the talent shortage, or the increased cost associated with outsourcing and overtime. Furthermore, the study indicates that shops expect to invest between 4 and 5 percent of revenue in capital expenditures in 2022.
“To continue improvement,” says Harbour, “it will be important for shops to focus on flexibility—collect data and intelligence and make informed decisions—to capitalize on opportunities while managing the challenges.”
New Wintriss PLS Boasts Five New Cam-Timing Options
Wintriss Controls Group has introduced the ProCamPac
Pro programmable limit switch (PLS) for use with its flagship
SmartPac Pro press automation controller. Building on
the proven functionality of the ProCamPac PLS, the new
“Pro” PLS features five additional cam-timing options that provide improved flexibility and functionality.
“Until now, PLSs have remained largely unchanged, so we are pleased to offer our customers powerful new features with the ProCamPac Pro,” says Jim Finnerty, Wintriss Controls Group product manager.
Among the new options is a toggle cam output that performs an asymmetrical toggle function, turning an output off or on for different stroke amounts. The output can be used to operate diverter gates and to control complex gagging operations.
A new on/off counter cam output precisely controls functions that need to operate at a preset interval instead of on every machine cycle. Operating similarly, a new pulsed counter cam output is programmed with an “on angle” and a dwell time instead of an on-off output.
Also new: a “channel always on” cam output that proves useful when running configurable tooling, which will turn on and stay on until a new tool is loaded. And, the ProCamPac Pro PLS also features a unique triggered cam output that actuates a precision one-time cam timing signal based on a preset trigger such as an external input from ancillary equipment, an extended period of machine idle time, or a job change. This output type is ideal for diverting parts during a warm-up period, for QC checks or when bad parts are identified by an outside measuring system.
Wintriss Controls Group: www.wintriss.com
10 MetalForming/May 2022
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