Page 31 - MetalForming June 2012

from the shop run on a set of four hand-transfer hydraulic presses.
Uptime and Throughput Maxed Out
While the significant boost in press speed alone is a worthy goal for any shop, Utecht and his project team also sought to minimize changeover time and maximize press uptime. Here’s where clever conveying-system design came into play.
“We knew that the move from hydraulic to mechanical, and the resulting big jump in press speed, would generate a lot more scrap at a very high rate,” says Utecht. “With the slower hydraulic presses, we have to shut down the presses for 15 min. or so a few times every shift to change scrap bins out.”
Running at a maximum of 17 strokes/min. (and maybe half that rate with manual-transfer operations), scrap bins don’t fill up all that often at Miller Electric. But once its new mechanical press gets up and running, Utecht expects the bins to fill quickly. Stopping the press to empty scrap bins is not an option.
“Also, we’re installing the line where we have 10,000 lb. of crane capacity,” Utecht says, “more than double the 4000-lb. capacity available where our two progressive-die hydraulic presses currently operate. The added crane capacity will allow us to run much larg- er coils of steel and eliminate a lot of coil changes and associated press downtime. By also eliminating down- time to change scrap bins, we’ll signif- icantly optimize press uptime and throughput.”
Do Not Stop the Press
The scrap-handling solution devel- oped by TCR for Miller Electric’s new press will funnel scrap off the rear of the press (see the CAD-model screen cap- ture) through a trap door in the floor where a steel hinged-belt cleated con- veyor awaits. The conveyor, which sits in a 3-ft.-deep pit, will move scrap away from the press and then up and out of
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