Smart manufacturing is an inevitable trend for enhancing productivity and managing production cost efficiency through advanced technology adoption. However, newly expanded equipment features usually add to the workload of front-line operators. To overcome this dilemma, machine intelligence and intuitive management have become hot topics for industry.
The new-generation machines require intelligence, precision, and friendly user interfaces to offer practicality for smart factories and business transformation. As a common type of machine used in factories, presses have become a focus for smart upgrades. During procurement, staff are particularly aware of three issues .
Four servo press advantages that solve three major traditional press issues that affect product quality
In regard to dynamics, there are currently hydraulic, barometric, and electric servo presses on the market. While the technologies of traditional hydraulic and barometric presses are mature, there are still the drawbacks of unstable quality, long cycle times, and lack of data tracking. It is difficult for traditional presses to accomplish precise pressure control, and it is easy to damage workpieces by relying on jigs. These machines do not feature alarms or emergency shutdown mechanisms to avoid defective production when anomalies occur, so maintaining product quality is difficult.
The long production time of traditional presses is due to the large amount of manual work needed. While machines change jigs frequently, the flexibility of the production lines is limited, and it is difficult to keep up with the small-volume large-variety production. In addition, traditional presses lack digitization and data tracking and rely highly on experienced workers. Without quantization and consistent standards, passing know-how to new staff members can be difficult, which results in technical gaps. While the downsides of traditional presses are clear, the ideal solution to overcome the issues is the servo press.
Electric-driven press gears up for smart manufacturing and IT/OT integration
The main advantage of servo presses compared with traditional presses is that the pressing force is transmitted from electricity. Electric-driven presses can control speed and force through back-end servo devices and integrate peripheral IT and OT technologies for smart manufacturing.
To help customers fulfill their visions, Delta has recently launched the Electric Servo Press Standard Type S Series and Unit Type E Series. The S Series is a comprehensive press product for direct adoption. While the E Series is an option for system integrators to build structures according to customer needs. Both series have built-in sensors to collect machine data, such as positions, pressures, speeds, and time required, and expend various digital functions based on data. For example, Delta’s Electric Servo Press features closed-loop force control where force data is directly transmitted to inverters for short circuits and fast response, and it reduces the delay time to 0.2 ms. The data is also updated to back-end systems where Delta provides PC software to record, store, track data, and automatically generate various reports. The onsite personnel can set the machines with specific parameters through the Manufacturing Executive System (MES) and access the data via text, graphics, and other visualization interfaces. Operators can reset the settings to default and switch to different production recipes by clicking one button. It solves the problems that occur due to traditional operations that are based on human experience, and maintains consistent and stable product quality.
The electric servo drive is energy-saving without pollution, and it solves the issues of traditional presses, including energy-consumption, oil leaks, and noise. In terms of integration capability, the Delta Electric Servo Press not only links with multiple mainstream Fieldbuses but connects to EtherNet with TCP/IP to help system integrators converge OT and IT systems with ease.
Quantizes machine data for smooth maintenance and management schedules
Quantitative data helps admins schedule maintenance based on operating conditions to avoid production impacts caused by sudden anomalies or shutdowns. When the pressure forces or angle deviations exceed the settings, the Delta Electric Servo Press will automatically shut down and send alarms to notify the admin without the continuous production of defects.
Delta helped an electrical parts manufacturer in northern Taiwan with its Electric Servo Press. The customer noticed that their production parameter settings were highly reliant on senior workers. Apart from unstable product quality, there was also a potential issue of technical gaps due to aging staff and labor shortages. To help the customer solve these challenges, Delta arranged numerous discussions and carefully reviewed its production lines. As a result, Delta assisted the customer in adopting its Electric Servo Press and meeting its current and long-term goals of increasing productivity, reducing the defect rate, and creating the flexibility to connect to management systems in the future.
Smart machines should not add to the workload of front-line staff
Besides smart functions, the other important feature of Delta Electric Servo Press is to simplify operations. While the smart machine trend is booming, an expanding number of functions is leading to complicated interfaces and operating processes. From Delta's point of view, creating an extra workload for front-line staff is not considered smart. By leveraging its extensive experience in industrial automation Delta simplified the operating modes. Operators can operate the interface more simply than ever with comprehensively enhanced functions.
The Delta Electric Servo Press features intelligent and friendly user interfaces suitable for pressing applications for gearing components, motor-driven machines, metal parts, and electrical parts. Manufacturers in these fields have all faced the pressure for smart upgrades. Considering every company has its own pace and needs for business transformation, Delta offers ideal solutions based on specific needs. For example, Delta can provide electric servo presses and peripheral software and hardware products with a highly comprehensive structure for companies willing to upgrade the whole factory. For companies that want to upgrade only machines, Delta Electric Servo Press can be their ideal first step and help them increase productivity with high precision, smart functions, and friendly interfaces. The highly compatible design of the Delta Electric Servo Press maintains expandable flexibility for the company and meets the optimizing and forward-looking requirements of resource arrangements to ensure a solid foundation for the company's business transformation.
The original article is posted on TechOrange, please refer to the link below: https://buzzorange.com/techorange/2022/05/16/deltaww-electric-servo-press/.