Going Hydraulic for 10 Good Reasons

If you still use a mechanic press, you might be interested into re-evaluating production efficiencies of your pressworking operations. Technology is making hydraulic presses faster, low maintenance and reliable.

 

When not used properly, any machine can become a potential threat. However, since the ram movements are controlled by the press itself, hydraulic presses become easy to use it safely with dual-palm, anti-repeat and non-tie-down button controls. Adding safety devices such as interlocking of guards is simple, thanks to the nature of the control system.

 

You no longer need to worry about overloading or damaging the die or the press, as built-in overload protection is one of the hydraulic press features. Even if mistakes are made during setup, the press will only exert the tonnage it is set for. A relief valve opens when it reaches its set pressure to ensure overload dangers are ruled out.
 

This protects the tooling also. Since the pressure is adjusted to the job needs, there is less vibration or shock, and no impact, which ensures a longer tool life.

 

You do not need to get a more powerful machine than what the job requires. Since the full power can be applied equally at any point in the stroke, you do not have to own a 200-ton capacity hydraulic shop press to apply 100-ton of force throughout the stroke.

 

Because you no longer need to pinpoint maximum tonnage location because full power is delivered at any point in the stroke, you do not need to set the stroke itself. Thus, job changeovers can be done quickly.

 

Several features such as direction, speed, ram force, duration of pressure dwell and release of force can be adjusted for any job. Heaters, coolers, feeders and timers, as well as many other functions can be sequenced depending on the job requirements.

 

Hydraulic presses are easy to customize. Instead of getting new machines to perform required tasks for a client, it is cheaper to purchase extra capacities for their actual press. For example, extra stroke length can be provided relatively easily, or daylight, that can be added at low cost. This said, hydraulic-press manufacturers can also customize a large 200-ton press with a smaller bed area or a small-press with a big-bed area, as bed size is not reliant on press tonnage.

 

Speed and flexibility is greatly improved through electronic controls such as programmable logic controllers. Hydraulic presses are now widespread on high-volume production lines since they can perform various jobs within their tonnage range, and find their course in advanced computer-integrated manufacturing systems.
 

They can be used in many fields. For example, motor shafts are assembled to rotors, and laminations are compressed and cores are pressed into housings by manufacturers of electric motors, pins are coined by jewelers or tuba bells and cymbals are shaped in huge forming presses.

 

Thanks to their simple design and fewer moving parts, breakdowns are usually seldom and minor. This decreases maintenance cost. Another advantage is that the parts that need to be replaced during the routine maintenance  are inexpensive ones, such as solenoid coils or packing, or a valve once in a while, and do not require to disassemble the entire machine.

 

Noise levels can be controlled through each phase of ram movement: programming a hydraulic came to pass through the work at reduced speed makes it quieter. Mechanical presses also have more moving parts and a flywheel, which makes them noisier.

 

For example, a 20-ton unit will be around 4 ft. wide, 5 ft. deep and 8 ft. high while a 200-ton hydraulic press will be close to 7 ft. wide, 12 ft. deep and 7 ft. high. Pressroom floorspace is optimized if a machine of 10 times capacity takes up only 50 percent more room!

Contact us to find out how we can customize any hydraulic press according to your needs!