Comments Off on HyperCyl Case Study: Clinch Studs & Clinch Nuts
A major U.S. manufacturer of automotive components contacted HyperCyl® to increase quality & speed of their finished products and free up floor space for a new assembly line. The OEM was experiencing persistent assembly interruptions due to their hydraulic Clinch Nut & Clinch Stud operations inability to monitor & relay actual insertion forces & distances. To make room for a new product launch, removing the noisy pumps, balky accumulator tanks and high-heat motors used with antiquated hydraulics was essential.
HyperCyl® provided a clean, fast and data-centric solution removing all hydraulic units from the line and replacing with Hydra-Pneumatic cylinders operated by simple pneumatic valves. Each location now includes the IntelliCyl® integral LVDT and Load Cell options to monitor force/distance per cycle. The HyperCyl® solution actively measures the Stud & Nut insertion depth by establishing a series of “windows” around critical points of the operation. Namely the part stack-up (part contact) and final depth to go along with force is being monitoring throughout the process. IntelliCyl® provided
key measurements of the operation ultimately reducing in-process part non-conformance to near-zero. Instead of learning and managing dozens of different types of systems, plant personnel can now focus on making quality and productivity improvements on the assembly line.
We can also help you improve the quality of your product while reducing your costs and allowing your business to maintain the competitive edge. HyperCyl offers Hydra-Pneumatic and Servo Actuator solutions, applications engineering, testing, tech-support and the best warranty in the industry! To find out more how we can help meet your application needs, email [email protected].
Comments Off on HyperCyl Case Study: Removing Hydraulics from the Equation for Assembly
A major U.S manufacturer of braking and suspension components contacted HyperCyl® to increase quality of their finished products and free up floor space for a new assembly line. The OEM was experiencing persistent assembly interruptions due to their Hydraulic Dial Tables’ inability to monitor & relay actual insertion forces & distances. Additional floor space was also necessary to make room for a new product assembly line, so removing the noisy pumps, balky accumulator tanks, high-heat motors and leaking hydraulic lines associated with the antiquated hydraulics was essential.
HyperCyl® retrofitted the entire Dial Table, removing all hydraulic cylinders and replacing with Hydra- Pneumatic cylinders operated by simple pneumatic valves. Each dial location now includes the integral LVDT and Load Cell options demonstratively called IntelliCyl® along with the HyperView-Press® Signature Analysis Monitor. The HyperCyl® solution actively measures the stud & bearing insertion depth by establishing a series of “windows” around critical points of the operation, namely the part stack-up (part contact) and final depth. ONLY when critical stack up “window” was confirmed would high pressure then activate to finalize the part. This provided key measurement of the operation ultimately reducing in-process part non-conformance to near-zero.
Aries Engineering/HyperCyl® was able to accommodate this OEM’s needs and reduce overall operating costs by removing outdated hydraulics and free up floor space in the process. We can also help you improve the quality of your product while reducing your costs and allowing your business to maintain the competitive edge. HyperCyl offers Hydra-Pneumatic and Servo Actuator solutions, applications engineering, testing, tech-support and the best warranty in the industry! “Speed, Precision, Power”. MADE IN U.S.A.!
Find out how HyperCyl can help meet your application needs, email [email protected].
Comments Off on HyperCyl Spotlight: UTV Applications
Roll Cage Pierce/Form: Typical End-forming and tube Piercing of UTV Roll Cage requires an Approximate Force Range 5-40 Tons depending on the details. Piercing requires internal expanding mandrels to reach long distances inside the tube body. End-forming varies dramatically based on the needs of each application but involves forming the end of tubes to various GD&T for mounting, safety, and other items. Best used with IntelliCyl for force/distance monitoring to ensure Quality is maximized.
REAR TRACK ARM BUSHING INSERTION: From the basic to the complex, we have seen it all regarding bushing insertions. Simultaneous running of LH & RH parts simplifies tooling setup and reduce part-to-part rates dramatically. Approximate Force for 1.500” – 2.500” bushing diameter ranges from 8-Tons to 15-Tons depending on the interference fit between the sleeve ID and bushing OD. Lubrication is sometimes necessary to reduce forces and ensure a good insertion. Lubrication is applied to the ID of sleeves or OD of bushing which reduces chatter during the installation process and provides a more accurate press-in.
WHEEL HUB BEARING AND STUD INSERTION: Wheel bearings are a critical function in the construction of UTV’s as they must be properly installed and seated or risk the longevity and ride comfort to the vehicle. Likewise, the wheel studs are installed with special fastening technology using serrations on the stud to withstand torque-out when attaching the wheel nuts. Force/ distance monitoring is almost always required for these critical components.
CONTROL ARM BUSHING INSERTION: Aries Engineering specializes in Control Arm construction due to our innovative power heads in Servo and Hydra- Pneumatic Self-Equalizing units.
These equalizing units are a necessity due to the small window between bushing sleeve ID’s. Backing up each sleeve prior to installation is required so as not to damage or twist the arm during bushing installations. Approximate Force Ranges from 8-20 Tons utilizing our IntelliCyl option for force/distance monitoring.
BALL JOINT INSTALLATION: Ball Joint installations typically require secondary retention to meet today’s safety requirements. Aries Engineering has patented a proprietary Snap-Ring installation process that automatically installs the Ball Joint then the snap-ring within a single process. Ordinarily this is a very manual process with handheld retaining ring pliers or circlip
pliers to ensure the clip is seated 100% and 360-degrees around the circumference. Approximate Force per Ball Joint can be as high as 20-Tons. IntelliCyl is required for force/distance monitoring of this critical component during the installation process.
PLASTIC FASCIA PIERCING/ DEGATING: Multiple components within the UTV require post-mold piercing to ensure proper alignment of fasteners and attachment points that cannot be done during the molding process. Piercing gas-cap holes to fog-lamp holes, hitch slots to lightening holes, we have Servo and Hydra-Pneumatic power units available that are well-suited. When a substance is melted and poured into casting molds, channels called gates allow the material to flow into the hollow spaces of the mold to form into a solid part. Removing the material that hardens in the channels so that just the finished piece remains is known as degating. We have developed methods to ensure this degating only removes excess material without damage to the end-product.
Aries Engineering/HyperCyl is a diversified manufacturer of Hydra-Pneumatic Cylinders, Servo Actuators, Presses, Pierce Units and Joining Systems designed for use in a wide range of assembly
and forming applications. HyperCyl has a place in virtually every segment of industrial production; from clean-room medical and electronic component manufacturing to heavy industrial piercing and forming. HyperCyl has a proven track record in thousands of applications as a clean, quiet, reliable, self-contained power source utilizing only compressed air to generate ample output forces from 3kN – 1,780kN.
Find out more how HyperCyl can help meet your application needs, email [email protected].
Comments Off on How To: Build Intelligence into Piercing for Today’s High Force/High Speed Environments
Flexibility, performance and cost have always been key factors in today’s expanding manufacturing marketplace. For decades hydraulic and mechanical presses were the only options for high-speed, high-force Piercing Applications. HyperCyl Hydra-Pneumatic and HyperCyl-EMA servo based systems have emerged as viable alternatives geared towards today’s lean manufacturing processes. HyperCyl also provides a much cleaner solution without the mess, accumulators, drip pans, noise, heat, fans and overall footprint of outdated power technology.
So, what to do when you need high-speed Piercing using a fixed system or robot-mounted pierce head? Well, that depends on your needs, annual Volume requirements and how long the project will run. Other factors include the material thickness, tensile strength and length-of-cut to determine the force necessary for any given piercing project.
Outlined below we will discuss a Hydra-Pneumatic system using IntelliCyl along with a Servo system using HyperCyl-EMA and our HyperPierce equalizing units.
8-Ton Self-Equalizing ServoPierce unit (HyperCyl-EMA) Capability: Self-Equalizing units have the benefit of moving to your part. Meaning the press itself will move around your fixed part, not the other way around. HyperPierce + HyperCyl-EMA provides exceptional control over force, speed and distance characteristics for any application. It can also tell when your tool begins to dull due to subtle increases in force over a period of time. Signature analysis, data logging, part history, trending and root cause analysis options are also available for added functionality and tracking.
Reliability/Costs: Servo technology is inherently capable and sizing them appropriately is crucial. Expected lifetime is from 3 Years to 5 Years, configured for any particular application. Long-Term Reliability coincides with maintenance schedules and upkeep of tooling. Costs can be higher than Hydraulics but the Energy efficiency achieved with low down-time, low noise pollution, ZERO environmental pollution (no oil) will ensure a quick ROI.
Speed: Up to 16.00 in/sec with an extremely high rate of repeatability. Usually requires a deceleration setting before Contact and Home to maximize screw life. Multiple move profiles and full control over the process from start to finish.
Forces: 1-10 Ton in Ball Screw configurations (BS1 & BS2) with a medium dynamic load rating; 1-25 Tons in the Roller Screw configuration with a high dynamic load rating.
Capability: For basic “Fixed-Mount” pierce units, keeping things simple is sometimes best. Using only 2 pneumatic valves for operation the HyperCyl (hydra-pneumatic) cylinder greatly streamlines the startup process versus hydraulic or even servo-controlled systems. Cylinders are available in (6) design configurations. Cylinder can have the ability for Swivel Fittings (HPS and HZS systems only) for robot-mounting agility. When coupled with the IntelliCyl option, (load cell and LVLT) force distance monitoring is available.
Reliability/Costs: (MTBS) Mean time between service interval of approximately 4-5 million cycles because down time is not an option. LIFETIME warranty on all HPI – HPS – HPX – HZ – HZS – HPT cylinders, 1-Ton through 200-Ton. Typically HyperCyl is more expensive than Pneumatic cylinders but offer the same Clean, Quiet & Self-Contained operation WITH controllable force. Less expensive than hydraulic and mechanical systems for both short & long-term investments.
Speed: Fast Approach speeds similar to that of a pneumatic cylinder (6 in/sec – 10 in/sec) and High Pressure speeds similar to that of hydraulic cylinders (1.0 in/sec – 2.0 in/sec).
Forces: 1-200 tons of output force using 30-100 PSI shop air.