Metal Forming Machines

PRESSES

Introduction
Presses are employed to provide power to operate dies for blanking, forming, and shearing.

They can be classified to many types.

Classification of presses

 The press frame is a rigid structure, its function is to absorb forces, to provide a precise slide guidance and to support the drive system and other auxiliary units.
Its made of high-grade cast iron or fabricated from steel structural. Frames are of different designs according to the class of work to be done.

Open frame presses

This type of presses is also known as Gap frame or C-frame presses where the frames have the shape of letter C.

These presses have only one column to the rear of the die whose shape resembles the shape of the letter C.
In these presses, the die area is accessible from three sides i.e. front, left, and right. Such presses are suitable for feeding or stock removing from the front or back. The main disadvantages of open frame presses is that the top and bottom of the frame swings apart under load. Thus the work accuracy and tool life is less. Due to this lower rigidity, such presses are used mainly for light or smaller work (up to 200 -tonne capacity with strokes of 90 to 120 per minute.)

 C-frame structure is the most common design used for ease of tool and workpiece accessibility because of its approach from three sides. The back of such a press can be solid or open. Open back press permits feeding of the workpieces from front to back or the ejection of the finished parts from the back

For the open back frame presses, the frame may be fixed in a vertical position or in a fixed inclined position or it may be of inclinable type.
Two modified versions of the C-frame press are adjustable bed type C-frame press and open-back inclinable C-frame (OBI) press.

 The adjustable bed press or Knee press has bed that can be raised or lowered. It provides ease in adjusting the height of the work (supported on the table ) with respect to the ram or punch. The most common type press is open back inclinable C-type frame press or OBI press. It can be swung over on the base to the required angle for easy discharge of workpiece and scrap from the press ( under gravity) between the working strokes. Production of small parts by bending, punching or blanking is quite common on inclinable presses. Wider sheet metals or other such jobs are best handled on an open front wider press.

 In horn press a detachable support or a large round post or mandrel projects out from the column in place of a bed.
This mandrel is called horn and support curved or cylindrical or round workpieces for operations such as seaming, punching or riveting.

In some presses both a horn and a bed are provided with provision of swinging the horn a side when not needed.
In all other types of pressure die the support is integral with the frame as a fixed and rigid part of the press tool. The horn is bolted to the vertical column of the press and may either take the form of conventional die support or feature as a special fixture. This facility for special operations on the press tool by Changing the horn weakens the rigidity. The horn press cannot take large pressures.

Closed frame presses

These presses have two upright columns on each side of the die.
They are stronger, more rigid and balanced than C-type frame presses. These are suitable for heavier work. Work is fed either from the front or from the back of the press into the die area. These presses can be of two designs: Arch frame and straight side frame press.

 In arch press, the upper part is narrow as compared to the lower part. Straight-side presses are more rigid and stronger than the arch press, since heavy loads are taken up in a vertical direction by the massive side frame.

Such presses are available upto at least 3000 tonnes capacity.

Another design of a large mechanical press can be straight-side type with tie rods. The bed columns and crown are separate units but are keyed to hold alignment and are fasten together by tie rods. The tie rods are heated and shrunk in place to minimize straining under load. The pillar or open frame press has four pillars. The pillars hold the crown to the bed and act as guides or ways for the ram. Hydraulic press frames can be of the C-type, straight side type with tie rods or of pillar type.

 A straight side press consists of a bed for mounting the die, vertical columns at each end of the bed, and a crown to support the working mechanism. A bolster is attached to the vertical columns. The ram (slide), which is normally box shaped may be connected to the presses drive system at a single point or at multiple points. Typically , in mechanical press this connection is via one or more connecting rods that are driven by a crankshaft in the crown.

Classification of presses

 The source of power can be manual or some other form of power so classification of presses according to its source of power can be manual or power presses. These types of power can be used in a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic press. But by classifying the presses according to the type of drive where press drives refer to the means of supplying power to the ram which be belts, gears (mechanical), hydraulic or pneumatic.

Manual power or fly press

As shown in figure, the frame of the fly press (in US known as screw press) is a rigid C casting (there are also arch frame fly presses) which carries all loads of shearing and pressing through the ram. The C frame fly press is more suitable than arch frame fly press in most of blacksmithing operations.

 The typical shape of the frame leaves the front open and easy for the operators.
The screw of the press operates through a nut in the top part of the frame. The two heavy balls on the left and right rotate and store energy, which is expanded while shearing or pressing. The handle on which the balls are mounted rotates in turn and moves the ram through the nut up and down, which is the required movement of the ram. The die is fitted in the lower ram of the C frame, Thus the punch and the die constitute the press tool. The sheet metal to be worked is placed on the die below the ram, and cast iron balls are rotated with a certain speed to store kinetic energy which is expanded during the operation performed on the sheet metal.

A properly designed press of this type can be used for rapid work for small items, covering almost all operations that can be done on a power press.

Power press
Power press is a magnified version of the fly press and a power drive. Such type of press is designed for mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic powers, and for the various mechanisms for transmitting power to the ram. In this press, the rotary motion obtained from the engine or motor is converted to reciprocating motion of the ram by any one of the mechanisms listed in the following table.

Hydraulic presses are slow and smooth in action but powerful and have small strokes.
On the other hand, pneumatic presses are weak with long working strokes; the fluid is pumped to drive the ram or the piston, which is achieved by the air under pressure. The reciprocating movement of the piston is achieved by the exit of the fluid under pressure. A power press is shown in the following figure; the driving mechanism is a crank and connecting rod, and a flywheel is used to minimize fluctuations in the operation of the press.

Mechanisms of the reciprocating motion of the ram

a)
c) e)

Crank and connecting rod drive.

Eccentric drive. Friction disc drive.

b) Cam and follower drive.

d) Rack and pinion drive. f) Knuckle joint drive. h) Hydraulic or pneumatic drive.

g) Power screw drive.

Mechanical Presses
Mechanical presses are based on mechanical mechanisms that transfer the rotation of an electric motor to oscillatory strokes on the press ram.

The ram carries the top, or moving die, while the bottom, or stationary die, is clamped to the press frame.
Energy stored in a flywheel, is controlled by a clutch, and is used to deform the workpiece at the end of the stroke. The most common types of mechanical presses are crank presses, eccentric presses, knuckle joint presses, and screw presses. The ram stroke is shorter than in hydraulic presses or hammers. The maximum force rating of mechanical presses ranges from 2.2 to 142 MN.

 Crank and connecting rod drive: This is the simplest and most common method of drive. Here the crank shaft is driven by a motor. The ram is connected to the crank by a connecting rod. So when the crank shaft rotates, the ram reciprocates. This type of drive is used to get long stroke lengths of ram.
Eccentric drive: An accentric is made integral with the driving shaft. One end of the connecting rod has a housing. This housing fits on the eccentric. The other end of the connecting rod is connected to the ram. The driving shaft rotates with the eccentric. So the ram reciprocates. This type of drive is used shorter stroke lengths of ram. Knuckle Joint drive: The knuckle joint drive has two knuckle levers and one connecting lever. One end of the upper knuckle lever is pivoted to the crown of the machine. One end of the lower lever is connected to the ram. The other ends of the knuckle levers and one end of the connecting levers are joined by a pin. The other end of the connecting lever is connected to the crank of the crank shaft When the crank shaft rotates, the ram reciprocates. At the bottom of the stroke, the knuckle levers become vertical. So the complete load acts on the crown through the knuckle levers. The crank shaft is not stressed much. So heavy loads can be applied in this press. This drive is used for coining and squeezing operations.

 Cam drive: In this press, the driving shaft has a cam. The upper end of the connecting rod has a housing. The housing fits over the cam. The other end of the connecting rod is connected to the ram. When the driving shaft rotates, the cam actuates the ram to reciprocate. The cam profile is so designed that the ram remains idle for some time at the bottom of the stroke. The cam drive gives short stroke length for the ram. This drive is used for actuating the outer ram of a double acting press. Similar to the toggle mechanism in action. The dwell time can be magnified or reduced as required.
Toggle lever drive: In this drive, there are two toggle levers. These lever are pivoted at their centers to the machine frame. The bottom of the toggle levers are connected to the ram through small links. The upper part of the toggle lever and one end of the connecting lever are joined together by a pin. The other end of the connecting lever is fitted to the crank. The crank is rotated by the driving shaft. When the crank rotates, the ram is actuated to move up and town. At the end of the stroke, the ram will remain-stationary for some time. This toggle drive is used for actuating the outer slide of the double acting press. This drive gives a shorter stroke length for the ram.

 Screw drive: Here the ram is loosely connected to a screw. The screw passes through a stationary nut The top end of the screw is connected to a fly wheel. The periphery of the fly wheel is in contact with a friction disc. When the friction disc rotates the screw also rotates. The screw moves down. So the ram moves down. It does not rotate. When the ram reaches the bottom of the stroke, the friction dies reverse and the ram moves up. This screw drive is used for longer stroke length. The movement of ram is uniform in this drive.

Rack and pinion drive: In this drive, the ram is connected to a long rack. The rack is in mesh with a position. The pinion rotates about a fixed axis. When the pinion is rotated, the rack moves down the ram. At the end of the stroke, the pinion reverses. So, the ram moves up Rack and pinion drive is used when a long stroke length is required.

Single crank straight side press

Straight Side Double Crank Press

Deep draw mechanical press, punch press, punching machine, eccentric press

Straight side knuckle joint presses

Hydraulic Presses
The ram of a hydraulic press is driven by a hydraulic piston and cylinder. Control valves allow rapid approach speed of the ram followed by a slow squeezing speed of the work after contact. The maximum press force can be limited to protect tooling. Hydraulic presses are rated by the maximum force.

Pneumatic press

Standard hydraulic press

 Hydraulic or Pneumatic Drive: This drive is used as an intensifier and generates very large pressures. This press is used for forming and drawing operations.

Advantages of mechanical presses (over hydraulic presses)

Lower capital cost. Lower maintenance cost. Faster operation. Higher punch-slide speeds.

Advantages of hydraulic presses

Constant pressure can be maintained throughout the stroke.
Force and speed can be adjusted throughout the stroke. More versatile and easier to operate.

More powerful than mechanical presses.

Tonnage adjustable from zero to maximum. It is safe, since it stops at a pressure setting. However, it is slower than mechanical press.

Notes
A press is rated in tonnes of forces, it is able to apply without undue strain. To keep the deflections small, it is usual practice to choose a press rated 60 to 100 percent higher than the force required for an operation. The major components of a press are as follows: Bed: It is generally of rectangular shape and is a part of the frame. It is generally open in the centre to allow the scrap or blank to fall down. It also supports the bolster plate.

Bolster plate: It mounts press tools and accessories and is of sufficient thickness. It is generally fixed permanently on the bed and is never changed.
Ram (Slide): It moves through its fixed stroke. The position of the ram can be changed, but its stroke is generally fixed.

Knockout: It is a mechanism operating on the upstroke of a press, which ejects workpieces or blanks from the press tool.
Cushion: It is a press accessory located beneath or within the bolster for producing an upward motion of force and is actuated by air, oil or springs, or a combination thereof. Flywheel: The flywheel is mounted at the end of the driving shaft and is connected through a clutch. The flywheel is directly coupled with the electric motor.