Guarding of automated equipment for punch presses

When you think of 1990, what comes to your mind? Is it the hit movie “Terminator” or “RoboCop”? It seems like 1990 was a long time ago. Today, when I visited a customer’s factory, I saw four flywheel punch presses from 1990. Yes, 1990.

Even 25 years later, these four old flywheel punch presses are still operational and generating profits for the factory. When I entered the factory, all four machines were running at full speed, and I could even feel my feet vibrating along with their rumbling. Just like people get sick as they age, machines also develop problems. It’s common for the belts of these four machines to slip and for the clutches to smoke. It’s not uncommon for all four to break down at the same time. I asked the person in charge why they didn’t replace these four old machines. Was it because they had developed an emotional attachment? The person in charge told me it wasn’t because of an emotional attachment, but because the factory didn’t have enough funds to replace all four at once. Replacing just one would require the same amount of downtime as replacing all four, and the electrical circuits and wiring would need to be completely redone. They couldn’t afford to wait, and neither could their customers. That’s why they asked me to come and see if there was a good way to upgrade them.

There is indeed a solution. DAIDISIKE’s upgrade kit can perfectly meet their needs. First, I asked them to order DAIDISIKE’s bolt-fixed pneumatic power module: a compact air-oil hybrid cylinder, a manifold valve, and a sensor group, and promised that it could be installed between the punch press columns by the afternoon. In fact, it didn’t take that long. I left some time for relaxation and “KFC TIME”.

The DAIDISIKE team removed the old flywheel, locked the crank at the top dead center, and installed the new cylinder at the original connecting position of the connecting rod. The original motor was retained to drive the current lubrication pump, and the overall frame remained largely unchanged, with only minor optimizations and modifications. The closed-loop pressure sensor communicated with the existing PLC through two spare wires, eliminating the need for complex rewiring. After six hours of modification, the first workpiece produced during the pressure test was extremely clean, smoother than any bracket produced in the past ten years. By the time of the dinner break, the production line workers were already competing to operate it – who would be the next to press the green button became their new topic of debate.

Why can DAIDISIKE’s upgrade kit be used on these old flywheel punch presses from the same era as “Terminator”? This is thanks to the tireless efforts of DAIDISIKE engineers. This product has the following features:

– Ready-to-install bracket: The DAIDISIKE cylinder is installed using the four fixed holes of the original connecting rod, without the need for drilling, welding, or other complex processing.

– Air-oil hybrid buffering: Compressed air drives a small oil column, providing a smooth operation like a hydraulic system, without the need for complex pumps and hoses. Even after 10,000 pressings, the stroke repeatability accuracy remains within 0.05 millimeters.

– Load sensing ring: A ring-shaped force sensor is installed under the pressure plate. If the mold encounters thicker material or burrs, the PLC will pause and issue a polite warning instead of breaking the punch.

– Silent exhaust muffler: Old punch presses lack noise reduction measures. After the improvement, there is only a soft “puff” sound, and operators can now talk without shouting.

– Energy-saving mode: The compressor automatically unloads during the press gap, reducing power consumption by 42%. Accountants no longer frown when they see the electricity bill.

– Cloud heartbeat: Each press cycle uploads pressure, position, and load data to the DAIDISIKE portal. Early shift technicians can detect problems before bearing wear turns into noise.

– Mold ID chip: Each mold has a small RFID tag. If the wrong mold is installed, the human-machine interface will refuse to start, and even a “fool” can install it correctly. Upgrading old-fashioned equipment from the same era as “The Terminator” is no easy task, but DAIDISIKE will spare no effort to find the most cost-effective and efficient solution for you. Moreover, every component of DAIDISIKE is covered by a five-year warranty.