Cloud Presses
This year at EMO2019 we will give practical demonstration of how smart our machines are.
Created by Mecolpress for forging statistic control, Calipso is a software that allows to control the press activities during the entire production cycle, and it is an useful instrument for analyzing the production and for intervening where it is necessary to optimize it.
This intelligent software for the analysis of the production process also includes a sophisticated technology for managing non-conformity
Once all these data have been produced, it will be possible to log them, analyze them and import them into the customer’s management system.
For each machine cycle, a series of parameters are recorded on the operator panel, the last 10 cycles are displayed in tabular form.
Moreover, the parameters are recorded (the last 10000 cycles) and displayed in the form of trend.
Through the trend it is possible to carry out a cross-check, in order to idedntify the reasons of possible non-conformities.
An example:
At the EMO2019 exhibition in Hanover we present something more:
a practical demonstration, an example of how our machines can communicate with external systems and devices.
Thanks to the collaboration with the Smeup Industrial IoT department, it was possible to integrate our brand new HEAVY 400 mechanical press and ME 100 hydraulics with their IoT Platform.
The production information collected by Calipso can be viewed in real time through dashboards, for an optimal understanding of the data collected by the press.
Dashboards are created using a simple, intuitive and visually striking web tool. Looking at something that is happening at the very moment you are observing is very different from seeing deferred data. In a landscape where speed in making decisions is a determining factor, these tools offer an important contribution.
It is possible to monitor all this, in addition to the local one, also in the cloud: a very interesting aspect as it is possible, through a simple browser, to visualize the result through any instrument connected to the network, from the smartphone to the tablet to the PC, you can always take a look at the data collected, all in real time!
Monitoring the activity of the press, having the information that we are always interested in, getting important alerts or messages useful for example for predictive maintenance, is an interesting plus even for the forging sector that now more than ever becomes intelligent and in step with market demands!
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Mecolpress hydraulic presses: features and advantages
Mecolpress boasts a wide range of hydraulic presses of different tonnages, ideal for the realization of hot forged parts with complex geometry. The presses are equipped with a Mecolpress proprietary software, “Calipso”, that allows to monitor the entire productive cycle of the hydraulic press according to numerous parameters.
Features of hydraulic presses
Hallmark of every hydraulic press is the programming flexibility. Since the ram and the punches are independently controlled by hydraulic cylinders, this allows to carry out some corrections during the working cycle to remedy some eventual defects by acting on the movement of a single component through software.
Hydraulic presses can hot forge different materials including brass, copper, aluminum, steel and titanium alloys.
Range of Mecolpress hydraulic presses
Mecolpress offers to its customers a wide range of presses with a die closing force that currently goes from 100 to 500 tons and a minimum punch force of 30 tons that can arrive till 350 tons.
Moreover, our hydraulic presses are provided with a loading arm for warm billets and with an unloading arm for the forged part. Based on the customer’s needs concerning the layout for the hot forging production line, the arms can be placed on the same side and working in sync, otherwise placed on the opposite sides and working autonomously. Thanks to “Calipso” software developed by Mecolpress and installed on every hydraulic press, the press can detect which parts are not in compliance with the programmed parameters, and these parts will be automatically separated from the others by the unloading arm, flowing into a box for wastes.
This management allows to optimize the checks and to save time on the productive cycle.
Possible configurations of a hydraulic press
Mecolpress hydraulic presses can be set up in a custom-made way according to production needs expressed by the customer. For example, one or two punches can be placed with an entry angle different from the classic 90°, allowing the realization of particularly complex shapes such as, for example, Y-junctions and filter bodies.
Further possible configurations are:
- the addition of a fifth vertical punchthat operates under the die,
- the loading of one or two billets at the same time till a maximum of four,
- the addition of pyrometers for billet temperature detection,
- the application of extra sensors on the punches for both physical and mechanical data collection that are then sent to the PLC and that allow to better monitor the production cycle.
Indeed, the sensors always check the movement carried out by the punches during the stroke and it is possible to obtain a representation of the different acceleration and deceleration phases. This real time analysis allows to notice eventual problems and to understand if these derive, for example, from the die or if these are of hydraulic or mechanical type.
In this way also the Mecolpress service team can intervene in a more to the point and prompter way, reducing the machine stop costs.
Mecolpress software for forging control
Created by Mecolpress for forging statistic control, Calipso is a software that allows to control the press activities during the entire production cycle, and it is an useful instrument for analyzing the production and for intervening where it is necessary to optimize it.
A smart software for productive process analysis
Having available all data related to the activity of his own press is certainly an advantage for the forger that can analyze the productive process and, if it is necessary, intervene on time to optimize it beyond. That’s the reason why Mecolpress makes available Calipso software to its customers, internally developed by Mecolpress, and able to collect the forging data also thanks to some transducers and sensors installed on the press.
The software can detect till 18 different parameters during each forging cycle for the entire duration of the working shift.
In this way it is possible to control very important data, such as billets temperature or the developed strength by machine every stroke.
Calipso software is installed as standard equipment on the hydraulic presses, while it is possible to have it on request for the mechanical presses. The customer can already see it working at our premises, and once you bought the machine, all the necessary instructions will be given to the operator during the delivery phase to use it.
A sophisticated technology for managing non-conformity
Once that forging data are collected, these are compared to values set up by the user and each cycle it is possible to check if these parameters remain in a narrow tolerance band established by the operator according to the criticality of the part to be forged or to requirements established by the end user.
Regarding the hydraulic press, in case of a strong discrepancy between the wished value and the effective one related to controlled parameters, the produced part is deviated in a separated unloading area so that to carry out further controls.
Therefore, the operator can plan if and when the machine has to stop the production in automatic cycle, establishing after how many ejected parts it has to stop forging.
Matched with the hydraulic presses, Calipso software offers therefore as advantage a better management of non-conformities, with a consequent reduction of machine stop times and facilitating the control operations on the forged parts not compliant with the set-up parameters.
Graphic reports
Mecolpress software allows to create graphic representations of several parameters inside the same diagram. In this way it is possible to have an overview and to understand, for example, how the input strength of the punches presents a variation connected to billet temperature modification, and it is possible to see the trends of both parameters during the productive cycles.
Calipso advantages
Our Calipso software brings numerous advantages, including the possibility to carry out forging tests and to have all the necessary data for analysis in depth before starting with the production of a new part.
Connecting it to customer company network, it allows to file data related to every forging cycle, to have them available and to share them. Moreover, Mecolpress has remotely access to the data and in this way can reduce the intervention times for assistance.
In the end, thanks to Calipso it is possible to reject automatically not-shaped parts and to have available graphic reports of more parameters on the same diagram.
Industry 4.0
Hot forging becomes 4.0.
Our machines meet the requirements of industry 4.0.
The ME series hot forging hydraulic presses allow to control the speed, the sequence, the stroke and the force of each punch, allowing to print without any burr even some of the most complicated shapes. The production phases are programmed and monitored to get the best shape.
WHAT WE PROPOSE WITH OUR INDUSTRY 4.0 MACHINES?
- We program what the press must do;
- We program tolerance limits around a test cycle;
- We can control what the machine has actually done;
- The system verifies that the process is stable and identifies irregular anomalies or tendencies of deviation;
- We supervise and record parameters for at least 10,000 cycles;
- We provide a graphical representation of the process;
- All information can be sent to an external PC for further evaluation, registration and quality assurance purposes;
- The machine can send personalized messages to the supervisor, via email, to have full control over the performance of the equipment.
RESULT:
- To get precise analyzes and to make correct decisions;
- Have an automatic selection between compliant printed parts and irregular parts.
By ordering one of our machines you will be able to take advantage of the 250% hyper-depreciation. Contact us for further information
Calipso Software
The Mecolpress Calypso System is a powerful software instrument that, thanks to a network of specific sensors and transducers on the press, collect up to 16 different parameters during each single forging cycle, all day long.
The recorded data are compared with the values set by the operator, for each of these it is checked that they stay inside a tolerance range (the width if which is decided by the operator) and in case one of these parameters in one cycle should result to be too different from what we had verified being the desired value, the piece forged during that specific “irregular” cycle is discharged in a separate area, to allow further controls.
In addition, the operator can program the system when this has to interrupt the automatic cycle production, after how many rejected pieces the machine shall suspend the production and wait for a human decision before to restart.
To go back to Einstein statement mentioned in the previous article, to be sure to do what I always did, and exactly in the same way I did it, I need an extremely reliable and precise process control and data collection system, and I also have to have an evaluation instrument of the collected data that allow me to have a true picture of how the forging cycle is performed, so to lead me to take decisions on the basis of reliable information.
Mecolpress Calypso does not only collect the typical data of the forging process for thousands of cycles, but create as well graphical representations of more than one parameter on the same graph to understand, for example, how the punches forward force is changing depending in relation with the billet temperature, and for all parameters show the variation trend over the time.
Mecolpress presses for the hot forging of metals are offering to you a production cycle analysis instrument that allow you the statistical forging process control, helping you to foresee when irregular deviation from the “nominal” process will arise, so that you can anticipate them and avoid that time and resources go lost in producing irregular parts and in sorting the good and the bad ones from a single container.
SPC CALIPSO
From Wikipedia, :
“Statistical process control (SPC) is a method of quality control which uses statistical methods. SPC is applied in order to monitor and control a process. Monitoring and controlling the process ensures that it operates at its full potential. At its full potential, the process can make as much conforming product as possible with a minimum (if not an elimination) of waste (rework or scrap). SPC can be applied to any process where the “conforming product” (product meeting specifications) output can be measured. Key tools used in SPC include control charts; a focus on continuous improvement; and the design of experiments. An example of a process where SPC is applied is manufacturing lines.”
How to translate in simple words the concept of Statistical Process Control?
Albert Einstein was saying:
“If we keep on doing what we always did, in the same way we always did it, we will always get the same result”.
The great physician used this statement to suggest the need of innovating, of thinking in a different way. But at the same time, we can have a fully positive interpretation of this principle: to be able to repeat a successful process exactly in the same way it was done previously, will certainly deliver again as good as the previous ones.
Let us transfer the concept in our world, the hot forging of metals. Here is an example:
If with a forging cycle we have obtained parts that, after dimensional, aesthetical and quality testing, are verified to be perfectly complying with the order prescriptions, it is highly possible that the next cycles, if repeated exactly with the same parameters, will lead to the same production result.
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- software calipso di Mecolpress
During a component hot forging cycle process, there are so many parameters that can influence the result and therefore the quality of the produced parts and that are peculiar of that specific cycle, among these are:
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- Temperature of the billets,
- die closing force,
- force applied by the coring punches,
- total cycle time,
- stroke of the punches,
- speed of the punches,
- weight of the unloaded forged piece…
Read more about Calipso Software
Forging simulation
Mecolpress sells turn-key forging plants.
This means to offer to the customer not only reliable and innovative machines, but competence on the forging product and process as well: the forging line has to work regularly, respecting the productivity level and granting stable quality. During the proposal phase, the careful evaluation of the parts to be forged is always a crucial element.
Traditionally, this activity was limited to the knowledge acquired thanks to many years of experience of a few key persons, so the evaluation of the parts was based on their “memory”, trying to remember the difficulties or solution identified in the past on similar parts. Precise technical parameters and data were seldom available and recorded, and therefore the surprises during the dies real tests were very frequent, in particular the forging forces were unknown and heavily influencing the final acceptance test of the machine.
Since the work flow programming is becoming more and more important to respect the planned delivery time and, at the end, to match the yearly turnover goals, the possibility to precisely foresee and plan the final activities of the forging line manufacturing is a key factor. Mecolpress since already five years use a hot forging simulation software that allows to analyse in the technical office the flow of the material in the die, and in this way to carry out a “virtual pre-acceptance” of the forging equipment. The goal is to anticipate as much as possible the forging difficulties and, to a higher level, to share among a wider number of persons and departments, the forging process knowledge: the aim is to go from “workshop expert man” to “forging mathematics”. For the sales department as well, this methodology brings clear advantages: the possibility to demonstrate in a transparent and easy-to-understand way the technical reasons on which the die design and identification of the suitable machine are based, is often a winning element to involve the customer in the project definition and in the last phases of the negotiation.
Usually the choice of the machine and the die design phases respect a standard sequence of steps:
- first, the customers provide us with the drawings of the forged and/or of the machined part,
- the Mecolpress sales personnel choose the most difficult or doubt ones and give these to the technical office.
- From this moment onward, subsequent FEM analysis are carried out, eventually suggesting as well to the customer modifications of details of the part, to reach the result of a forged piece that satisfy the (final) customer requirements and can be forged without defects thanks to the Mecolpress technology.
- The forging simulation software has been programmed with the Mecolpress machines specific dynamic characteristics and grant therefore highly reliable results.
After the die has been manufactured, the real forging phases in the production departments start.
Tthe first thing to do is to share the project parameters and machine program data between the technical office and the dies test department.
It is now that it is essential to understand if, and eventually how, the real behaviour of the material is deviating from the expected path, and to this extent the hydraulic forging machines have a special production cycle called “simulation steps” to produce several parts with pre-programmed partial completion steps, in particular with different cores penetration depths.
If this process is well managed and used, it easily lead to verify what foreseen in the computerized simulation, and also to identify the source of defects that might be found later in the finished parts, even in areas that are not easy to be seen at first sight.
Once the dies have been successfully tested in the production dept., the customer participate to the forging line final acceptance and can examine the forging process as proposed in the offer and agreed in the order.
To have anticipated the analysis of the piece and to share the forging process knowledge among the engineers of the technical office has reduced the variability of the length of the real tests duration and has brought to a much more precise and reliable calculation of the lead time of the machine in general.