Product category:
Hydraulic equipment and fluids
News Release from: Moog Controls | Subject: Hydraulic Digital Interface Valves
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 08 August 2007
Digital interface valve enhances roll
levelling
A machine that levels coiled high strength low carbon steel strip has a hydraulic digital interface valve to individually control seven levelling roll positioning axes and improve levelling quality.
Digital interface valve controls roll levelling A machine that levels coiled high strength low carbon steel strip has a hydraulic digital interface valve to individually control seven levelling roll positioning axes and improve levelling quality Builder of sheet metal roll levelling machines is using 'intelligent' Moog hydraulic Digital Interface Valves (DIV) in a feedback control system to achieve 5 micron accuracy to level coiled high strength low carbon steel strip
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 25 Apr 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Moog believes it is the first application of its DIV in the UK.
In a Bronx Manufacturing's Completely Automatic Levelling Machine (CALM), the hydraulics are the primary flattening control element.
The Moog DIV alters the controlling pressure of each of the seven hydraulically operated roller axes, depending on their output.
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Bronx has built a test rig to verify the feedback mechanism, and proved that it can position to an accuracy within 5 micron.
"We go about position control in a slightly different way because we calculate exactly where to position the rollers from the hydraulic cylinders using the Moog valves," explained Tim Brown, chairman of Bronx Manufacturing.
"The currently available systems for positioning rollers are quite crude," Brown explained.
"Our system is quite sophisticated in that the operator can select the level of plasticity, which is the ratio of the cross-section that has been plastically deformed, or bent beyond its elastic limit, to that which has not.
Dependent on the plasticity the material will be permanently deformed, unless it is bent back the other way." A Digital Interface Valve is a DDV Direct Drive Valve with microprocessor-based electronics and a CANopen fieldbus.
These Servo-Proportional Valves are parameterised and monitored using the built-in CANbus interface.
"In effect, the versatility of the valve itself enables a programmable machine," Brown said.
"The Moog valves are fully programmable and accessible via CAN fieldbus.
Moog provides an application program that allows you to configure the valve and to communicate with a PLC or PC acting as a fieldbus master".
He added: "If you have a material that does not behave like ordinary materials, you have the flexibility to program it.
When you are dealing with high strength, low carbon steel, it is very important to match the roller size and spacing accurately.
Another advantage of the Moog Valve is that when you change rollers to another diameter, you may have to change the setpoints, and that can now be programmed.
Previously, you would have had to recalibrate the machine, which could be a long-winded process".
Brown concluded: "We are claiming that you can change the rollers in our machine at the touch of a button.
We would have used hand-cranked jacks to do in the past what we are doing now with Moog Digital Interface Valves, or wedges that would be pushed in by jacks driven by geared motors.
Now we can go fully automatic with load-sensitive control, or we can use position control derived from basic operator inputs calculated from where to place rollers".
Rick Steele, business development manager at Moog added: "This is the first application of the DIV technology in the UK and it was fantastic to find one that would really highlight its capabilities.
It is a good example of where digital hydraulic valve technology can be used to co-ordinate axis and change the dynamic parameters of the valves to optimise machine performance.
Tim really knows what he is talking about when it comes to achieving machine performance, having undertaken a significant portion of the design work himself, so I am delighted that he chose Moog technology to complement the systems he had already developed in house".
* About Bronx Manufacturing - Bronx Manufacturing builds high quality, specialist mechanical equipment for a diverse range of industries, from automotive to construction and from security to mining.
The West Midlands company has particular experience in metal forming and finishing within the steel industry.
* About Moog - Moog's Industrial Business Unit designs and manufacturers high performance motion control solutions combining electric, hydraulic and hybrid technologies with expert consultative support in a range of applications including plastics, metal forming, textiles, power generation and simulation.
The company helps performance-driven companies design and develop their next-generation machines.
Moog's Industrial Business Unit, with 2005 sales of US$315 million and 26 locations worldwide, is part of Moog, Incorporated In 2005, Moog Inc'ss revenues exceeded US$ 1 billion for the first time in its history. Request a free brochure from Moog Controls ...
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