Quick Facts
| Type of Press | 4-Post Punching Press | ||
| Tonnage | 75 Tons | ||
| Industry | Roll Forming | ||
| Special Features | Ultra-fast ram speeds Vibration dampening pads Scrap chute | ||
| Challenge | Increase cycle speed without sacrificing accuracy and precision. | ||
| Solution | Because a hydraulic press achieves full tonnage anywhere throughout the stroke, speeds can be adjusted at any point to minimize breakthrough shock and wear on the dies. A custom hydraulic circuit allows for short cycling of the press while also preventing the ram from ‘overshooting’ the programmed extend and retract positions. | ||
| Challenge | Create a system for quick die set-up and change-over. | ||
| Solution | The bolsters on all four of Dahlstrom’s Beckwood presses are machined to accommodate the same tooling. In addition to the universal mounting from machine to machine, the hydraulic press’ shut height, retract position, and speed can be adjusted on-the-fly to account for tools of varying heights or changes in material feed rates. This significantly improves die change turnaround times on the roll form lines and increases production flexibility. | ||
| Results | With the addition of their fourth 75-ton punching press, Dahlstrom now has the capacity to run two shifts and intends to add a third shift later this year. |
Since 1904, Dahlstrom Roll Form has been a major supplier of roll-formed equipment components made from a variety of metals including stainless, aluminum, copper, brass, and bronze. During the roll forming process, flat metal is coil-fed into a series of mated dies and gradually bent into a uniform profile. It is an economical means for producing metal channels, angles, and complex shapes with multiple bends.
Often, roll-formed profiles require holes, notches, slots, or embossments to be made prior to bending and shaping. To accommodate this step in the application, Dahlstrom relies on the use of four custom hydraulic presses from Beckwood Press Company.
Their most recent punching press, installed in Nov. 2017, features a 30”x50” forming area and a custom-designed hydraulic circuit capable of punching aluminum and steel sheet material up to 60 times per minute. Because a hydraulic press delivers full tonnage throughout the stroke, Dahlstrom doesn’t have to sacrifice power or precision, and the custom hydraulic circuit prevents the ram from ‘overshooting’ the programmed extend and retract positions.
“Because of our history with Dahlstrom over the last 10 years, we’re accustomed to what they expect in a machine,” said Josh Dixon, Beckwood’s director of sales & marketing. “Knowing this, we were able to machine the bed and the ram to accommodate tooling used on their other Beckwood machines.”
In addition to the universal mounting from machine to machine, the hydraulic press’ shut height, retract position, and speed can be adjusted on-the-fly to account for tools of varying heights or changes in material feed rates. This significantly improves die change turnaround times on the roll form lines.
“Beckwood has become a valued resource for our continuing growth”, says Robert White, president and owner of Dahlstrom Roll Form. “Our presses have functioned accurately and reliably for many years, and our operators like the standardized interface Beckwood works with us to create on each machine. The commonality of control makes their jobs easier.”
Speak to a Beckwood Engineer about a custom punching and blanking press