A new control system has been introduced that protects any make of press and its tooling from damage, reduces production downtime, improves component quality and minimises raw material wastage.

A new control system has been introduced that protects any make of press and its tooling from damage, reduces production downtime, improves component quality and minimises raw material wastage. Called Touch Control, it is manufactured by German sensor and instrument manufacturer, Unidor, and is available through sole UK agent, Bruderer UK, Luton. The control is easy to use, having no keys, buttons or switches - just a touch screen.

It is fed with signals from non-contact, oil-resistant, eddy current sensors strategically located around the working area of a stamping or forming press.

Any out-of-tolerance measurement stops production automatically.

Up to eight analogue channels are measured to a positional resolution of +/- 1 micron, each channel being set up and monitored for upper and lower limits, and curve envelope.

Results are displayed numerically and graphically on the screen, either in absolute values or as deviations.

There is sufficient memory for storing the parameters of 300 die set-ups.

The exact positions of the punch, stripper plate and die may be monitored, enabling double sheets or slugs to be detected, so eliminating scrap and the risk of broken tooling.

Any out-of-parallel movement can also be identified, which if not due to slug build-up may indicate worn or broken stripper springs.

Bottom dead centre of the ram can be measured precisely and adjustments made at the control to ensure correct closure of the punch and die, extending the life of the tool.

This is crucial for accurate coining, which can be affected by variation in operating speed, temperature change or a blocked scrap chute.

Monitoring of press force is also possible.

The system is especially suitable for coil-fed presses, as one of the Touch Control's functions is precise optical measurement of the strip as it is fed through the tool.

In the case of high-speed presses, including those produced by Bruderer's Swiss parent company, the Unidor control supports operation at up to 1,500 strokes per minute (spm).

Finally, dynamic, static or multiple stroke monitoring including flank counting can be selected, for which purpose four digital PNP/NPN inputs are provided.