Curvic Plate prevents replacement of complete gearbox
Innovation from APEX Dynamics increases maintainability of new bending machine Dynobend
An email with seven design specifications. That was in fact the start of the collaboration between Dynobend and Apex Dynamics on Dynobend’s “125 Power Boost”. The specifications concerned the large forces that would be generated in this new, fully automatic bending machine. The drive mechanics had to be able to transmit these forces effectively and ensure low maintenance. Solutions were found in close consultation.
The new machine is completely customer-specific, but it is made up of a number of “ideas” that have the opportunity to be reused later in other machines for different customers. Said Mark Luttikhuis, global sales & marketing director of the machine builder from Haaksbergen. A machine that, with a bending moment of 105 kNm (kilo-Newton meter, a unit for torque) and a roller force of 200 kN, generates very large forces for an electrically driven machine. To determine the correct gearbox, pinion (a certain type of gear) and rack (a toothed bar), Dynobend engineers contacted their colleagues from Apex Dynamics in the Netherlands.
FIVE DEGREES OF FREEDOM
DETAIL ENGINEERING
CHALLENGE
That first question was posed in a brief e-mail with the design specifications. Thom van Oss, general manager of the Benelux branch of Apex in Helmond, brought the A4 sheet to the interview in Haaksbergen. That served as the starting point for a configuration process during which a certain type of relatively small servomotor and a large, low-backlash gearbox was selected in a weeks-long collaborative process. “Such a small motor on a large gearbox – that actually does not look the prettiest,” says van Oss. “But this combination can handle those forces and torques. A considerable challenge was the customer requirement of maintainability. Because of these great forces, wear of the toothed ring (a kind of round rack) occurs in any case. It needs to be renewed after millions of cycles. We had to make sure that we didn’t have to replace the entire gearbox of about 170 kilos. Because that is a costly and time-consuming job. “The solution was found in the fact that Apex was prepared to develop and produce “ a customer-specific pinion based on the curvic plate”.
CURVIC PLATE
MAINTAINABLE
“The maintainability,” Luttikhuis adds, “is one of the strengths of our bending machine and is something that the customer attaches great value to. Already in the first design phase, we take the accessibility of the wearing parts into account, we ensure that engineers can easily reach them with a crane. And that they can then quickly exchange these wearing parts. Together with Apex, we have also succeeded in making this new machine very maintenance-friendly. In addition to this gearbox, Apex Dynamics also supplies the drive mechanics for the 125 Powerboost supply and discharge systems.
STANDARD IS NEVER STANDARD
Standard is never standard, says Mark Luttikhuis. It rarely happens that two exactly the same bending / rolling machines leave the factory in Haaksbergen. At least there is a difference in the tooling that is on it. “Our standard machines consist around 80 percent of parts and modules that we use more often and 20 percent of customer-specific parts. These machines are standalone and distinguish themselves through their flexibility. “They are easily convertible and suitable for single pieces or small series”, Luttikhuis promotes. In addition, the manufacturer develops and builds custom work: fully automated machines that, integrated in a complete production line of, for example, an automobile company, perform bending and rolling work fully automatically. “They usually consist of no more than 60 percent standard parts.” These two machine types are developed and assembled completely in Haaksbergen, where also the tools are produced. For that, Dynobend works with a large number of suppliers. One of them is Apex Dynamics. This Taiwanese manufacturer of gearboxes, racks and pinions has its own branches with distributors and engineers worldwide.
Sources:
www.dynobend.com
www.linkmagazine.nl
Picture:
Com-magz