07/25/2013

Faster, more compact and more economical

The new MSD 250 servo press from Schuler offers better performance with the same press force and reduced energy consumption

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Schuler customers can carry out blanking tests and try out their dies on the machine at the Göppingen plant.

To date, Schuler has sold about 340 presses with ServoDirect Technology. Monoblock machines with a welded press structure are particularly popular, and can be delivered in one piece. Now the smallest machine in this series, the MSD 250 with a press force of 250 metric tons, has been completely redesigned. The improvements are the direct result of intensive collaboration with customers.

"The new MSD 250 has become much more compact and faster than its predecessor," said Oliver Beisel, Head of Sales for Stamping and Cutting Systems at Schuler, last week at the Göppingen plant during the presentation of the servo press. "This means we have been able to coordinate it more effectively with the market's requirements."

For example, the new MSD 250 can be installed directly at floor level and has a height of 4400 mm, making it more than one meter lower than the previous model which was 5430 mm tall. This improvement is a result of reducing the slide stroke from a maximum of 200 mm to 160 mm at most, which will prove completely adequate in the majority of cases. Another significant factor of the redesign is the reduction in the die shut height from 600 mm to 550 mm. The height of the bolster plate above floor level has been reduced from 1480 mm to 1200 mm. An added side benefit to all of this is that the press operator now has the ability to look into the die much more easily.

Greater rigidity and component accuracy

In the past, the bolster length at 2500 mm also proved to be generously dimensioned in most cases. The new length of the bolster, 2000 mm, combined with retaining the same depth means that not only the height but also the footprint of the new MSD 250 is smaller. This offers two distinct advantages: The machine is easier to install in smaller spaces, and it is easier to transport and move into position. While the machine is now better suited to progressive die rather than transfer die processes, 90% of the previous models were used in progressive die mode. Any customers who wish to have a longer stroke and a larger press bolster can still order the previous model from Schuler.

Additionally, the compact design has positive effects on the rigidity of the overall system: It is 30% higher; consequently the accuracy of the produced components is greater. At the same time, die wear and the cutting impact are reduced. The small servo press also scores points when it comes to speed: Whereas the maximum stroke rate at maximum stroke height used to be 70 strokes per minute, 90 are now possible – even 160 (formerly 140) in pendular stroke mode.

At the presentation in Göppingen, the machine was connected to an 8-roller straightener and a high-performance "Powerfeed" roll feed system from Schuler Automation, and produced components at 120 strokes per minute. Visitors were able to see for themselves the extremely short overrun travel of the new MSD 250, resulting in high die protection and, consequently, longer service life and availability, as well as lower reworking costs. The machine will remain in the Göppingen plant, where it will be available to customers for blanking tests.

30% lower energy consumption

Overall, the new MSD 250 is about 40% more dynamic than the previous model, and with a reduced connected load. The power consumption in pendular stroke mode is more than 20% lower – in full stroke mode even more than 30% – despite the fact that the new development no longer has an energy accumulator. But it is no longer needed. In the optimum case, the machine only uses 6 watt hours instead of 7, and in contrast to the previous situation, the energy requirement in each press stroke declines continuously in full-stroke mode until the maximum stroke rate is reached. This is due to the significantly reduced masses in motion. However, the energy accumulator is still available as an option in order to reduce the connected power even more – if that is what's required.

Visitors to the in-house show at Göppingen were offered more than new press technology, however. There were also various exhibition stands providing information about systems for die monitoring and strip spraying, as well as die change concepts and the offer of training courses and consulting. "We regard ourselves as a system supplier, and we do not leave our customers in the lurch after they have purchased a press," emphasizes the Head of Sales, Oliver Beisel. "Just as we work together with customers in advance to calculate the press force and use of material, as well as for qualifying employees, we also work intensively with them afterwards to identify additional possibilities for optimizing the machine." Employee qualification also has a role in the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), he continued.

Convincing price/performance ratio

Thanks to the continuous production line introduced in the Göppingen plant for monoblock servo presses, the new MSD 250 is available within 6 to 8 months. "The price/performance ratio ought to be convincing for many customers," says the Head of Sales, Oliver Beisel. "Apart from that, there is a range of subsidy programs available at national and regional levels as a means of providing effective financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises who wish to purchase a new, energy-efficient machine of this kind. We will be happy to provide more information about this on request."