Press

More efficiency in production and assembly due to individual complete solutions based on standard components, sub-systems, and adapted process tools out of the TOX-Product programme.

From standardized components to sub- and complete systems for rational production and assembly – this has always been the philosophy of the technology enterprise TOX PRESSOTECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG, situated in 88250 Weingarten, South Germany. Thanks to this customer oriented view the enterprise has, within only 30 years, become a favoured partner of the producing industries. Unlike other enterprises, TOX is in the position to offer to users not only technologies but also the necessary tool systems and drive techniques for generating the required forces for pressing and machining. Furthermore, available basic appliances like presses, C-frames, tongs and machine frames, controls are including software, and last not least pressing and process monitoring systems including software. In this manner one can obtain a complete package from one supplier of detail and system solutions for machining, forming and joining tasks on industrial and automotive sheet metal parts or even car bodies. But also the availability of standard components in stock results in a considerable reduction of expenditures for design, procurement, assembly and sacrifice of time due to the fact that sub-systems or complete solutions can be realized within a relatively short time. The competency regarding process and system solutions mainly refers to the joining of metal sheets by clinching, joining and pressing during assembly, to the piercing of holes and sections, the punching and setting of rivets and nuts, the manufacturing of beads and stiffenings by coining, fixing and clamping of sheet-metal parts for welding/joining, to forming and bending, and finally compressing and pressing-in operations.

Optimal process and system solutions using standardized machine components

Not least, the said competency for system solutions comprises also the full supporting of the user from consultation to realization and commissioning, service and spare part supply. This has also convinced the responsible engineers from the Automotive Technology Partner ZF Sachs AG in 97424 Schweinfurt, Germany, when the equipment for part production and the assembly of structural components for dampers for passenger vehicles for a renowned German automobile manufacturer was at stake. ZF Sachs AG developed a multi-stage process for the production of damper components and the mounting of subassemblies, comprising, among others, the operation „tapering of the outside diameter of the damper pipe for the front-wheel suspension by cold-working“, followed by „Pressing a fork in the shock absorber pipe for the front axle and/or pressing a lid in the shock absorber pipe for the rear axle“. The final operation was the „Piercing of holes for the welding of connection pieces in prefabricated shock absorber pipes“. These tasks are quite similar and therefore the application engineers from TOX, in consensus with the production technique engineers from ZF Sachs AG, decided to use almost identical basic machines and standard components from the comprehensive TOX-Product programme for the three ZF production plants. The example „Pressing a fork and/or a lid...“ demonstrates how easy and quick a perfectly adapted “Special machine“ for two similar but nevertheless different applications is composed from the TOX-construction kit. The pressing machine is based on the TOX-2-column press, type MB, distinguished by a solid 2-column / 2-plate construction for high loads and by very compact dimensions.

Any adaption required? No problem, always feasible!

In deviation from the standard type, ZF Sachs AG required an installation height enlarged to 850 mm for different tools and additional adaptations as, e.g., T-grooves in the base plate, a 2-column ram with T-groove and ram protection, a pneumatic locking cylinder for a swivel arm, and an additional pneumatic connection. The realization of all these requirements was possible without any problems. As drive, a pneumohydraulic cylinder TOX-Powerpackage, type S 4, with a total stroke of 90 mm, a powerstroke of 12 mm and a pressforce of 38 kN max. (at 6 bar air pressure) was chosen. The drive cylinder is equipped with integrated stroke position monitoring and hydraulic end position damping for saving tool and machine. An electric 1-hand control connected to a pneumatic protective door is employed for operation and control. The press, switch cabinet and the control units are installed in and mounted to a universal base frame UUM. The base frame is also provided with a four-sided macrolon shielding with pneumatic sliding door. Here an additional deposit place for NIO parts has been mounted to the back of the base frame. The volume of supply included also the TOX-Pressing tools for pressing the fork into the pipe and/or for pressing the lid or the container bottom on the pipe. For a simple, quick and safe handling of the “pipe” when manually fed to the two tools, a swivelling holding arbor has been installed for each tool. This holding arbor can be located in position by the above mentioned pneumatic locking cylinder. A complete mounting of the tool systems at TOX Weingarten took place for testing the pressing machine with original parts. Thereafter the pressing machine and the two tools were sent to ZF Sachs, where, like the two other machines for tapering and piercing, the systems being ready for service were installed and immediately used.