“Flexline Industry 4.0-ready”, ROEMHELD’s new rapid-clamping system for presses and punches, meets with lively customer interest. Many press operators like the fact that their systems can be digitized and networked with little effort, says Andreas Reich, product area manager for die and mould clamping technology at the clamping technology specialist. The innovation is also easy to operate, inexpensive to purchase and easy to retrofit, adds the set-up time expert: “The benefits of technology can thus be easily experienced.”

Flexline I 4.0-ready clamps the upper die on the press ram. It is designed for use in automated clamping systems and industrial 4.0 applications. There it enables predictive maintenance and thus helps to stabilise the production process and avoid downtimes.

Early detection of problems

Unusual clamping and stripping forces, overloads or signs of wear can be quickly detected by continuous monitoring of the clamping point and the production process. The continuous log of the clamping force curve also facilitates rapid error analysis when servicing is required and helps to solve problems quickly.

With Flexline I 4.0-ready, various integrated sensors measure the clamping forces in real time and transmit the data via an interface – for example, IO-link – to the press control. As an alternative, ROEMHELD supplies an evaluation software that graphically displays the condition of the die clamping. Remote maintenance is also possible. 

An additional sensor system helps to determine the degree of contamination of the pressure medium and to take suitable maintenance measures to prevent the clamping element’s failure.

Flexline I 4.0-ready has a modular design and can be mounted in the clamping edge as well as in the clamping slot. With its double piston, a clamping stroke of 19 mm and a travel speed of up to 150 mm/s, it is suitable for many applications. Numerous configuration options make Flexline I 4.0-ready applicable for almost any type of press and almost all dies. It is designed for both initial installation and retrofitting and is suitable for use in the automation of press lines. 

Andreas Reich expects that industry 4.0-compatible clamping systems such as Flexline I 4.0-ready will be the future: “Besides positioning and clamping, the elements can control additional functions in the die or mould and supply the condition monitoring with actual data - in view of increasingly complex forming processes.”

Complete solutions for set-up time optimisation 

According to the ROEMHELD expert, the networkable clamping systems also meet the requirements of increased automation around the press. He says that more and more press operators see the need for set-up time optimisation and want complete solutions: “The demand for complete solutions for rapid-clamping systems, roller bars and carrying consoles will continue to rise.” 

With its extensive portfolio of die clamping technology, the set-up time optimiser ROEMHELD solves almost every clamping task in sheet metal forming, plastics and rubber processing. The magnetic, hydraulic and electro-mechanical clamping systems are versatile and contribute to making processes in single and series production of nearly all industries more efficient and economical. Products for die change such as die changing cart, roller bars and driven carrying consoles complete the product range.