VIBRATION SEVERITY MONITOR TO CONTROL PRESS OPERATING SHUTHEIGHT AND PROCESS OPERATING CONDITIONS

• US 20110154999A1
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Minster Machine Company (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Minster Machine Company (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Schoch, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 100/257
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 9/20 Control devices specially adapted to forging presses not restricted to one of the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/0041 Control arrangements therefor

Abstract

A system monitors vibration activity in a press machine environment and generates a signal indicative of vibration level severity. An accelerometer can provide measured peak acceleration data that serves as an indication of vibration level. The vibration measurement, is compared to a reference vibration level that corresponds to a run condition of desired operating parameters. A controller controls the press machine shutheight in accordance with the differential expressed in the comparison result. The consequent shutheight adjustment effects a change in the vibration activity that acts as a correction to the deviation in vibration behavior expressed by the differential.

Claims

1. A method for use in association with a press machine to adjust the press machine shutheight, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a reference signal;

running the press machine in an operation;

providing a performance indicia signal indicative of a performance aspect of the press machine operation;

comparing the performance indicia signal to the reference signal and generating a comparison signal representative thereof; and

controlling the press shutheight using the comparison signal

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the reference signal is indicative of a desired vibration severity level; and

the performance indicia signal is indicative of a vibration severity level measurement taken from the running press machine.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the vibration severity level measurement includes at least one of peak acceleration level data, vibration signature data, force severity data, and force signature data.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling step being performed while the machine is running.

5. A method for use in association with a press machine to adjust the press machine shutheight, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a reference signal;

running the press machine in an operation;

providing a performance indicia signal indicative of a performance aspect of the press machine operation;

comparing the performance indicia signal to the reference signal and generating a comparison signal representative thereof; and

evaluating the comparison signal.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the evaluating step further includes the step of:

adjusting the press shutheight using the comparison signal if the comparison signal fails to satisfy an acceptability criteria.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the comparison signal indicates a differential between the performance indicia signal and the reference signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein;

the reference signal is indicative of a desired vibration severity level; and

the performance indicia signal is indicative of a vibration severity level measurement taken from the running press machine.

9. A method for use in association with a press machine to adjust the press machine shutheight, the press machine including a shutheight adjustment system having a control input, the shutheight adjustment system being configured to control the press machine shutheight in accordance with input received at the control input thereof, said method comprising the steps of

(i) providing a reference signal;

(ii) running the press machine in an operation;

(iii) providing a performance indicia signal indicative of a performance aspect of the press machine operation;

(iv) comparing the performance indicia signal to the reference signal and generating a comparison signal representative thereof;

(v) generating a control signal representative of the comparison signal;

(vi) providing the control signal to the shutheight adjustment system at the control, input thereof; and

(vii) iteratively repeating steps (iii)-(vi).

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein;

the reference signal is indicative of a desired vibration severity level; and

the performance indicia signal is indicative of a vibration severity level measurement taken from the running press machine.

11. A method for use in association with a press machine to adjust the press machine shutheight, comprising the steps of:

providing a reference signal;

providing a vibration signal indicative of vibration activity in the press machine;

comparing the vibration signal to the reference signal; and

controlling the press shutheight using the comparison result.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further includes the step of:

iteratively repeating the providing a vibration signal step, the comparing step, and the controlling step.

13. An apparatus for use with a press machine, comprising:

a press machine shutheight adjustment system including a controller; and

a press machine vibration severity monitor operatively coupled to the controller.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the press machine vibration severity monitor includes:

a vibration severity level measurement signal generator;

a reference vibration severity level signal generator; and

a comparator operatively coupled to the vibration severity level measurement signal generator and the reference vibration severity level signal generator.

15. A system for use with a press machine, comprising:

means for providing a reference signal;

means for providing a performance indicia signal indicative of a performance aspect of the press machine operation;

means for comparing the performance indicia signal to the reference signal; and

means for controlling the press shutheight using the comparison result.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for providing a performance indicia signal includes at least one of an accelerometer, a force sensor, and a vibration sensor.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for providing a performance indicia signal includes a means for determining vibration activity.

18. A system for use with a press machine, comprising:

means for providing a reference signal;

means for providing a vibration signal indicative of vibration activity in the press machine;

means for comparing the vibration signal to the reference signal; and

means for controlling the press shutheight using the comparison result.