In order to compete with, and beat, off-shore competition, a manufacturer of agricultural discs and blades contacted Beckwood requesting a non-conventional hydraulic press solution. This manufacturer traditionally removed steel blanks from a preheat furnace, transferred them into a mechanical press to be formed, and then transferred the formed parts into a quenching tank. The goal, when working with Beckwood, was to reduce the number of steps and operator interaction with each part, improving productivity and parts per hour.
Beckwood analyzed the customer’s process and engineered a custom five post, dual ram hydraulic press that allowed the part to be formed and quenched in one sequence. After the part was removed from the preheat furnace, it was loaded into one of the press stations where it was hot-formed and subsequently water quenched while still under pressure. Beckwood provided a water trough around the perimeter of the press bed in order to collect and recirculate the quenching water upon completion of each cycle.
The two independently controlled press rams allow the operator to load a second part while the first part is still being processed, drastically improving productivity. The 5-post design allows the operator to manipulate the parts and transfer them from the furnace to the press to the unload station ergonomically. Additionally, by reducing the press span with multiple posts, the bed height / loading height remain at an optimal level.
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