Assembly processes can often provide a loading and unloading challenge, specifically with parts that vary dramatically in size. This was the case for a leading conveyor manufacturer, who contacted Beckwood looking for a solution to their problem.
Nesting the part within a traditional, vertically-acting press proved to be cumbersome for this manufacturer due to the height requirement of their largest pieces (up to 140” tall). They challenged Beckwood to provide a machine that could easily handle tall and short pieces and would be safe and simple to load and unload between cycles. We engineered and manufactured a custom side-acting 2-post press with 20” of stroke and an adjustable bed in order to solve this customer’s challenge.
Because the press is horizontal acting, the customer no longer has to struggle with manipulating 140”-tall parts into a vertically oriented press. Their hydraulic press solution also features adjustable V-blocks that allow the operator to easily place the parts into the press with an overhead crane or fork lift. The 2-press posts are rotated 30 degrees to further facilitate easy loading.
To ensure parts of varying size could be assembled in the machine, an adjustable bed feature was added. The bed is locked into place via rod clamps that can be released, allowing the press bed to freely move up and down the press posts, adjusting the daylight of the machine. Once the bed is in the correct position the rod clamps lock in place, allowing the press ram to apply force to the bed. This feature allows parts of all sizes to be processed in the machine without adding an unnecessary amount of stroke to the press ram cylinder.
The press has proven to be a game changer for the conveyor manufacturer from both a productivity and safety standpoint.
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