LINK Systems System 1100 Tonnage Monitor - Manual (Page 7)

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Link's System 1100 Tonnage Monitors are a family of microprocessor-
based instruments that can determine, display, and compare
developed forces with preset limits for a variety of machines -
mechanical power presses, press brakes, powdered metal presses,
forging presses, die cast machines, injection molding machines,
cold headers, and similar machines - that use large forces in
production processes. System 1100 Tonnage Monitors are simple, for
ease of use in everyday production, yet sophisticated enough to be
used as analytical instruments by press and tooling engineers.
These instruments can help:
# PROTECT MACHINES from excessive bearing wear and broken frames
and load transmission components. Properly applied and used
System 1100 Tonnage Monitors provide setup personnel with
information about total and distributed machine loads (both
forward and reverse loads can be displayed). By operating
machines within capacity with a properly distributed load,
short term catastrophic machine damage due to overload or
maldistributed load, and long term fatigue of machine parts,
and wear of bearing surfaces can be reduced. The monitoring
capability of the System 1100 will help prevent continuing
overloads by stopping the machine if tonnage exceeds preset
limits during a machine cycle.
# PROTECT DIES or other tooling from production process
malfunctions that don't damage the tooling due to one out of
tolerance stroke (several bad strokes may occur on high speed
machines that can't stop in one stroke).
#
ASSESS TOOLING WEAR of shear surfaces on blanking, piercing,
and trimming operations. Early indication of tooling wear can
help schedule tool repair and extend tooling life by reducing
the severity of wear before sharpening is indicated.
#
CONTROL PART QUALITY by providing the load information
necessary for consistent tooling and machine setup. Out of
limit hits will stop the production process, allowing
corrections before large numbers of scrap parts are generated.
#
CONSERVE ENERGY by using only the tonnage necessary to make a
part. A few thousandths of shut-height misadjustment can mean
tens of tons of unnecessary force in coining and forming
operations on larger presses. Every excess ton of force takes
energy out of the drive system with resultant increased
Section 1. Introduction