TUBE 2020 will see the unveiling of AMBA”s (Aachener Maschinenbau GmbH) new cold-forming machines for hollow ends. Thanks to their unique operating principle, these machines are the first to guarantee precise alignment of the hollow ends, while achieving highest throughput rates.
For the transmission of torques, mechanical engineering solutions rely increasingly on hollow sections because they save significantly on weight compared to solid sections, for example, in automotive applications such as shafts for seat back rests or as drive shafts.
In order to ensure a perfect, backlash-free fit of the hollow ends in the receiving mounting part, the hollow ends have to be manufactured with paramount precision. It is critical for the hollow ends to be perfectly aligned in the axial direction in order to preclude any risk of the components being distorted during the assembly process. Until now the hollow ends used to be shaped by machining, or as weldments to achieve the desired shape of the hollow ends. However, with those methods, production rates of up to 60 items per minute were not realistic.
In contrast to this, the new RH 08 synchronous machine from AMBA forms both ends simultaneously. This operating principle ensures that during forming both hollow ends stay perfectly aligned with each other. With a cycle time of approximately one second, the machine achieves an extraordinarily high output. The hollow sections leave the machine ready to be installed, requiring no additional machining.
The first machine of this type – which will be supplied in the spring of 2020 to a component manufacturer for the automotive industry – will be designed with upsetting force of up to 25 t at either end, enabling the machine to process steel and stainless steel hollows with outside diameters of up to 20 mm. The two forming stations arranged in the axial direction of the work piece feature fully automatic, high-precision positioning systems, which allow for hollows in lengths between 450 and 800 mm to be processed on the machine.
Manfred Houben, one of the Managing Directors of AMBA, sees significant cost benefits for the customers: “Cold-forming both hollow ends in one synchronous process guarantees their perfect alignment. And with through-put rates of about 60 pieces per minute we are definitely raising the bar. The machine”s perfect synergy of high precision and high speed enhances the reliability and efficiency of the manufacturing process. At the same time, production costs are dramatically reduced as process steps such as machining or welding – and the related handling – will be eliminated.”
AMBA at TUBE/WIRE 2020:
Düsseldorf, Germany, 30 March – 3 April 2020
Hall 16 / Stand E50