VIEWPOINTS INDUSTRY LEADER OPINION & ANALYSIS Flipping the Switch on E-Powered Machine Tools v
been trending in that direction for quite some time. The concept is quite signifi cant because nearly every machine tool has a hydraulic system and would therefore benefi t from the switch to e-powered components. Consider, for instance, a typical hydraulic system that opens and closes chuck jaws on a turning center. Such a system typi- cally consumes over 14,000 kWh of energy per year. Replac- ing those hydraulics with e-powered components slashes that consumption down to under only 1000 kWh annually. That is a potential 90% or more reduction in energy consumption for every machine tool. Think of the savings for a manufacturer with 50 or even 20 machines.
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Beyond the energy savings, e-powered systems can signifi - cantly impact overall part processing cycle times as well. For example, to achieve a clamp-and-release stroke of 10 mm, a hydraulic system takes around 1.3 seconds on average, while an e-powered system does it in .9 seconds.
So for a 100-second overall part cycle time application,
e-powered turning machine chuck actuation would equate to a combined benefi t of a 60-second drop in cycle time along with a yearly production and energy savings of 48 hours per year. One must admit that these are truly amazing results. The concept of replacing hydraulics with electrics is nothing
new. Several machine tool builders began to examine the pos- sibilities as far back as the mid-1990s. However, most builders deemed the systems as unsafe because they were unable to lock into position in the event of a power outage. Plus, the mo- tor technology at the time did not allow an electrically powered system to provide the adequate clamping force equal to that of hydraulics. But since then, great strides have been achieved in both integrated position-locking mechanisms and electric motor technology. Today’s e-powered systems are completely safe and securely lock into position. Once a workpiece is clamped, the system locks and remains that way—with or without power—until it is activated. And, thanks to advanced electric motor technology,
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AdvancedManufacturing.org | October 2015
ery few, if any, US manufacturers have embraced the idea of hydraulic-free, electrically powered (e-powered) machines—even though many European factories have
current e-powered systems are intelligent, faster actuating and quieter. They also allow for more compact designs and are easier to maintain than hydraulics. With hydraulics, there are basically two positions—opened and closed. E-powered systems, on the other hand, can move to and stop at exact positions anywhere along the length of their travels. These movements are programmable and mea- surable. This means that the fi ngers on an e-powered robot end-of-arm gripper, for instance, could not only open and close precise desired amounts, but could also measure the work- pieces they transport.
The reasons to consider replacing hydraulic systems with electrically powered systems continues to grow.
To maintain pressure for any on-demand power/actuation, hydraulic systems must run continuously. The complete opposite is true with e-powered systems that turn on/actuate only when needed and do so instantaneously. In addition to reacting faster than hydraulics, e-powered sys- tems eliminate the need for hydraulic pumps and the heat they generate. This heat often transfers into the machine tool where it can negatively impact workpiece tolerances. E-powered systems also allow for much more compact machine design Hydraulically powered spring-type drawbar systems on milling machines, for instance, can be three times longer as compared with an e-powered drawbar system. This shorter system allows builders to then produce shorter, very compact spindles that are especially benefi cial in fi ve-axis ma- chine applications. The spindle head is more agile and ensures interference-free movement around workpieces. As one of the early developers of e-powered systems, RÖHM
has long recognized their benefi ts and value. In fact, the com- pany has been incorporating the e-powered systems it manu- factures to replace hydraulics in its own manufacturing facility for the past fi ve years. And, RÖHM continues to move toward completely hydraulic-free manufacturing equipment.
Matthew Mayer CEO
RÖHM Products of America
www.rohm.com
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