Construction: Four post, column
Molding process: Compression
Capacity: 600 ton hydraulic press
Pressing surface size: 48 x 54 inches
Number of openings: 8
Open daylight: 6 inches each
Platen heating: Steam heated platens
Controls: Allen Bradley PLC with color touch screen
Industry: Rubber
We recently custom designed a 600 ton hydraulic press system for a customer molding foam rubber sheets. The press has eight openings to allow molding of multiple products each cycle.
The large heated press platens, each 48 x 54 inches, were drilled and welded to create a serpentine pattern for steam circulation. Each platen has a thermo-couple and individual steam control valve to control the temperature of each platen, accommodating for losses or increased load.
The hydraulic system consists of a self-contained oil hydraulic unit with a steel constructed reservoir with hydraulic pump combination driven by an energy efficient motor. The pump and motor combination allow fast closing, opening and adjustable press tonnage.
The compression press control system is a microprocessor-based system, designed to improve quality transfer through better processing accuracy, repeatability, versatile process control programming and monitoring of data for analysis. The system is operator-friendly, simple to use and easily utilized to control molding applications. Components of the system include a NEMA-type enclosure with a small operator panel mounted on lift table, an Allen Bradley PLC with a color touchscreen operator interface and various press pushbuttons for operation.
The user-friendly interface screen provides for display and programming of the machine recipe and includes pressure setpoints and overall cure time. The screen displays real time data of all press data points, actual vs. setpoint for time, temperature, and press pressure values throughout the cycle in addition to recipe configuration for pressure parameters used for automatic cycles. Visual alarms detect pressure faults, which the operator can troubleshoot on-screen.
For increased safety measures, light curtains are mounted to the front, operator side of the press.
The press can be supplied with an optional hydraulic lift table with operator controls. The table is designed to lower to floor level and raise up to allow the operator to service the press molds. The top of the table provides an operator platform with rails mounted on sides. An operator safety entrance gate is on the front of the table.
French technicians are available for on-site start-up assistance and training to ensure that customers are able to place their press into production shortly after received in their plant.
For more information on a custom designed hydraulic press for your rubber molding application, please contact our hydraulic press team.
To view other 600 ton hydraulic press designs, visit our tonnage gallery.