February 2024 Volume 6

MAINTENANCE

Is It Time To Upgrade Your Forging Press Through a Clutch/Brake Conversion? By Jeff Fredline

Many of the forging presses that are still in use in the industry today, such as Ajax, National Machinery, Eumuco and other presses and upsetting machines, are equipped with their original OEM clutch and brake mechanism. They have been serviceable for many years; other parts are becoming more difficult to obtain and costly as well. There are now several different options available for consideration for conversion to a State-of-the-Art drive. Most of the clutch brakes on the older machinery have been pneumatically actuated. Conversion clutches and brakes are available in both hydraulic and pneumatic designs. There are several manufacturers of clutches and brakes available in the market. Two of the most popular are Goizper and Ortlinghaus. Others are also in the market, such as OMPI and Desch. The source of most of the information in this article is Goizper, which is manufactured in Spain and distributed in the USA by Torque Technologies Inc. located in Bradenton, FL. Dependent on the current design, a replacement clutch/brake system can be installed on most machines requiring limited modifications to the current design. Clutch/brakes are designed in both reaction pin design and (12) point mounting systems. Also, important in some installations is the option for “soft clutch and brake circuitry” to extend the life of the clutch/brake installation. Conversions can be done using a pneumatic or hydraulic unit. To obtain the best outcome, it is generally advisable to consider a hydraulic clutch brake installation which offers improved performance and serviceable life of the clutch/brake. The torque capability of the clutch and brake can be adjusted to the specific machine requirements by adding or reducing spring pressure and the number of drive plates with the clutch/brake. As it relates to the Goizper clutch/brake line of products, conversions can be completed without drilling the shaft. Depending on the assembly, the clutch/brake can be installed using a Locking Ring (Taper-Lock) such as Ringfeder or Bikon. They can also be installed using keyways on the end of the shaft in the hub of the clutch/ brake and keys. The clutch/brake can be mounted on the end of the driveshaft or inboard of the flywheel between the frame of the press and the flywheel. Obtaining the correct clutch/brake assembly for a conversion is less about the manufacturer of the clutch/brake and much more about the correct sizing of the unit to meeting the torque requirements for the machine on both the clutch and brake sides. Hydraulic clutch brake systems are commonly used on mechanical presses and shearing machines. Due to the cooling features, they can offer higher strokes per minute with more accurate stopping and starting angles. Other benefits include noise reduction, lower inertia, power

savings and reduced maintenance requirements. The Goizper hydraulic clutch/brake are normally designed to operate a 60 bar or approximately 870 PSI normal pressure in the drive circuit and with the forced lubrication system if no other specifications are required. Lubrication is part of the hydraulic clutch/brake function. Cooling oil runs continuously through the filters, piping, rotary seals, clutch/brake unit and the heat exchanger. The capacity of the hydraulic system for the clutch/brake must be at least 15% higher than the generated heat of the clutch/brake assembly. During normal operation, the discs of the clutch/brake shall not exceed 158 degrees F. and the maximum temperature in the hydraulic tanks shall not be higher than 149 degrees F. Goizper offers a monitoring system for your clutch/brake condition. Smart G offers Cloud Based Predictive Maintenance Monitoring. Never has it been more important to be able to monitor the condition of your manufacturing equipment than now. Smart G monitors; slipping, pressure, clutching and braking, vibration, and oil quality providing you with predictive maintenance alerts, feedback, and diagnosis capability.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2024 28