May 2022 Volume 4

MAINTENANCE

At a minimum, the friction surfaces should be cleaned with brake cleaner to remove any contamination or oil. • Clean, inspect for cracks, deburr, and polish all gear teeth. If the teeth are cracked, it may be possible to weld and peen the cracks and then hand grind the profile back or make a template to fit to. NOTE: Worn gearing is a common problem. As the gear teeth begin to wear, as if the gear mesh is correct the best you can probably do it to deburr the teeth, make sure there is adequate lubrication and continue to run. Understand that as the gear teeth wear, your best course of action may be to order a new set of gears and have them in stock, ready to be installed, so that you can minimize down time. • Prepare for final assembly, install new air seals for the clutch and rebuild the rotary union. • Assemble complete with new keys or locking devices. Always provide new bolts for locking devices prior to installation. Back Shaft and Drive Pinion: • Provide and install new shaft support bearings and seals. • Inspect pinion for cracks and excessive wear as well as proper fit with the back shaft. • Provide and install new keys if necessary. • Set shaft up in lathe, indicate TIR, deburr and polish with emery cloth and oil. Knockout Assemblies (Upper and Lower): • Disassemble, clean, and inspect all components. • If contact surfaces are worn, weld and machine or machine to accept hard plates. • Replace all frame bushings. • Verify lubrication to all points requiring lube. • Assemble complete. Counterbalance Cylinders: • Disassemble, clean, and inspect. • Cylinders-If worn, machine to clean up round and true. • Provide and install new rod bushings. • Set pistons and rods up in lathe and indicate TIR. If worn, NOTE: One of the major reasons that counterbalance cylinders fail is side loading due to the ram having too much clearance in the ram pocket. As the rammoves of the center line of the press it places a side load on the counterbalance rod causing premature failure. Lubrication System: • Money spent on the lubrication system for the press pays the greatest dividends. Having the correct amount of lubricant to the proper points does more to increase the useful life of the machine than any other factor other than proper tonnage monitoring. • Check the pump, lines, blocks, and fittings. • Make sure that you monitor the lubrication block function with cycle switches. machine and polish to clean up round and true. • Provide and install new seals or piston rings. • Assemble complete and test with air for leakage.

Pneumatic System: • Proper air pressure and distribution are critical to the proper operation and cycle life of your press machines. • Eliminate all leaks. • Lubricate valves. • Maintain the regulators and gauges so that you knowwhat your pressures are, and you have the capability to adjust pressures. MainMotor and Flywheel Assembly: • Clean and inspect your machine motors frequently. If there are air filters replace them with frequency to allow for proper air flow to the motor. • Monitor motor temperatures and benchmark information. • Inspect motor mounts to ensure that they are in proper running condition. • Disassemble, clean, and inspect torque limiter system and flywheel. If the flywheel bushing is worn, replace it. If wear plates are worn, replace. Electrical System and Controls: • Is your electrical control in safe operational condition? Are all wires properly connected and shielded from damage? • When you turn the machine on, does it function properly? Are indicator lights and keyed selector switches functional and in good operating condition? • Are light curtains and barrier guards in place? The above working scope can be used as a guide to the items that are necessary to consider when preparing to manage the rebuild of a forging press. Depending on the specific design of your machine slight changes in the working scope may need to be applied. One issue that always plagues any project is cost over runs. Discovery of the all the damage and items requiring repair/replacement is always key to controlling cost over runs. Disassembly, cleaning, inspection of all components for cracks and excessive wear will allow you to understand and justify the rebuilding costs. When you understand the true condition of your machine and components, you can make better decisions regarding the final working scope and cost of your machine rebuild. Jeff Fredline Sales Engineer MECO Email: fredline.jeff@gmail.com

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 22