Counterbalances

Counterbalance cylinders are often overlooked.  The counterbalance cylinders contribute greatly to the overall life of the machine.  There are (5) basic functions for the counterbalance cylinders

• 1. Hide the vertical lift clearances in the machine.
  2. Counterbalance the weight of the slide assembly and upper die assembly.
  3. Reduce the excessive backlash in the gearing as wear occurs.
  4. Assist the slide adjusting mechanism by lifting the weight of the slide and upper die.
  5. Improves safety by preventing the slide from falling due to a mechanical failure in the connection assemblies.

How often should the counterbalance air pressure be adjusted?  Every time there is a die change as each die weighs a different amount.  How do you adjust the counterbalance cylinders?  There are (2) basic methods;

• 1. Place the slide at the 90 degree position in the stroke, release the brake and adjust the air pressure until the slide dwells at 90 degrees.
  2. Place the press in the continuous mode of operation with a amp meter attached to one of the main motor leads.  Adjust the air pressure while the press is running until you obtain the minimum amperage draw on the meter.

Remember the counterbalance system is critical to increasing the productive life and out put of your machine.
Press Safety is always an important consideration.  All metal stamping presses require a mechanical safety inspection on a periodic basis.  We recommend that annual press inspections be performed on a regular basis with a formal record keeping system.  If you use a formal inspection format you can use it to generate work orders and track the condition of each press thus leading your organization toward predictive maintenance which should be the goal of any great organization.

Jeff Fredline