Global Manufacturing: Reconfiguration of Machines in Addressing Changing Customer Requirement Scenarios

The dynamics of customer requirements in the global domain are dictating a need for the reconfiguration of existing conventional manufacturing systems in order to adapt and respond to the changing functional requirements. This study presents the investigation of the feasibility of adapting a hydraulic cam system to a power press for uphill sheetmetal piercing. The surface topography of sheared edges of blanks and slugs was analyzed using Zygo New View 200 Scanning White Light Interferometer. The piercing force in each trial was monitored and analyzed via computer-press interface data acquisition system (DAS). The average piercing force, 10721N, obtained was found to be nearly constant throughout the experimental trials.