This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Una navaja multiusos en el mundo de las prensas hidráulicas

The majority of products that use in the day in day out have required of a presses sometime of his manufacture

A multipurpose razor in the world of the hydraulics presses

Editorial Interempresas18/02/2013

Langzauner GmbH Designs and builds presses from 1936. At present it is a pioneering company to international level in the production of presses for the manufacture of esquís. In the Fair Composites Europe of compound materials, Langzauner presented a change of paradigm, only comparable with the change that supposed the hydraulics presses regarding the presses of screw. Using servobombas, have developed recently a presses that constitutes a new standard in precision at the same time that reduces the energetic consumption significantly. B&R as integral provider of compact technology of control, facilitates the development and setting to the manufacturer at the same time that facilitates to the final user the use of the machine.

Surprisingly, a big number of products that use in the day in day out have required of a sometime determined presses of his manufacture. “This tendency has increased notably from the popularización of the compound materials”, indicates Michael Laufenböck, responsible of marketing of the Austrian company Langzauner, with headquarters in Lambrechten. Founded in 1924, initially centred in the production of saws and lijadoras mechanical, initiating the production of presses in 1936. In his starts the production based in the production of presses of screw focused to the industry of the metallic sheet, but the production of hydraulics presses for compound materials traces back to 1970.”When it treats of presses for the production of skis, are worldwide indisputable leaders” explains Laufenböck proudly. “During the two last decades, also have manufactured components for the aerospace industry and automotriz”.

Langzauner Trusted the platform of development of B&R Automation Studio with which could implement all the tasks related with the control, including the hydraulics, in record time.

Improvement of the technology for a greater flexibility

At the same time that they do not realise big quantities of production, the providers owe however be able to react of simple and fast form to changes of the requests. Incidentally, the exigencias of precision are extraordinarily high, no only for the components of the machine, also for each one of the steps to realise during the production. “This was reflected in the specifications of the machine, especially in the hydraulics appearances” comments Gerhard Mayrhofer, the boss of Engineering Mecatrónica. “The control of the machine was a central appearance from the start of the development since some current requests are almost impossible to achieve using a hydraulics controller separated of the machine”.

A key point during the development of the new series produced in the moment that decided not employing the conventional solution, that goes through the use of proportional valves in the hydraulics module. “The traditional method is ineficiente since the bomb works to full power of constant form, besides includes elements of control very complex” indicates Mayrhofer “Besides the valves of proportional control are not cheap and are far to be free of maintenance”. Instead of accepting these disadvantages, decided give the jump to the servobomba, that is composed internally by a compressesor of gear and a servo engine that provides the just quantity of necessary pressesure in each moment. “Now all the valves that use are free of maintenance and have an excellent relation cost-effectiveness”. This brings advantages associated: “No longer it is necessary an extra controller for the hydraulics circuit, since all the opening tasks and closing of the valves can be controlled electrically. Incidentally it exists a reduction of the energetic consumption of 70% and as well as of the level of noise, that now hardly is perceivable”.

The Austrian signature has developed, using servobombas, a presses that constitutes a new standard in precision at the same time that reduces the energetic consumption significantly.

Developments faster by means of the use of bookshops

The first machine of this generation is what could call a machine-laboratory. Unlike the majority of the machines of production, specified for a variety of applications reduced, practically all the parameters and functionalities of this machine can be configured individually, from the pressesure, the speed of closing to the temperature and length of the warming. The presses-laboratory is the first of this available type in the market and is able to handle all the types of technicians including RTM, preimpregnado and moldeo by injection. All this does that the requests of the controller and at the same time the flexibility of operation are very high. “The true challenge presented in the algorithms of necessary control” explains Mayrhofer. “It is in this point in which the platform of development of B&R called Automation Studio, really helped us. We were able to implement all the tasks related with the control, including the hydraulics, in record time thanks to his bookshops of software”. It was this philosophy the one who allowed to Langzauner finalise it machine in 7 months splitting of a state of initial development.

Maximum priority: ease for the user

The technicians of Langzauner were able to use the different capacities offered by the software to renew entirely the interface with the user and like this offer more options. In the happened the system only was able to define and save parameters. Now they are able to show the different parameters of each program being predefinidos by each module, using for this menus desplegables, in addition to being able to save them for with hindsight use them. Until 1000 programs can be saved in format CSV in the card by heart no volatile, in addition to being able to use a memory USB.

Langzauner Is leading regarding the manufacture of presses for the production of skis and, in the two last decades, also have manufactured components for the aerospace industry and automotriz.

Deleted unnecessary hardware

The hardware is very simple: the tasks of control are handled mainly by a Power Signpost PP480 with a tactile screen of 15 inches, in addition to being the manager to save the data of operation in files CSV, a function that previously required the use of a separate computer.

“Finally, the software and conjoint hardware of B&R has allowed us develop this multipurpose hydraulics presses in a time record” affirms Laufenböck. “The fact that Automation Studio offer all the necessary bookshops for the control of the servobomba, has allowed to reduce the time of development considerably” adds Mayrhofer.