Recommended Clearances using T-SIM software

Recommended Clearances using T-SIM software

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing specific clearances for simulation and optimization. 

Equipment conditions (transfer slop, gripper air systems, press braking, etc.), controller capabilities, automation, die design, die conditions, new tool vs existing tool, and whether the simulation is being ran by a T-SIM Service Provider or the stamper is doing it themselves, are all things to consider. 

In a perfect world, you would simulate new tooling with higher clearance and then use T-SIM software to reduce the clearance (adjust choke-points to optimize the job) at the press. This allows for the tool to be built with sufficient room to make any adjustments, changes to automation, and even have more flexibility when moving the job to a different press. At the same time, this also allows for a quick launch with safe settings that run smoothly. After that initial launch is complete, there is plenty of room to tighten things up and increase the SPM for full production. 

Since we do not live in a perfect world, we would first look at the equipment conditions and the verification level of the T-SIM press template. If a T-SIM representative has visited you plant and created the T-SIM press template, the press model will be very accurate, and part of our verification process is to identify any slop and recommend specific clearances based on the results. If your company is using T-SIM software internally, your team would follow our same process to create your own T-SIM press models with the same accuracy. 

When optimizing existing tools that are already in production, we do not always have the luxury of optimizing them with the same levels of clearance as a new tool that is not yet built. You can absolutely simulate the job, and report changes required to achieve the desired outcome, but the suggested changes are not always feasible to existing tooling, and sometimes they don't make financial sense. As a general rule of thumb, our service department will optimize existing tools using our recommended clearances and then we will work with the customer to find a satisfactory balance of speed and comfort. We have many customers who use T-SIM to further adjust settings, after our service department already checked and optimized the projects.  They open the project in T-SIM, they see that we are conservative (safe) and then they tighten things up to run a faster stroke rate in production.

If you provided the press data, and T-SIM service department is running the simulations, we recommend using the values below.  These are considered an industry-wide standard: 
20 mm – Fingers to pocket side walls (A)
10 mm – Fingers to pocket back wall (B) 
25 mm – Fingers to Lower die during Clamp In (C) 
50 mm – Fingers to Upper die During Clamp In (D) 
60 mm – Fingers to Upper die during Clamp Out (E) 
25 mm – Fingers to Lower Die during Pitch Forward (F)
25 mm – Fingers to Upper die during Pitch Return (G) 
5-8 mm – Clamp In – Lift Up Overlap (H) 
7-10 mm – Lift Down – Clamp Out Overlap (I) 

Fingers are the grippers, shovels, or support rods used to transfer the parts / panels station to station.

Specific Clearance Definitions

·       Finger Side Clearance (A)

o   Fingers to pocket side walls. Clearance required by the customer on the sides of the fingers to lower die components.

o   We typically suggest a minimum of 20mm clearance to sidewalls during Clamp-In and Clamp-Out motions. This helps ensure the automation will not crash if a finger is initially set incorrectly or adjusted during production.  This also makes it easier to adjust and maintain the fingers because the final locations are not as critical.

·       Finger Tip Clearance (B)

o   Fingers to pocket back wall. Clearance required by the customer from the tip of the fingers, at clamp-in-stop, in towards the centerline of the die.

o   We typically suggest a minimum of 10mm clearance to the back wall of a pocket at pick up and drop off of panels. **If blank size is regularly reduced, consider making this clearance a higher number, so the finger can move in as the edge of the panel moves in during blank size reduction (material cost savings).

·       Finger Under Clearance (C)

o   Fingers to Lower die components during Clamp-In and Clamp-Out. Clearance required by the customer on the bottom of the finger (underneath it).

o   We typically suggest a minimum of 25mm clearance under the fingers and EOAT during clamp in and clamp out motions. If there is overlap between clamp and lift, fingers actually enter and exit die space lower in Z height and then ramp up / radius up under the parts before closing.

o   We have example videos showing this in motion for explanation purposes to be included with CAR reports, if needed.

·       Upper Clamp-In Clearance (D)

o   Fingers to Upper die During Clamp-In. Clearance required by the customer between the fingers and the upper die components during Clamp-In motion.

o   We typically suggest a minimum of 50mm clearance between end of arm tooling and the upper die tooling during Clamp-In as the press is opening.

·       Upper Clamp-Out Clearance (E)

o   Fingers to Upper die during Clamp-Out. Clearance required by the customer between the fingers and the upper die components during Clamp-Out motion.

o   We typically suggest a minimum of 60mm clearance between end of arm tooling and the upper die tooling during Clamp-Out as the press is closing.

·       Lower Clearance during Pitch-Forward (F)

o   Lower die clearance during Pitch-Forward. Clearance required by the customer between the fingers and the lower die components during Pitch-Forward motion.

o   We typically suggest a minimum of 25mm clearance between end of arm tooling and the lower die tooling during the Pitch-Forward motion.

·       Pitch-Return Clearance (G)

o   Die clearance during Pitch-Return. Clearance required by the customer between the fingers and all die components during the Pitch-Return motion. We typically suggest a minimum of 25mm clearance between end of arm tooling and all the upper and lower die tooling during the Pitch-Return motion,

 

Clearances – Overlap

·       When determining clearance below a finger please note that the transfer recipe may have overlap between the clamp and lift motions. This will require the finger be positioned further below the panel (closer to bolster) than what it shows at clamp in stop (H). To maintain minimum required clearance below grippers (C) make pockets below gripper / shovels a minimum of (C +H) wherever possible. Doing this will also compensate for (I) Lift-Down to Clamp-Out Overlap.

·       Clamp-In to Lift-up Overlap (H)

o   Clamp In – Lift Up Overlap. The amount of overlap allowed during Clamp-In and Lift-Up motion.

o   We typically suggest 5-8 mm of clearance for Clamp-in and Lift-Up.

o   *Not all controllers are capable of clamp-in to lift-up overlap.

·       Lift-Down to Clamp-Out Overlap (I)

o   After the panel is dropped-off, this is the distance the fingers will continue to move down in Z height (towards the bolster) after setting the panels in the next station. Adding overlap in this portion of the cycle can significantly increase resulting SPM.

o   We typically suggest 7-10 mm of clearance for Lift-Down to Clamp-Out. 




More Clearance - Give me some extra room!

Choose this option if your equipment is older and has some wear. This option typically results in more design changes and a slower SPM at launch, but it provides ample levels of clearance to account for any equipment issues. This is also a good option if you are considering future press changes or would like a more drastic SPM improvement later on.
25 mm – Fingers to pocket side walls (A)
10 mm – Fingers to pocket back wall (B) 
30 mm – Fingers to Lower die during Clamp In (C) 
100 mm – Fingers to Upper die During Clamp In (D) 
100 mm – Fingers to Upper die during Clamp Out (E) 
30 mm – Fingers to Lower Die during Pitch Forward (F)
30 mm – Fingers to Upper die during Pitch Return (G) 
5-8 mm – Clamp In – Lift Up Overlap (H) 
7-10 mm – Lift Down – Clamp Out Overlap (I) 

Less Clearance - Let’s scrape some paint!

This option is only recommended for new tooling, to run in an excellent-condition press and transfer system, and plan on running the job in the same press for its lifetime. Using less clearance when optimizing existing tools is ideal, but with new tooling it does have more risks and provides less flexibility to make changes in production. 
12 mm – Fingers to pocket side walls (A)
6 mm – Fingers to pocket back wall (B) 
12 mm – Fingers to Lower die during Clamp In (C) 
25 mm – Fingers to Upper die During Clamp In (D) 
40 mm – Fingers to Upper die during Clamp Out (E) 
20 mm – Fingers to Lower Die during Pitch Forward (F)
20 mm – Fingers to Upper die during Pitch Return (G) 
5-8 mm – Clamp In – Lift Up Overlap (H) 
7-10 mm – Lift Down – Clamp Out Overlap (I) 





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