| Innovative clinch system for series production
RIVCLINCH® ARC-E developed by Böllhoff Systemtechnik (Bielefeld) is a new, flexible clinch system for series production. Distinctive features of this new generation include an electric drive, on-line process monitoring, modularity and the use of the latest industrial standards such as IPC control and bus interfaces. As with all Böllhof products, RIVCLINCH® ARC-E is designed for maximum flexibility, making it suitable for a wide range of requirements and all forms of series production. It is particularly suitable for applications in the automotive and domestic appliance industries.
Seam jointing systems are used wherever positive, cold-formed joints between multiple layers of sheet metal or profile are required. Using a punch and die combination, a press-stud-like joint is formed without the use of any additional jointing components. With the new generation of clinch systems, Böllhoff is aiming at automated manufacturing systems in applications where efficiency, speed, quality and process reliability are priorities.
The core feature of the innovation is a completely new type of electric drive ensuring especially high flexibility in day-to-day operation. Open bus interfaces make for ease of integration in automated processes. Installation and setting up times thus remain short. The electronic process control controlling force and stroke is extremely precise. The fully electrical drive system has numerous advantages in comparison with hydraulically driven units. No hydraulic oil is required so the system is very environment-friendly in operation. Electrical cables are much easier than hydraulic hoses to lay along robot arms.
The RIVCLINCH® ARC-E overcomes the drawbacks of conventional units driven by hydraulic cylinders. The electric positioning drive opens up new dimensions in process reliability and quality. The residual bottom thickness, an important quality factor, can be electrically adjusted for each individual clinch point and freely altered between two points with separate definitions stored in the system.
In designing RIVCLINCH® ARC-E, Böllhoff has given high priority to the monitoring of parameters that are critical to product quality. For this purpose, reference curves calculated for different types of material are stored in the system and are used as the envelope curves for monitoring. On-line, the actual data of the jointing process are compared with the reference data and all quality parameters are documented.
In the clinching process itself, the electric drive provides a full stroke of 100 mm and a clinching force of 60 kN. The high end point force is developed by applying the toggle lever principle. For clinching, the well-proven three-part die is used, which allows the material to flow sideways. The result is a flat clinch head and high flexibility in the clinching of various sheet thicknesses with a single tool set. In addition, there is no possibility of the material remaining trapped in the die after clinching. The production process flows smoothly; the more so as, with RIVCLINCH® ARC-E, the jointing process itself is completed in about one second.
Being a "plug and play" solution with open bus interfaces, the system is easy to incorporate in the production process. A modular design ensures that the system can be extended. The C-frame developed for the system by Böllhoff is designed to be universal. In its standard version it covers about 95% of all applications. Special versions built to individual specifications are also available.
In order to make the entry into the RIVCLINCH® ARC-E world as convenient as possible for the user, Böllhoff has designed the system control interface to match the RIVSET® punch rivet system that is already successfully established on the market. The user is thus faced with a familiar Böllhoff system environment. A large 15-inch, touch-screen makes for ease of operation.
The new RIVCLINCH® ARC-E firmly establishes Böllhoff’s name as a leading innovator in jointing and systems technology. The new system is a further addition to Böllhoff’s comprehensive range of seam jointing products.
Responsible:
Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Wandtke, Projectmanager,
Böllhoff Systemtechnik, Archimedesstraße 1-4, 33649 Bielefeld
Tel. +49 (0) 521/44 82-318 , Fax -363, jwandtke@boellhoff.com
Copy requested to:
Böllhoff publicity manager
Wolfgang Sönel
Archimedesstr. 1-4
D-33649 Bielefeld
Text download: RIVCLINCH® ARC-E (Characters including spaces 4,159)
|  | 
Picture 1: The Böllhoff RIVCLINCH® ARC-E -
the clinching system with process monitoring
for series production
Picture 2: The Böllhoff RIVCLINCH® ARC-E
stamping tool - with servomotor and electric
residual bottom thickness adjustment
Picture download:
Picture 1: ARCE (ca. 245 KB)
Picture 2: ARCE detail (ca. 509 KB) |
