Two-ply sheet metal with embossed dome and punching.

On the one hand, the spherical caps act as a kind of pre-centring to make assembly easier, and on the other hand, these indentations ensure that the fastening screws do not protrude and form no or only small interfering edges. Strictly speaking, dome embossing is a combination of the two processes of punching and forming/embossing, in that the fastening holes are punched out first and then the recesses are formed. Consequently, tools (punches and dies) and mechanical devices with press drives are required for this. Ideally, the two processes of punching and forming are combined in one tool, as this saves one work step and the spherical stamping is perfectly aligned with the hole.

This is where Tox Pressotechnik comes into play. The technology company's product and service portfolio includes technologies and processes for mechanical sheet metal processing as well as the mechanical engineering equipment and drive technology for the realization of the respective production facilities. Punching, forming, joining sheet metal and the tools for this on the one hand, presses, C-clamps, robot and machine tongs including control systems and software or defined interfaces on the other.

Calotte embossing solutions from the modular system

This makes Tox Pressotechnik one of the few companies capable of supplying customized and cost-effective system solutions for punching and dome embossing from the standard modular system. One example of these system solutions is the development, construction and delivery of two gripper systems with which triple domes can be embossed on the left or right sliding loading compartment doors of a van. The great advantage here is that with just one working stroke, two sheets are first punched and fixed in three positions and then three domes with the geometry D = 6.3 mm × 90° are embossed.

Subsystem without interface problems

The two Tox SMB punching tongs are designed and set up as individual stations and are based on C-clamps with a larger, i.e. adapted throat depth and for press forces up to a maximum of 300 kN. A pneumohydraulic cylinder of type Tox power pack X-S 030 is used as the drive. The tool consists of three combined punching and forming punches as well as three punching and forming dies, a linear guide system for the tool system and a hold-down device. The scope of delivery also includes monitoring sensors for top and bottom dead center (TDC/UT), an adapter plate for mounting the punching tongs on stands or consoles provided by the customer. There is also a free-moving slide on the back of the C-frame with a 10 mm stroke, which is driven by a pneumatic cylinder, and finally the STE external pulse control for controlling the complete punching system and as an interface for the system control.

Tox Pressotechnik supplied the tongs for combined and simultaneous punching and embossing of three spherical caps each as workstations ready for direct docking. The customer therefore received a complete service and did not have to worry about the interfaces - neither the punching and embossing technology nor the machine and tool construction. am