In companies of all sizes, process controlling plays a central role, especially in production. Manufacturers of high-tech components must ensure that their products meet the highest standards in terms of certification or official acceptance and compliance with industry standards. While specialist partner companies are increasingly being commissioned with the production of test systems for reasons of time and cost, the awarding of contracts to third parties must under no circumstances be accompanied by inaccurate test results for compliance with standards or norms. For this reason, manufacturers in the automotive, aviation and electrical industries place the same demands on suppliers as they do on themselves. This domino effect is in turn transferred to the suppliers' suppliers. Trust is an order criterion that should not be underestimated.

The ACE Locked PN product family is suitable for clamping on rods with diameters from 20 mm to 40 mm and offers holding forces from 1,400 N to 36,000 N. © ACE shock absorber

When it came to the interaction between Sonplas and ACE shock absorbers in the application case of a modern test unit for industrial use described here, the leap of faith was justified. This proved to be advantageous, as the Sonplas design engineer, Lukas Sepaintner, was venturing into new territory for him. He explains: "Until now, ACE has mainly supplied us with small shock absorbers and industrial shock absorbers. However, due to the special requirements of a current test unit, these components were out of the question in this case. Since I knew that clamping elements should theoretically solve our problem, and a glance at the homepage was enough to see that ACE carries them, I got in touch directly with Andreas Otto from ACE's product management team. And in the end, our expectations were fully met."

In a test system, the test head is moved by an electric drive and precisely fixed by ACE clamping elements during the 30-second test process. © Sonplast

Clamped test unit as a solution
Sonplas, founded 25 years ago, is a supplier of assembly and testing systems that offers its customers turnkey solutions. Thanks to its in-house research and development department, the company says it is able to meet the latest technical requirements on the market. "We are always happy to rely on ACE products, especially when it comes to decelerating drives. Firstly, they are high-quality, innovative and versatile. Secondly, the service is just as we want it to be: uncomplicated and straightforward. In this new case, we first communicated with ACE by e-mail. It was about supporting the electrical drive of the testing system. This adjusts a test head to a defined dimension," adds Lukas Sepaintner. Once the defined distance has been reached, the servomotor of the drive switches off so that the test head can no longer move. The clamping units are then actuated to ensure that it remains in this position.

These machine elements for rod clamping are just one part of the ACE shock absorber portfolio in the field of safety technology. © ACE shock absorber

Next, the component to be tested is pressurized so that a counterforce of around 5 kN is created. After the test, which lasts around 30 seconds, the pressure is switched off. This also removes the counterforce. The clamping units are then released and the electric drive returns to its home position. The test head itself is guided by two guide carriages. The shafts that run through the clamping units are only used to hold the force. They are attached to the test head with a type of coupling and are therefore dependent on its tolerances. As this test unit is used in all areas supplied by Sonplas and is designed for 120 test procedures per hour, a clamping element was to be found in ACE's portfolio that could not only apply the required forces, but also guarantee at least 1.5 million clamping procedures before replacement. In addition, a clamping weight of 40 kg had to be taken into account. The subsequent design revealed that ACE Locked PN63-20-2-6B clamping elements were ideal for this application. With holding forces of 3,600 N and a holding torque of 35 Nm, they work significantly more effectively at an operating pressure of 6 bar than hydraulic clamping systems, for example, and at lower system costs.

Graphic with clamping units and electric drive, which returns to the home position after the test procedure. © Sonplast

For Sonplas, this not only means the desired effective clamping, but also that the drive of the testing system could be made smaller, which saves space. In this case, only a few weeks passed between the initial contact and the successful implementation. The uncomplicated cooperation between the two suppliers is proving to be profitable for many branches of industry. For Lukas Sepaintner, the trust in ACE has increased once again thanks to the successful pursuit of a new path: "Like us, our customers are also completely satisfied with the entire special design, from the test unit to its clamping elements."
Intec, Hall 3, Stand H63