_•

ELSEVIER J. Mater. Process. Tcchnol. 44 (1994) 293-299

Journal of
Materials
Processing
Technology

A new concept for the measurement of press stiffness

K. Chodnikiewicz °, R. Balendra b, T. Wanheim °

a Warsaw University of Technology, ul.Narbutta 85, 02-524 Warsaw, Poland

b University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ, United Kingdom

c Technical University of Denmark, Building 425, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark

1. I N T R O D U C T I O N

The elasticity of the metal-forming press influences the accuracy of the product, numerous
experiments have been carried out, to-date, to develop measures of the press elasticity. The
German Standard DIN 55 189 introduced [1]:
- the linear stiffness of the press in the direction of the main axis of the press (the Z-axis)

Czz = AFz/Az (1)

- the angular stiffness about the "left-right" axis (X-axis)

Cg g = AFz. Lv/AA (2)

- the angular stiffness about the "front-rear" axis (Y-axis)

CBB = AFz. Lx/AB (3)

in which:
- AFx is the increment of vertical force,
- Az denotes the vertical elastic deflection of the press,
- L x and Ly are distances from the centre of the press table to the point of application of the
force F z along the X- and Y-axis respectively and
- AA and AB denote the angular deflections about the X- and Y-axis respectively.
It is worth noting, that the vertical stiffness has been defined for stroke-restricted presses only.
Knowing Czz , it is easy to calculate Az for the other value o f A F z. However, in equations (2)
and (3) moments are involved. The location of the force F z changes the value of the moment.
Thus, if the angular stiffnesses CAA and CBB are known, the angles AA and AB may be
calculated for other values o f L x and Ly only if it is assumed that the elastic deflections of the
press table and the press ram are negligible.
In equations (1) to (3), the vertical component of the forming force has been considered.
However, in some metal-forming processes, the lateral components of the forming force are
significant; this is the case during the forging of turbine blades.

0924-0136/94/$07.00 © 1994 - Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

SSDI 0924-0136(94)00125-F
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To-date, there is no definition of the elasticity of the press while subjected to the lateral load.
The objective of the research is to develop such definitions and to propose an appropriate
methods of measurement of parameters.

2. FLEXIBILITY MATRIX

The elasticity of a system may be defined using a stiffness or a flexibility matrix. Elements of
the flexibility matrix, [FL], have simple physical interpretation; for example, the element gxz
is the deflection in the direction of the X-axis due to the unit force Fz = 1 which acts in the
direction of the Z-axis. By loading the system with the known force F z and measuring the
elastic deflection Ax it is possible to deduce the element Lxz. In order to deduce the element
Czx of of the flexibility matrix, it would be necessary to apply a known deflection Ax and to
measure the force F z ; however, during experiments, all other deflections should be restricted
[2]. For all presses, this would be impossible to achieve. Thus, the use of a flexibility matrix is
discussed in this paper.
Two coordinate systems are used; the first one, XYZ, originates from the upper surface of
the press table and its origin, O, is located at the centre of the table (Figure 1). The second
system, XIY|Z 1 originates at the lower surface of the press ram havind its origin O, located at
the centre of that surface.

Figure 1. The coordinate systems XYZ and X, Y, Z,.

The position of the ram with respect to the press table is defined by three coordinates of the
point O, and three angles. The complete description of the press ram under load requires a
description of the linear displacements of the point O, using Ax, Ay and Az along the X, Y
and Z axis and a description of the angular displacements about these axes using AA, AB and
AC. The vector

{a} T= [ Ax Ay Az AA AB AC ] (4)

is called as the vector of actions.

Considering the press to be loaded with the forming force F which has three components,
namely F x ,F v and Fz ; under the assumption that deflections of the lower surface of the ram
are negligible, the forces F x,FY and F z can be transfered to the point O,. Such transformation
results in three forces, F x , F v and Fz which act at the point O~ and three moments MA, M B
and M c , about the X,, Y, and Z, axis respectively
 295

M A= F v. rxv + F z. L~ M~ = =Fz.Lx - F x. rvz Mc = -Fx.rzx + Fv.rzy (5)

in which rxv, Ly are lever-arms of the forces Fy and F z with respect to the X-axis, etc.
(Figure 2). Approximately, rxv = r~x, rzx = Ly and rzv = L x .

.... .,¢z .... -q ,

.r-z x.
"V--.-': - "-~.~t/,,") '

¥?" - -Z~-
Ib)

Figure 2. The actions before (a) and after (b) the reduction to the point O~.

The vector

{A} T= [ Fx Fv Fz MA MB Mc ] (6)

is called as the vector o f actions.

The flexibility matrix

Xxx Xxv Xxz XXA XXa XXC

~,YX ~.YY ~YZ ~YA ~.YB ~.YC
[FL] = XZX XZV XZZ XZA XZa XZC
(7)
~,AX XAY XAZ LAA ~LAB ~,AC
~LBX XBy XBZ XBA XBB ~'BC
X,CX XCV ECZ XCA XCa XCC

makes possible to define the following equation

{R} = [FL]. {A} (8)

The forms of the vector of reaction, {A} and the flexibility matrix, [FL], depend on the
type of the press and the symmetry of the elastic system of the press. Hydraulic presses are the
force-restricted while the screw presses are the energy-restricted machines. Since, the bottom
dead center of the ram cannot be kinematically defined. The vertical deflection Az of the
hydraulic press may be compensated by an additional volume of the liquid medium supplied to
the cylinder or by suppliying an additional portion of energy in the case of the screw press.
Hence, the vector of reaction of the presses under discussion has only five elements:
296

{l }.YDS,
T SCREW= E Ax Ay AA AB AC ] (9)

As a consequence, the third row of the flexibility matrix (7), which corresponds to Az, has to
be omitted. In the case of stroke-restricted presses (the crank, eccentric, wedge, knockle-joint,
etc. presses), the vector {A} and the matrix [FL] have the form provided by equations (6) and
(7).
The elastic structures of the heavy hydraulic presses have planes of symmetry, namely the
YZ- and XZ-plane; due to this feature, the flexibility matrix of such presses has the form:

~,xx 0 0 0 0 0
0 ~vy 0 0 0 0
YZ&XZ (lO)
[FLHYD ] = 0 ~,AY 0 ~,AA 0 0
XBX 0 0 0 ~,BB 0
0 0 0 0 0 ~,CC

This double symmetry is also a characteristic feature of the screw presses. However, in this
case, the vertical force F z results in the torque McDRIw which is proportional to F z

McDrovE -- Fz" q~(DPsM, IX) (11)

in which ¢0(DPsM, IX) is a function of the design parameters of the screw mechanism, DPg}~
and the coefficient of friction IX. The torque McmuvE produces the angular deflection AC D. . . . .
As this torque is not a measured quantity, it cannot be added to the right side of the third
equation of the set (5). However, due to the fact that McDPaw is a linear function of F z , it is
~DRIVE
possible to introduce the "non-zero" element ,~cz to the flexibility matrix which involves
into:

~,xx 0 0 0 0 0
0 Xvv 0 0 0 0
YZ&XZ (12)
[FLscREW] = 0 ~,AV 0 XAa 0 0
~BX 0 0 0 ~,BB 0
0 0 .l~cz
DRIVE 0 0 ~.CC

Thus, in this specific case, the element X ~ w depends not only on the press elasticity but also
on the coefficient of friction and design parameters of the screw mechanism.
Stroke-restricted presses are often equipped with frames and rams which are symmetrical in
the planes YZ and XZ ; however, the drive system is only symmetrical with respect to one of
these planes. This is the YZ-plane for the presses equipped with a crankshaft located parallel
to the X-axis. In the case of such presses, the vertical force F z - which is applied to the point
O~ - is balanced by the force FcR in the connecting rod (Figure 3). The lateral component of
the latter force,

F oPdvE = O(Fz, DPsT_~S, B, or) (13)

can be transferred to the point O~ producing the additional moment McDPavz about the X~-axis

MADRIVE= ~/(Fz, DPsT-RES, B, ~) (14)

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in which 3 and ~ are functions of the vertical force Fz, the design parameters of the drive
mechanism DPsr~s , the coefficient of friction ~t and the angle a which defines the angular
position of the crankshafr (Figure 3).

2 .... Z
F:

Figure 3. The driving mechanism of the crank press: 1 - ram,

2 - connecting rod, 3 - crankshaft.

For a particular angle a , the force F DRIw and the moment MADpaw are proportional to the
vertical force F z and the equations (13) and (14) become:

FDRIVE ~ MDRIVE
Y,t~-eomi = r Z " ~ 1(DPsT-RES, IJ.)ct=eonst A,c~-const= F z " ~1/1(DPsT-RES, ]£)u~const (15)
in which 31 and ~F~ are now functions of the design parameters and the coefficient of friction
only. The force Fy,o~eonst
DRIVE influences the reaction Az. Both, the force x-y,a=cons
rDmVE t and the moment
MDmWinfluence the reaction AA. As the force ,rDP-IWv,o~ and the moment MDmVE A,o~o= are
proportional to the force Fz, it is possible to introduce two "non-zero" elements of the
flexibility matrix, namely Z,vn~_,~a and X~-o,.oom • These elements depend not only on the
elasticity of the press but also on the DP's and ~. Hence, the flexibility matrix has the
following form:

~.xx 0 0 0 0 0
XYX ~.Vy ~'YZ,a=cou~
DRIVE ~,YA 0 0
ll.qr Y Z & X Z m Xzx Xzv Xzz XZA 0 0 (16)
• ., a.~ S T _ R E S j o~=comt - - ,~ DRIVE
0 XAy ,,,m.,,~t XAA 0 0
Lax 0 0 0 LBB 0
0 0 0 0 0 ~,cc

The conclusion can be drawn that the flexibility matrix of the stroke-restricted presses should
be measured for the given angle a; frequently this is the angle which corresponds to the
bottom dead centre of the ram.
If the press of any type is equiped with the C-shaped flame then its flexibility matrix is more
complex in the sense that it contains more elements which are not equal to zero.
298

3. M E A S U R I N G DEVICES

In order to determine the elements of the flexibility matrix, the press should be loaded with a
vertical and lateral force and the actions and reactions should be measured; thus, two different
devices are needed for loading and measuring.
The loading device should enable the loading of the press with forces from different locations
and orientations. Some concepts of the loading device are shown in Figure 4; devices are

rb!

(d)
Figure 4. Schematic drawing of the loading devices.

based on the upsetting o f the metal specimens.

In the device shown in Figure 4(a), two metal specimens are used to produce the vertical and
lateral force. The lateral specimen is upset by means of the small punch which is driven by the
vertical punch. The forces F z and Fx may be easily change as the diameters D and d can be
altered over a wide range. In the case of devices which are shown in Figures 4(b) to (d), the
forces F z and F x may be changed by the selection of the diameter D and the angle 13. Turning
the device around by 900 , the force Fy instead of Fx can be applied. These devices may be
located at different points on the press table to vary the moments MA and M B (refer to (5)).
Two different sets of measuring devices are needed. The first one should measure the forces
F z and F x (or Fv) and the point of application of the resultant force F. The second set of
measuring devices is to measure the deflections Ax, Ay..... AC.
In all cases, the sequence of the measurement should be derived from the form of the
flexibility matrix. For example, examining equation (12) which refers to a screw press, it can
be state that in order to derive the elements ~,xx and ~,ax, the press should be loaded at the
center o f the press table with the forces F x and F z . In this case the vertical force does not
produce any moment and should not to be taken into account. Thus, ~,xx = AFx/Ax and
~,BX = AFx- rgx/AB. It is worth of noting that the same results may be produced in a different
way. Hence, the value of the elements of the flexibility matrix can be confirmed by sets of
measurements.
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4. CONCLUSIONS

(i) A flexibility matrix would provide a complete description of the elasticity of the presses
under the vertical and lateral loads.
(ii) The form of the flexibility matrix would depend on the type of the press and the symmetry
of the elastic system. In the case of hydraulic and screw presses the flexibility matrix is
rectangular having five rows and six columns; the elasticity of the stroke-restricted
presses is defined by a square matrix having six rows and six columns.
(iii) In order to derive the elements of the flexibility matrix, the special loading and measuring
devices are required; loading devices are based on the upsetting of the metal specimens.
The measuring device should enable measurement of the actions (forces and moments)
and the reactions (linear and angular deflections) of the press.

REFERENCES

1. DIN 55189. Ermittung von Kennwerten fur Pressen der Blechverarbeitung bei statischer
Belastung. Teil 1 and Teil 2. 1988.
2. W.Weaver, jr., S.P.Timoshenko and D.H.Young, Vibration Problems in Engineering, John
Wiley & Sons, New York,1990.