Press Brake Hydraulic Circuit Monitoring for Contamination Prediction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The press brake's operation is frequently halted due to contamination in the hydraulic circuit, leading to prolonged downtime and increased costs, as existing systems lack effective prediction and prevention mechanisms for such abnormalities.

Innovation Solution

A press brake management system that includes a control unit connected to a management server via a communication network, which monitors the hydraulic circuit in real-time to predict potential abnormalities by analyzing factors like lowering speed and hydraulic pressure, allowing for proactive measures to prevent malfunctions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If real-time monitoring and prediction mechanisms are implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydraulic circuit reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary actions by predicting abnormalities before they occur. It monitors hydraulic pressure, lowering speed, and other parameters to detect predictors of contamination or malfunctions, allowing maintenance to be scheduled proactively rather than reactively, thus improving reliability without requiring complex real-time intervention systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the control unit continuously receives data from sensors monitoring hydraulic pressure, lowering speed, and system operation status. This feedback loop enables the system to detect predictors of abnormalities and trigger appropriate responses, improving reliability through continuous monitoring while managing complexity through automated analysis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of time

If proactive maintenance is implemented through prediction, then loss of time is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovedowntimeVSAvoidmanagement system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary prediction of abnormalities based on monitored parameters such as hydraulic pressure and lowering speed. By detecting predictors of contamination or malfunction before they cause actual failures, the system enables scheduled maintenance during non-operational periods, significantly reducing downtime while managing complexity through automated prediction algorithms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service capabilities where the control unit automatically analyzes operational data, detects predictors of abnormalities, and generates maintenance alerts without requiring constant external intervention. This reduces downtime by enabling proactive maintenance scheduling while managing complexity through automated self-diagnosis functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3854496B1Press brake and management system
Publication Date: 2023.04.12 AMADA CO LTD
  • EP3854496B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3854496B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3854496B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A press brake is provided with a hydraulic cylinder configured to move an upper table and a lower table relative to each other in a vertical direction, and a control unit configured to control a hydraulic circuit of the hydraulic cylinder, in which the control unit manages a predictor of an occurrence of an abnormality in the hydraulic circuit including a first pressure control valve configured to control a back pressure of hydraulic oil on a first port side of the hydraulic cylinder.