Bilsing Automation has announced the availability of its servo-controlled Carbon Fiber (CF) T-Beams designed for high speed tandem presses. Offering interchangeable tooling, the T-beams deliver speed and flexibility to the automotive stamping industry, where there is an increasing need to handle multiple parts produced from a single stamping die. The Bilsing CF T-beams meet the dimensional specifications and requirements of General Motors World Tooling Standards as well the ability for adaptation to any robotic application.
As compared to other tooling materials, the Bilsing CF T-Beams are approximately 70% lighter than steel and 25% lighter than aluminum solutions, as well as being dimensionally smaller. Bilsing carbon fiber tooling provides 3.5 times the stiffness of steel tooling at less than half the weight. Additionally, the high elastic stiffness of the Bilsing carbon fiber T-beams significantly reduces vibration and deflection to settle more rapidly and provide higher precision as compared to other materials. This allows for a smaller press opening during the stamping process. These features result in significant benefits such as improving production rates by up to 20 percent, less wear and tear on machine parts and lower capital equipment investment through use of smaller robots and servo drives.
Over its lifespan, carbon fiber tooling can provide a higher ROI when considering that users can get more parts out the door, reduce energy costs due to moving less tooling mass, and extend equipment life since the lighter mass of carbon fiber puts less stress on automation, robots, presses, etc.
Bilsing has proven success in replacing traditional aluminum or steel structures in a variety of applications with carbon fiber tools that meet dimensional and performance specification requirements as defined by various OEM or governing organization standards. The company offers a wide variety of CF profiles, including customized profiles for specific applications.
