Design and Testing of a Novel System for In-Situ Die Lubrication

Stamping presses are widely used to make metal parts in the automotive industry. Currently, lubrication for a die in a stamping press is applied to the whole sheet. Although this is the industry standard, this approach has a problem. By the time the sheet exits the press, the lubricant may have run out. This can result in defective parts. To correct this, it is proposed to have lubrication nozzles built into the die so that lubricant is applied locally. Thus, the objective is to design, test and implement a control system for automatic in-situ die lubrication. A prototype die with lubricant injectors is available for test purposes. Experiments are needed to identify the optimum conditions for delivery of the lubricant. In order to optimize the controller, an intelligent (neuro-fuzzy) algorithm will be used. If the project is successful, the immediate benefits are: 1) fewer defective parts, 2) reduced consumption of lubricant and 3) a cleaner work environment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Brian Surgenor

Student:

Greg Szkilynk

Partner:

Van-Rob Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Automotive and transportation

University:

Queen's University