Leading Akaline Battery Manufacturer Switches to Servo Roll Feeds from Pneumatic Designs for Their Battery Can Processing Lines


Servo roll feeds allow thin gauge steel with mirror finish to be very accurately fed without marring or deforming.

Continuous improvement is still a main part of the mission for most manufacturers, and to one the leading alkaline battery manufacturers that meant upgrading press feeding technology from pneumatic roll feed designs to the servo feeds produced by Feed Lease Corporation.

In an effort to improve the feed length accuracy and maintain the surface quality of the steel being roll fed to the battery can processing lines, manufacturing engineers at this battery manufacturer looked to the internet to research advancements in servo roll feed technology and the suppliers who could provide that equipment. After comparing costs, roll feed speed; accuracy and surface quality capability, the Feed Lease EF Series of roll feeds were selected.

Mal Bollman, Feed Lease general manager says, "The key to this application was the ability to run surface-sensitive materials and not mar the steel. When we say surface sensitive, we mean polished, pre-painted or decorative materials...and the steels used in battery manufacture qualify as 'surface sensitive'".

Bollman adds, "We first performed test runs on the battery can materials at our facility for the customer to review. We then installed one unit at the battery manufacturing facility and collected data over a three month period to prove out the ability of the servo feed to improve speed and maintain the high level of surface quality required. The EF Series passed the test with flying colors and the customer has since added ten more units on various other processing lines for other size batteries."

The Feed Lease EF Series servo feeds are designed to provide an economical means of employing servo feed technology with the benefits of accuracy, durability and power. The mechanical design features include a three roll entrance material support section, solid matte finished rolls, an adjustable stroke pneumatic cylinder for both roll pressure and pilot release as well as a planetary reducer, cluster gear power transfer, pivoting upper roll assembly for full gear mesh (not a slide block). It also has 'C' framed heavy duty 1-1/4-inch edge guides (not flimsy shoulder bolts).

A Feed Lease 1000 Series control panel with a remote control job pendant with four jog modes, a batch counter and a 3-inch touch screen for length/speed input and display. Information can be displayed in English/Spanish and Inch/Metric and there is memory capability for up to 200 different jobs. The micro adjust feature allows operators to make slight, on-the-fly, length adjustments in .001-inch increments.

Feed Lease Corporation is a leading designer and builder of high-performance metal stamping press equipment including complete coil feeding lines, powered straighteners, servo feeds, air feeds, coil reels, coil loads cars, coil cradles and upenders.

Send All Inquiries to:

Mal Bollman, General Manager

Feed Lease Corporation

2600 Crooks Road

Rochester Hills, MI 48309

Tel: 248.852.6660

mal@feedlease.com

Allan G. Hall

Hall Industrial Publicity, Inc.

1261 Romney Road

Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

Tel: 248.705.8272

alhall@industrialpublicity.com

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