4-Station Pierce Machine

This 4-station custom piercing machine was designed and built to create 44mm diameter automotive steering columns. It produces one finished mild steel part every 8 seconds. Each station of the pierce machine includes a part present sensor to ensure the tube is properly seated and employs part ejectors to eliminate issues with gantry interface. In addition, each hydraulic cylinder uses digital stroke verification and precision THK rails to guarantee that each punch has traveled the appropriate distance and that parts are pierced accurately every stroke.

Each station has replaceable vertical stops for accurate length orientation while using non-marring grippers for critical finish requirements. To eliminate oil contamination, all hydraulic lines for this machine are routed beneath the working surface. With a 24-part capacity, this machine can be hand-loaded or robot-tended without stopping production. The load and unload areas utilize a conveyor system guarded by light curtains.

Each of these situations calls for a different solution. Lucky for you, Overton has solved many of these problems already and can bring that experience to your project. From gantry transfer systems to robotic integration to load/unload systems, we have the ability to take you from where you are now to where you want to go.