Assembly and Insertion Presses Information
Assembly and insertion presses assist in bearing or shaft assembly, insertion or press fitting, and staking. Common applications for insertion presses include bearing-to-shaft assembly and the installation of inserts into plastic parts. Depending on the size of part, presses can range in capacity of hundreds of pounds to hundreds of tons.
Bearing presses are suitable for performing assembly operations, including the assembly of bearings or laminations onto a shaft and the insertion or removal of a shaft, rod, or bearing from a wheel, pulley, plate, or hub. These presses have much greater load capacity and are available in ether a C-frame configuration or an H-frame configuration. The amount of material interference between the parts determines load capacity.
Fastener insertion presses perform insertion of self-clinching fasteners such as nuts, studs, and standoffs into metal plates. They are typically available with auto-feed functionality and a CNC controller to incorporate into automated assembly lines to reduce handling and allow multiple fastener insertion. These presses are used for insertion of metal fasteners, often into large metal plates. Capacity (in tons), ram stroke, and throat depth are key specifications.
Ultrasonic installation presses are used for installing metal inserts into thermoplastic plastic parts. During insert installation, a small downward force controlled by a pneumatic cylinder presses the insert into a predrilled or molded hole while an ultrasonic horn vibrates the insert at high-frequency. The vibrations get delivered to the insert-plastic interface through direct contact with the insert. The vibrations generate enough heat to melt the plastic around the insert. As the insert is placed in the hole, plastic melts and fills the insert's retention features. When the material solidifies there is minimal residual stress left around the insert.
Thermal installation presses use heat to install inserts into thermoplastic plastic parts. They use one of two approaches. One type uses a metal tip to transfer heat from the tip to the insert. Once the insert has reached temperature it is pushed into an appropriately sized hole. The other requires inserts to be preheated and then pressed into the hole. In both approaches, inserts are pushed into the plastic by a controlled force, rarely in excess of 50 lbs. Heat installation also requires heating the entire insert in addition to the metal-plastic interface. For proper installation, inserts should have enough thermal conductivity so that the plastic around the insert quickly heats and melts; this explains why two of the most common insert materials are brass and aluminum. As the insert is placed in the hole, the plastic melts and fills the insert's retention features. When the material solidifies there is minimal residual stress left around the insert.
Staking and heat swaging presses permanently connect two components by creating an interference fit between them. Staking presses use a punch to axially compress a boss, forming interference between the two parts.