Fork Head Cup and Star Nut Press
Video shows the previous version of this machine.
Description
The PFe-27 presses the head cup and sets the star nut in one automatic cycle, driven by servomotors instead of a pneumatic stroke. Force and position are controlled through the whole travel, so every cup seats square and every star nut sits at the depth you set – on the first fork of the shift and on the last.
The star nut is fed automatically and the fork is located in a fixture while it is pressed, positioned to ±0.2 mm with ±0.1 mm repeatability. Forks from Ø1″ to 1.5″ run on the same setup and the only change is the head cup tooling, so your model mix does not decide your changeover time.
Pressing parameters are stored as recipes on the HMI and OPC UA is standard. Because we design, build and program everything in-house, adapting a fixture to your forks is engineering work, not a special request.
- Head cup and star nut in one station. Automatic star nut feeding, 15–20 s per fork.
- The same press position every cycle. Servo-controlled pressing with ±0.2 mm positioning and ±0.1 mm repeatability.
- Fork size changes without tooling. Only the head cup tooling changes – different fork diameters run on the same setup.
- The approved settings, every time. Up to 80 manufacturing orders stored on the HMI.
- Compact and quiet. 660 × 950 mm footprint, below 74 dB.
- Connected from day one. OPC UA as standard: send orders to the machine and read production data back from your office systems.
| Capacity | |
|---|---|
| Steerer tube capacity | Ø 1″ – 1.5″ (24.4 – 38.1 mm) |
| Cut length range | 125 – 330 mm (other ranges on request) |
| Materials | Aluminium, steel and carbon fibre |
| Operation | |
| Cycle time | 15 – 20 s per fork, depending on size |
| Drive | Servo-controlled pressing of star nut and head cup |
| Tooling change | Only for the head cup, not between fork sizes |
| Star nut feeding | Automatic |
| Precision | |
| Positioning tolerance | ±0.2 mm |
| Repeatability | ±0.1 mm |
| Control & connectivity | |
| Control | Siemens PLC |
| HMI | 7″ Siemens HMI, up to 80 manufacturing orders |
| Connectivity | OPC UA |
| Installation | |
| Dimensions (w × l × h) | 660 × 950 × 1400 mm |
| Weight | 340 kg |
| Electrical connection | 400 V, 3-phase, 50/60 Hz |
| Sound level | Below 74 dB |
| Conformity | |
| CE conformity | EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC |
Frequently asked questions
Does it position the star nut itself?
Yes. Head cup and star nut are both pressed and positioned by the machine, with depth under servomotor control, so the result does not depend on who is operating it that shift.
When do we have to change tooling?
Only for the head cup. Different fork sizes need no tooling change, so changeover cost follows the cup you are fitting rather than your model mix.
How fast is it?
15 to 20 seconds depending on size, with +/-0.1 mm repeatability and up to 80 setups stored as recipes on the HMI.
Will it handle our fork range?
From 1″ to 1.5″ (24.4 to 38.1 mm).
Can you adapt it to our line?
Yes. We design, machine, weld and program everything in-house in Portugal, so changing a fixture, a stroke or the HMI logic for your process is engineering work rather than a special request to a factory on another continent.
Can it talk to our factory systems?
Yes. OPC UA is standard on every machine we build, not a paid option, and every machine conforms to EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. If you are working toward a connected line, nothing here holds you back.
Reading and writing the machine’s order table from an office PC over OPC UA.