• Improve your part quality and up-time

• Reduce die damage by detecting non-uniform loading conditions

• Detect flash, material build-up, improper cooling and other process variations

• Are suitable to all types and capacities of mechanical or hydraulic die casting machines of tie bar or solid frame construction

• Control dimensional uniformity of the part at the parting line

• Eliminate guesswork by indicating actual tonnage required to make a part

• Boost productivity by reducing costly downtime

• Digital display of individual channel loads
   

• Center meter reads total machine tonnage
   

• Automatic high/low set point alarms on each channel
   

• Built-in overload limits

• Trend display shown load deviation at a glance - a quick visual indication of an off-tolerance condition

• Job memory circuit stores and recalls critical set-up parameters for up to 100 dies

• Ideal for installation by your press builder, re manufacturer or as a retrofit on existing machines in your plant

• Simple installation by your personnel or a Helm technician

The model TLG-4500-DC Trend LoadGard is designed specifically for monitoring forces developed on die casting machines. During clamping, the machine forces exerted to "hold" the die halves together are transferred directly through the individual tie bars on tie bar machines or through the frame on solid frame machines. These forces can be easily measured and are an accurate indication of the clamping force being developed by the machine and distributed across the tooling.

Used in conjunction with model T-2640 tie bar force transducers or model HT-400 frame mount transducers, extremely accurate and repeatable measurements of strain levels are achieved, which are displayed as tonnage on the Trend LoadGard digital meters. By monitoring tonnage and more importantly, the distribution of load on the machine, proper alignment and parallelism of tooling and platens can be determined. As a set-up tool, the Trend LoadGard enables faster, more precise and repeatable die changeovers while ensuring uniform load. During casting, process changes which are detrimental to the machine, die and part quality are immediately detected.

TREND displays provide a quick visual indicator of deviations to the press operator. Columns of light indicate the load deviation, either above or below a benchmark level. As this benchmark level is established at set-up, so is the limit of acceptable deviation. Deviations can be set anywhere between 5% to 45%. During press operation, small deviations in tonnage are indicated by a change in lights; a deviation beyond the maximum or minimum accepted levels alerts the operator and/or shuts down the press. So problems can be detected and handled before bad parts are made or press or tooling damage occurs.

The built-in Job Data Control (JDC) memory automatically stores and retrieves set-up specifications of up to 100 jobs. With the touch of a button, the Helm system recalls and establishes the critical set-up parameters of any one of a hundred jobs stored in it's memory. Upper and lower control limits are automatically set and quality control assured from "cycle-to-cycle". tool changes can be made faster and more accurately. the JDC setting can be used at any stage of production.

SCM series signal conditioning modules for PLC Integration.

SCM series signal conditioning modules are ideal for applications where integration of clamp force monitoring on machines with existing PLC or shot monitoring systems is desirable. Providing it's own regulated power supply, signal conditioning, transducer input and analog output circuitry, the compact single board SCM can be installed within virtually any existing system enclosure. Independent and adjustable zero balance and gain controls for each channel, as well as Helm's exclusive Auto Zero™ automatic zero balance circuitry for no-drift performance are standard features.

The SCM series is fully compatible with any PLC or shot monitor system capable of accepting 0-10v analog signals and is used in conjunction with Helm model T-2640 tie bar force transducer or model HT-400 frame mounted transducers.

Precision measurement for better process control.

The model T-2640 tie bar force transducer, patented by and proprietary to Helm Instrument Co., Inc., is designed for installation within a drilled hole on the tie bar center line. Tie bar deflections as small as one-millionth of an inch (.000001") can be measured with linear and repeatability within one-half of one percent (.05%). Strain gages in a full 350 ohm Wheatstone bridge circuit are used to assure long term stability and accuracy. Manufactured under laboratory conditions, all T-2640 force sensors are matched within 1% and may be interchanged without recalibration.

The model T-2640 transducer is installed directly within a drilled hole and permanently mounted by expanding the sensor body with front and back tapered bushing assemblies to create a press fit. As a result of it's unique design, the sensor is secured without pre-load, affording accurate calibration mathematically.

On-machine Drilling

The model T-2640 transducer is available in several diameters for installation within existing holes drilled previously to accommodate dial indicator type devices. For machines where existing holes are not available, Helm field machining technicians can provide on-machine tie-bar drilling with Helm's portable gun drilling system. This specialty gun drilling system, developed exclusively for deep hole tie bar drilling, is fixtured directly to the machines tie bars and produces drilled holes to 96" deep at production rates of 1.5" per minute. the drilling system can be used on any size machine with tie bars from 2.0" diameter to 15.0" diameter. Typically, all four tie bars of a die cast machine can be completely prepared for transducer installation within one normal working shift.