A stock lifter for metal forming dies includes a self-contained assembly. The assembly includes a guide pin that reciprocates within a base. A hardened end cap, which contacts the stock, is attached to the guide pin. A spring is located on the exterior surface of a portion of the base and surrounds the guide pin body. One end of the spring contacts a surface on the cap, while the other end of the spring contacts a surface on the base or an optional mounting flange that is attached above the base. Thus, the stock lifter assembly has a hardened cap for the stock to slide on and a larger, externally mounted spring that provides longer life for the stock lifter. The stock lifter assembly can be made of several different lengths and sizes by using longer or wider guide pins and springs.

A press machine includes: a ram, a shaft, and three or more ram driving cams, for the one ram, configured to push down the ram toward a bottom dead center, the plurality of ram driving cams being integrally rotatable with the common shaft. Both end portions of the shaft are rotatably supported by a pair of rotation support portions fitted to the both end portions between which all of the plurality of ram driving cams are disposed, and an intermediate portion of the shaft disposed between the ram driving cams is rotatably supported by a support groove opened downward. The plurality of ram driving cams includes at least two lifting and lowering cams configured to apply both a pushing down force and a pushing up force to the ram, and at least one lowering cam configured to apply only the pushing down force to the ram.

A press machine includes: a ram, a shaft, and three or more ram driving cams, for the one ram, configured to push down the ram toward a bottom dead center, the plurality of ram driving cams being integrally rotatable with the common shaft. Both end portions of the shaft are rotatably supported by a pair of rotation support portions fitted to the both end portions between which all of the plurality of ram driving cams are disposed, and an intermediate portion of the shaft disposed between the ram driving cams is rotatably supported by a support groove opened downward. The plurality of ram driving cams includes at least two lifting and lowering cams configured to apply both a pushing down force and a pushing up force to the ram, and at least one lowering cam configured to apply only the pushing down force to the ram.

A method of manufacturing a metal component includes performing a test stamping process on a test sheet metal blank, generating a strain map of the test sheet metal blank for the test stamping process, generating a lubrication program based on the strain map, applying lubrication to the sheet metal according to the lubrication program, and stamping the sheet metal to form the metal component. The lubrication program is configured to control a lubrication system to apply lubrication to sheet metal in a non-uniform distribution across the sheet metal. The non-uniform distribution correlates to the strain map.

A machine handling device for handling a sheet-metal workpiece includes a control device that comprises two sensing elements, and a testing station that includes a testing device configured to test functional capability of the control device. The testing device includes a respective electrically conductive testing-contact body for each of the two sensing elements of the control device. The testing station further includes a testing-evaluation device configured to apply a testing voltage between the respective sensing element and the corresponding testing-contact body. The testing-evaluation device includes a testing-measuring unit and a testing-comparing unit. The testing-measuring unit is configured to measure an actual value of a contact-dependent electrical variable that is dependent on a state of an electrically conducting contact between the sensing element and the testing-contact body. The testing-comparing unit is configured to compare the actual value of the contact-dependent electrical variable with a reference value of the contact-dependent electrical variable.

A machine handling device for handling a sheet-metal workpiece includes a control device that comprises two sensing elements, and a testing station that includes a testing device configured to test functional capability of the control device. The testing device includes a respective electrically conductive testing-contact body for each of the two sensing elements of the control device. The testing station further includes a testing-evaluation device configured to apply a testing voltage between the respective sensing element and the corresponding testing-contact body. The testing-evaluation device includes a testing-measuring unit and a testing-comparing unit. The testing-measuring unit is configured to measure an actual value of a contact-dependent electrical variable that is dependent on a state of an electrically conducting contact between the sensing element and the testing-contact body. The testing-comparing unit is configured to compare the actual value of the contact-dependent electrical variable with a reference value of the contact-dependent electrical variable.

A method of manufacturing a press-formed product includes a heating step, a transportation step, and a pressing step. At the heating step, workpieces are heated while a first workpiece W1 is placed on a first group of struts 3 extending upward from a tray body 2, and a second workpiece W2 is placed on a second group of struts 3 to be located above the first workpiece W1 and overlap it. At the transportation step, the second workpiece W2, while located above the first workpiece W1 and overlapping it, is transported, together with the tray body 2, from the heating device 14 to the lifting location. At the lifting location, the second workpiece W2 is lifted upward by the transportation device 46 and the first workpiece W1 is lifted by the transportation device 46 before they are transported to their respective pressing locations.

A method of manufacturing a press-formed product includes a heating step, a transportation step, and a pressing step. At the heating step, workpieces are heated while a first workpiece W1 is placed on a first group of struts 3 extending upward from a tray body 2, and a second workpiece W2 is placed on a second group of struts 3 to be located above the first workpiece W1 and overlap it. At the transportation step, the second workpiece W2, while located above the first workpiece W1 and overlapping it, is transported, together with the tray body 2, from the heating device 14 to the lifting location. At the lifting location, the second workpiece W2 is lifted upward by the transportation device 46 and the first workpiece W1 is lifted by the transportation device 46 before they are transported to their respective pressing locations.

Disclosed is a flattening device, comprising: a rack; a material-pressing component, which is provided on the rack and has a material-pressing part; a material-guiding component, which is provided on the rack and has a material-guiding part corresponding to the material-pressing part, the material-pressing part and the material-guiding part being configured to be able to bear against two sides of a sheet material respectively, so as to form a flattening channel between the material-guiding part and the material-pressing part; and an adjusting component, which drives at least one of the material-pressing component and the material-guiding component to move, so as to adjust the distance between the material-pressing part and the material-guiding part. Further disclosed are a material-conveying apparatus including the flattening device and a sheet material processing system comprising the material-conveying apparatus.

Systems, devices, and methods for fabricating finished parts include a system that includes a plurality of die assemblies located at a plurality of respective locations, each die assembly being configured to fabricate a respective finished part. The system further includes a movable gantry press and a robot, each configured to move between the plurality of respective locations. The system further includes a controller configured to receive a input to fabricate a finished part and identify a die assembly of the plurality of die assemblies. The controller is further configured to instruct the movable gantry press and the robot to move to the location of the die assembly. The controller is further configured to instruct the robot to load a blank into the die assembly, and instruct the movable gantry press to operate the die assembly to fabricate the finished part.