A press load measuring apparatus includes: strain gauges attached to respective columns of a press machine and configured to detect strains generated in the respective columns respectively in association with a press load acting on a slide of the press machine, an inertial force calculator configured to calculate a slide inertial force proportional to a product of a mass of a slide and a member connected to the slide and a slide acceleration detected by an acceleration detector, and a press load calculator configured to calculate press partial load signals before calibration based on a strain signals detected by the strain gauges, eliminate a slide inertial force signals from the press partial load signals before the calibration, and calculate calibrated press partial load signals.

A press load measuring apparatus for a press machine of 1-point type includes: a plurality of strain gauges attached to the respective columns of the press machine, the plurality of strain gauges detecting respective strains generated in the respective columns in association with a press load acting on the slide; a bending moment calculator configured to calculate bending moments acting on respective columns based on an angle formed between a direction of movement of the slide and the connecting rod; and a press partial load calculator configured to calculate press partial load signals corresponding to the respective columns, an impact of bending strain components caused by the bending moments included in the strain signals being eliminated from the press partial load signals based on the bending moments acting on the respective columns detected by strain gauges attached to the respective columns.

The invention relates to improvements in tablet manufacturing, particularly in the small scale/bespoke manufacture of tablets. The application describes the mechanism of a motor driven tablet press (10) with biasing means (222) and wherein the angular position of the motor (28) is controllable, the inclusion of load cells (26,234), an improved die mounting (100,300) and die assembly (36), and improved compaction methods including controlled pauses (75,90) during tablet forming.

The pressing of an article is achieved with a closed-loop feedback press. The closed-loop feedback press is effective to measure an amount of pressure applied and adjust the pressure to achieve a prescribed amount of compression on the article. Further, the press may leverage a closed-loop feedback system to maintain a consistent temperature of one or more platens. The press is able to adjust a pressure applied one or more times during a pressing operation to accelerate a temperature change in the pressed article while reducing the pressure applied as the temperature approaches a target temperature to limit unintentional deformation and bleeding of the pressed material of the article.

A reciprocating press for acting on a workpiece is described, and includes an eccentric shaft rotatably disposed in a rotatable eccentric sleeve, and a crank-slider mechanism coupled to the eccentric shaft. Rotations of the eccentric shaft and the rotatable eccentric sleeve are independently controllable to dynamically vary a stroke length of the crank-slider mechanism.

A motor control system includes a motor, a motor control apparatus that drives the motor and includes a first communication port and a second communication port, an upper-level control apparatus connected to the first communication port via a first communication path, an interface connected to the second communication port via a second communication path, and one or more detectors that detect information for controlling the motor and are connected to or including the interface. The motor control apparatus includes processing circuitry that obtains the information detected by the detector and exchanged between the upper-level control apparatus and the interface, and controls the motor based on the obtained information.

A multi-axis motor control system includes a host control apparatus, motors, motor control apparatuses that drives the motors and each includes circuitry that acquires control related information transmitted and received between the host control apparatus and at least one other motor control apparatus, and controls a corresponding motor of the motors based on the control related information, and a communication channel that connects the host control apparatus and the motor control apparatuses in series.

A method for operating a forming press which includes a plurality of press components and a plurality of tool components. The forming press has at least one force sensor and at least one force actuator, each arranged in a press and/or tool component. A forming simulation is carried out, which takes into consideration an elastic behavior of the press and/or tool components. Target values of forces acting on at least one press and/or tool component are determined by the forming simulation. A forming process is carried out by the forming press. During the forming process, actual values of forces acting on the press and/or tool components are measured by the force sensor and the force actuator is actuated via a control loop such that the actual values correspond to the target values from the forming simulation.

A recycling method includes the steps of compacting recyclable material into a fixed bale, and weighing the recyclable material, using load cells, independently of the compacting forces. Compacting equipment for performing the method includes balers with load cells and anchors, with the load cells weighing the baler and the recyclable material in the baler, and with the anchors anchoring the baler in place without interfering with the weighing.

A pressing tool for pressing workpieces is described. The pressing tool comprises a hydraulic pump for conveying a hydraulic fluid, an electric motor for driving the hydraulic pump, a working cylinder which is hydraulically connected to an outlet of the hydraulic pump, a pressure-relief valve which is hydraulically connected to the outlet of the hydraulic pump and which opens at a certain predefined pressure P.sub.v of the hydraulic fluid, an electronic control for controlling the electric motor and a sensor 60 which monitors the state of the pressure-relief valve and emits a signal which describes the state of the pressure-relief valve to the electronic control. Furthermore, a method of operating such a pressing tool is described.