Thomas A. Anderson, President/Founder of Anderson Controls, Inc., has been supplying process monitors products and services to the fastener industry since 1983. Over the last 27 years, Anderson Controls, Inc. has designed many versions of the ACE / INSIGHT Process Monitors, including the first ACE 200, then the design of the ACE 200plus, ACE 400plus, and ACE 600plus. The ACE units function on a single die, multi-die, and thread rolling machines.
The concept of the Process Monitors is simple and effective. Placing a force sensor such as the 8mm probe sensor or a disk sensor/Piezo (12mm, 15mm, 20mm, or 27mm dia.) in the work area of the forming station allows the unit to learn the forming force from each station. The operator inputs the production counts and control limits for each station. Suppose the learned pressure exceeds the operator control setpoint limits the machine STOPS! The operator can then view the station of the error and which limit was exceeded. Production counts prevent overruns.
The 8mm probe sensor is installed in a blind hole behind the work area of the forming stations; the benefit of this type of sensor is the ease of installation and ease of replacement if damaged. The Piezo sensors or disc sensors are available in many diameters, including 12mm, 15mm, 20mm, and 27mm. These sensors are glued in a machined pocket in the die block or machine wedge. Although the disc sensors take some time to replace when damaged, they are cost-efficient and save money.
In 2009, Anderson Controls, Inc. designed the INSIGHT process monitor. This 8-channel process monitor was created for cold headers and rollers. The INSIGHT process monitor controls the PEAK and the AREA of the force sensor allowing for tighter control of the process and a faster response time to detect a minor defect in the forming operator. In addition, the 8mm probe sensor was also introduced as a quick-change sensor for all machine types.
Anderson Controls, Inc. is proud to introduce the NEW ACE / INSIGHT plus process monitor. The new ACE / INSIGHT plus has two boards for easy service and maintenance. The first is a 7” color touch screen for easy setup and operator interface. The second board is the Smart I/O (input/output board), four relays for output control or machine stopping, feed stop, conveyor stop, or even a diverter. The ACE / INSIGHT plus has an eight-channel input for analog force sensors and five digital inputs for cam or spring probe sensors used on the ACE RUD unit. In addition, the ACE / INSIGHT plus offers USB ports for a software update when needed, SD card readers (2), and an Ethernet port. This is our best unit yet! To keep your current units and operators the same, you can also have the unit loaded with ACE 200plus, ACE 400plus, or ACE 600plus software.