Published 8th April, 2022 by Zahra Awan

Schuler demonstrates the “Visual Die Protection” digital solution and its further development “VDP Analyzer” live in action

With its “Visual Die Protection” (VDP), Schuler has developed an image-based monitoring system for dies that helps avoid expensive repairs, downtimes, or even total failures. It has already proven its functional capability multiples times, both on the progressive and transfer presses as well as on the press lines of customers. Precisely how the solution in Schuler’s “Digital Suite” works was recently demonstrated by product manager Christoph Pölzl in an online seminar with around 60 participants.

While depositing a part in a transfer press during production, a gripper breaks off and remains lying on the lower die: This is the initial situation that Pölzl outlined at the beginning of the seminar. “Using the cameras we installed in the die space, we now have the ability to detect the gripper and stop the system so no damage occurs”, he explains and emphasises: “This is not a fictitious example, but exactly what happened to one user.” A further example is an incorrectly inserted blank: “In this case, too, we would stop the system and indicate to the operator where he needs to look for the fault so he can eliminate it as quickly as possible and restart his production.”

Another possible scenario is blanking scrap that has jammed and built up in a scrap chute – a problem that can be solved in the same manner. According to Pölzl, the aim is not only to avoid the cost of repairs, but also unplanned system downtimes, additional die changes, and further production planning expenses. The VDP system also minimises the risk of ending up in delivery bottlenecks.

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