Coil Press

Challenge: Press and heat coils fabricated from many layers of copper and insulation in order to control the final dimensions of the generator coils.

Solution: The machine can press two coils of up to 50mm x 150mm x 1250mm in size. The press heats the coils to 180 degrees Celsius, and presses with over 625 tons of force distributed across 10 meters of coil. It heats with 200 kW of electric heat, and can cool the coils back down to 50 degrees Celsius in less than 30 minutes with air and chilled water cooling channels built into the heating platens. The temperature of each heating platen is controlled to within one degree, and recorded throughout a heating and cooling cycle.

The machine is equipped with ball screw driven elevators for storing tooling plates and lowering the assemblies into the press. A full length roller conveyor on the front of the machine brings coils in and out of the cell.