Method for Determining and Setting Material Release Mechanism Timing for a Material Feed Mechanism

Abstract

The present invention includes a method of determining the correct timing of a material release mechanism of a material feed mechanism and includes the steps of: cycling a press mechanism through a working portion of a tooling mechanism; monitoring the press mechanism position; determining, by a location device, the desired timing for the material release mechanism to release contact with material; and correlating the desired material release mechanism timing to the press mechanism position.

1 . A method for determining the correct timing of a material release mechanism of a material feed mechanism for feeding elongated strip material, the method comprising the steps of:
 cycling a press mechanism through a working portion of a tooling mechanism;   monitoring the press mechanism position;   determining, by a location device having a controller, the desired timing for the material release mechanism to release contact with the material by sensing the contact of at least one component of the tooling mechanism with the material by:   placing the material through the material release mechanism of the material feed mechanism;   positioning the material with the leading edge through a first station of the tooling mechanism;   punching a first hole in the first portion of the material with a punching device;   incrementally advancing the material such that an alignment device is located substantially above the first hole;   moving, or attempting to move, the material as the alignment device is entering the hole; and   correlating the desired material release mechanism timing to the press mechanism position.