Union Tool Corporation

Steel Blank Sheet Feeder

This Union Tool steel blank sheet feeder was designed to destack and load steel blanks onto a feed table of an automatic CNC punch machine. The blanks must be positioned on the feed table within ±1/16".

Synonyms

Depending on your industry, you may call this a steel blank sheet feeder, a sheet loader, a metal blank loader, a lift table sheet feeder, a vacuum cup sheet feeder, a blank feeder, or a metal sheet infeed loader.

Operational Description

A Hydraulic lift table with locating stops is used to raise the entire stack to a pre-determined pass line height. The Vacuum head then lowers vacuum cups onto the top sheet for pick-up. To assure single sheet feeding, magnetic sheet separators are used to fan or separate the sheets prior to pick-up. A motorized transfer of the sheet from the stack to the feed table then occurs. Each sheet is then lowered (not dropped!) onto the feed table; this lowering action assures precise placement of the sheet.

This machine feeds a a maximum rate of 8 blanks per minute. The cycle is PLC controlled and interlocked with the CNC punch machine so that sheets are fed as required by the punch machine. Sheet sizes range from 12'x22" to 40"x51".

• Request a Quote
• Download a printable Product Bulletin (PDF; 42KB)