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Feeder handles 0.050- to 0.125-in.-thick steel sheets from 20 to 44 in. wide, 60 to 70 in. long

The Union Tool Corp. has introduced the new Union Sheet Feeder, designed to destack, align, and feed steel sheets from 20 to 44 in. wide and 60 to 76 in. long with thicknesses of 0.050 to 0.125 in. The unit can feed up to five parts per minute and features a PLC with operator touchscreen interface.

A lower roller conveyor pops up to lift the load, and a centering device centers the load. The powered roller conveyor then delivers the stack to a backstop, which features magnetic sheet separators that separate the top sheet from the stack to be sent to the roll former.

A gantry with vacuum cups mounted to the head picks up the blank sheet and moves it to a new conveyor with idler rollers and a chain conveyor pushing device. The chain conveyor features two of these devices: one pushes the blank to the roll former and then falls out of the way, while the second comes up from behind to push the next blank.

Vertical centering devices help ensure the blank is centered and secure until it is delivered to the roll forming press. When the sheet is drawn into the press, the centering devices separate and open for the next sheet.The sheet feeder is equipped with a double-sheet detector to help ensure that only one sheet is delivered at a time. If two sheets are detected, the operation will stop.