Method and apparatus for automatically positioning a press machine slide

A system in association with a press machine environment having a slide and an apparatus to selectably control movement of said slide, said system comprising:

• a first means to provide an indication of a resting location for said slide corresponding to an absolute slide position;
• and
• a second means to selectably position said slide in accordance with a resting location indication operatively provided by said first means.

An apparatus in association with a press machine environment having a slide and a slide controller configured to control movement of said slide, said apparatus comprising:

• a programmable limit switch, said programmable limit switch being operatively connected to said slide controller;
• and
• a processor, said processor being operatively connected to said programmable limit switch, said processor being configured to define a slide stoppage event based at least in part upon an indication of a resting location for said slide corresponding to an absolute slide position.

A method in association with a press machine environment having a slide, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an indication of a resting location for said slide corresponding to an absolute slide position;
• and
• controlling movement of said slide in accordance with the resting location indication.

A method in association with a press machine environment having a slide, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an indication of a resting location for said slide corresponding to an absolute slide position;
• and
• causing said slide to come to rest substantially at the absolute slide position.