Method and apparatus for determining and setting material release mechanism timing for a material feed mechanism

A stamping system for working a material, comprising:

• a press mechanism having a tooling mechanism configured to punch holes in, or form shapes in, the material;
• a material feed mechanism having a material release mechanism and configured to feed material to the press mechanism;
• and
• a location device configured to monitor the press mechanism position and determine a desired material release mechanism timing.

A stamping system, comprising:

• a press mechanism, comprising:
• a tooling mechanism having a piercing punch pin configured to punch a hole in the material and a pilot positioning pin configured to at least partially engage the hole created by the piercing punch pin;
• and
• a press mechanism crankshaft configured to simultaneously drive the piercing punch pin and the pilot positioning pin;
• a material feed mechanism, comprising:
• a frame;
• and
• a feed drive roll driven by a feed drive roll motor and configured to engage and move the material through the material feed mechanism to feed the press mechanism;
• a material release mechanism, the material release mechanism, comprising:
• a pivot frame in pivotal relationship with the material feed mechanism frame;
• an actuator configured to move the pivot frame in a first direction;
• a nut/screw arrangement configured to move the pivot frame in a second direction;
• a motor configured to drive the nut/screw arrangement;
• and
• a material gripping mechanism rigidly attached to the pivot frame and configured to frictionally engage the material;
• a location device configured to monitor the crankshaft angular position and the feed drive roll motor angular position and determine a desired material release mechanism timing based upon the angular positions, the location device comprising:
• a controller in communication with the material release mechanism and configured to control the desired material release mechanism timing of the material release mechanism;
• a first feedback device in communication with the controller and configured to monitor the angular position of the crankshaft;
• and
• a second feedback device in communication with the controller and configured to monitor the angular position of the feed drive roll motor.