Self-piercing clinch fastener installation press with intensification ram

A clinching press for performing a clinching operation to secure a fastener to a workpiece, the fastener clinching press comprising:

• a frame supporting a die having a hole configured to cooperate with the fastener to produce a slug from the workpiece;
• a pressure cylinder supported by the frame, a ram extending from the pressure cylinder and configured to move between a returned position and an advanced position;
• a head assembly mounted to the ram and configured to engage the fastener in the advanced position, a pin slidably supported within the head assembly and extending out of the head assembly to a tip that is configured to locate the fastener relative to the die, the pin movable between multiple pin positions including a slug-eject position;
• wherein the head assembly includes an eject piston arranged in a hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic chamber is arranged on one side of the eject piston and is configured to receive a hydraulic fluid, the pin is operatively connected to the eject piston;
• a valve fluidly interconnected between a hydraulic fluid source and the hydraulic chamber, the valve configured to selectively provide the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic chamber;
• and
• a controller in communication with the valve, the controller configured to command the valve to supply the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic chamber with the ram in the advanced position to move the pin to the slug-eject position.