Method for operating a hydrodynamic compression tool and hydrodynamic compression tool

A method for operating a hydrodynamic compression tool, said tool comprising:

• an abutment jaw and a compression jaw movable with respect to the abutment jaw for compressing an object positioned between the abutment jaw and the compression jaw,
• a hydraulic cylinder, a piston and at least one return spring which elastically pushes the piston to a stroke start position with respect to the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the piston is connected to the compression jaw and can translate with respect to the hydraulic cylinder along an actuation stroke between the stroke start position and a stroke end position,
• a hydraulic pump with an electric motor actuatable to increase the pressure of a hydraulic fluid acting in the hydraulic cylinder on the piston so as to move the piston from the stroke start position to the stroke end position and thus move the compression jaw towards the abutment jaw, said method comprising:
• moving the compression jaw towards the abutment jaw by actuating the hydraulic pump,
• detecting the pressure of the hydraulic fluid acting on the piston,
• identifying a compression start condition when the abutment jaw and the compression jaw both engage the object to be compressed,
• determining a compression start position of the piston in the compression start condition,
• determining an operating parameter or a compression completion criterion depending on the compression start position.

A hydrodynamic compression tool, comprising:

• an abutment jaw and a compression jaw movable with respect to the abutment jaw for compressing an object positioned between the abutment jaw and the compression jaw,
• a hydraulic cylinder, a piston and at least one return spring which elastically pushes the piston to a stroke start position with respect to the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the piston is connected to the compression jaw and can translate with respect to the hydraulic cylinder along an actuation stroke between the stroke start position and a stroke end position,
• a hydraulic pump with an electric motor actuatable to increase the pressure of a hydraulic fluid acting in the hydraulic cylinder on the piston so as to move the piston from the stroke start position to the stroke end position and thus move the compression jaw towards the abutment jaw,
• a pressure sensor configured to detect the pressure of the hydraulic fluid acting on the piston,
• an electronic control circuit in signal connection with the pressure sensor and the electric motor, said electronic control circuit being configured to:
• moving the compression jaw towards the abutment jaw by actuating the hydraulic pump,
• detect the pressure of the hydraulic fluid acting on the piston by means of the pressure sensor,
• identifying a compression start condition when the abutment jaw and the compression jaw both engage the object to be compressed,
• determine a compression start position of the piston in the compression start condition,
• determining an operating parameter or a compression completion criterion depending on the compression start position.