Kistler unveils new electromechanical joining module

Kistler is adding a compact, weight-optimised system to its portfolio, the new NCFC electromechanical joining module, offering more freedom of movement of clinching and riveting applications, while also meeting the needs of assembly and joining processes that require force-displacement monitoring.

Another highlight of the new NCFC servo press is that it needs very little installation space, so weight and centre of gravity design are optimised – particularly for robot arm applications.

Clinching (also known as press-joining) is an efficient and reliable joining process that is becoming increasingly attractive to industrial manufacturers because it requires no additional components such as rivets or bolts. And unlike drilling or welding, clinching does not generate any heat input. Clinching requires less energy and maintenance effort than spot welding; depending on the material and process, the strength values of clinched joints are often equal or sometimes even higher, and the processes can also be controlled with greater ease and accuracy.

Customers benefit from a servo press based on cutting-edge technology that offers high-precision, energy-efficient part joining with assured quality. Due to the compact lightweight design the servo press is said to be ideal for use on robots and stationary or mobile portals. The optimised design allows short distances between workstations (small centre distance). Thanks to the new hybrid cable solution, installation of the servo press has become even faster and easier to handle.

Visualisation, control and documentation with the proven maXYmos NC process monitoring system does not require an additional industrial PC. Overall, the new NCFC electromechanical joining module allows for improved quality and lower consumption of resources, as well as reducing CO2 emissions compared to conventional systems.

The new NCFC (2163A) joining module from Kistler will be offered in two versions with nominal joining forces of 55 kN and 80 kN respectively. As well as the robot arm application, the NCFC servo press can also be operated as a stationary version or as part of a complete clinching system from BTM.