TL;DR
Low pressing force means the hydraulic pump is delivering below the rated pressure or the accumulator pre-charge is low. Check the pump output and accumulator before tracing individual cylinder seals.
What you might see
- pressing force below the setpoint
- tile density below specification
- hydraulic pressure gauge reading low
- slow piston travel during the pressing stroke
Likely causes
Hydraulic pump worn, reducing delivery pressure
Accumulator nitrogen pre-charge below the required value
Main press cylinder seal leaking, causing pressure drop during the press stroke
Hydraulic filter blocked, restricting system flow
Required tools
- Calibrated hydraulic pressure gauge
- Nitrogen charge kit
- Replacement filter element
- LOTO kit
Safety first
- Tile presses use extremely high hydraulic press forces. Full lockout is mandatory before any work inside the press or on the hydraulic system.
- Hydraulic accumulator retains high-pressure nitrogen. Follow the documented discharge procedure before working on the accumulator.
Procedure
- 1
Stop the press and lock out the hydraulic power unit.
Warning: Tile presses use very high pressing forces (up to 40,000 kN on large presses). Never work inside the press or near moving parts without full lockout. - 2
Connect a calibrated pressure gauge to the hydraulic system test point.[1]
- 3
Start the hydraulic power unit and measure the no-load pressure. Compare to the rated pressure specification.[1]
- 4
Check the accumulator nitrogen pre-charge with a nitrogen charge kit.
- 5
Check the hydraulic filter differential pressure. Replace the element if blocked.
- 6
If pump output and accumulator are within spec, inspect the main cylinder for rod seal leakage during a press cycle at reduced load.
- 7
Repair any identified fault and perform a press force verification test with calibrated load cells before returning to production.
Sources
Sacmi Sacmi PH / PCR Series Tile Press general technical documentation, Sacmi
Sacmi tile press hydraulic system operation and maintenance documentation (general)
More guides for Sacmi Sacmi PH / PCR Series
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Tile dimension deviation is most often caused by mold wear. Measure the cavity dimensions during the next planned stop and replace or refurbish the mold when wear exceeds the tolerance.
How to fix powder feed inconsistency on a Sacmi PH / PCR tile press
Tile weight variation from the press is almost always a powder feed carriage speed issue or a hopper level problem. Check the carriage stroke, fill shoe condition, and hopper level control before adjusting the fill weight.
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