Rotary Punch Technology
Press-less engineering technology that punches and cuts coil sheet and flat metal strip continuously, via drums synchronised with the line speed, without stopping the material.
Field Operation & Rotary Punch Kinematics
Technical Mechanism and Working Principle
The continuous Rotary Punch architecture, developed by YILSA R&D in 2013 to overcome the stop-and-go limits of conventional eccentric and hydraulic presses and protected by a patent and a utility model.
01.Continuous Punching Mechanism and Rotary Kinematics
On conventional press or hydraulic punching lines, the flat metal strip has to stop completely at every punching stroke. This causes high inertial forces, strip waviness, mechanical wear and energy losses on the line.
Drums working with the Rotary Punch technique rotate at the same speed as the material flow. The punches, made of 1.2379 (D2) tool steel at 58–60 HRC, meet the sheet strip as they rotate and punch the material while it is moving. Because the material never stops, a high line speed (up to 24 m/min) is maintained without interruption.
02.Self-Feeding Drive & Fixed Pitch
The drums are driven by an AC motor and speed drive. Because the drums move the sheet forward while punching it, no separate servo feeder is needed on the line; the line speed is set on the speed drive.
The hole pitch is set mechanically by the drum circumference and the distance between dies (for example 19 mm on the wheel weight line). Every hole is therefore punched at the same spacing, with clean, burr-free hole edges.
03.Zero Scrap & Energy Efficiency
In a press the cutting force is applied in a single stroke, whereas in Rotary Punch it is spread over time along the rotary motion. This keeps motor power low; the power rating depends on the product the line makes (for example, the Rotary Punch unit on the wheel weight line is 3 kW).
In cable tray production the Rotary Punch line uses 0.16–0.25 kWh of energy per metre, compared with 0.8–1.2 kWh on press lines — energy savings of up to 80%. In wheel weight production, 100,000 pieces of 5 g, i.e. about 500 kg of product, are made with only 1.37 kWh.
Comparative Advantages and Applications
Operational gains of the Rotary Punch technique and the products it is used for.
Technological Advantages
YILSA Rotary Punch Benefits
- High Operating Speed:With a continuous working speed of up to 24 metres per minute it raises production capacity 4 to 6 times; a single Rotary Punch line matches the output of 4 press lines.
- Continuous Strip Flow (Continuous Feed):Sheet strip that flows without stop-and-go eliminates mechanical inertia loads and material waviness.
- Low Mechanical Wear & Long Die Life:With no hammering press strokes, die life is longer and maintenance costs fall by up to 75%.
- Quiet, Vibration-Free Operation:With no press impact, the line runs quietly and without vibration; it can even be installed on a factory mezzanine.
- Maximum Energy Savings:Up to 80% savings in electricity consumption compared with press lines.
- Easy Blade Change & Regrinding Allowance:Worn blades are removed one by one by loosening the set screws; thanks to the 6 mm regrinding allowance, a resharpened blade can be reused by adding a shim underneath.
Applications
Products Made with Rotary Punch
- Cable Tray:Continuous punching of perforated cable trays (AKT/NKT) from coil sheet.
- Wheel Weights:Cutting and marking of wheel weight strips.
- DIN Rail:Punching the holes and slots of DIN rails in a continuous flow.
- Rubber Profile Support Plate & Metal Clip:Production of profile support plates and clips from thin sheet strip.
- Omega Ventilation Profile:Production of perforated ventilation profiles.
Our Machines That Use the Rotary Punch Technique
The same patented rotary punching and cutting principle is used in different machines designed for each product's hole pattern and material.
Rotary Punch Punching
Patented Rotary Punch Continuous Sheet Punching Unit
With punch drums rotating at the same speed as the sheet, it punches coil sheet at 24 m/min without ever stopping it. Unlike eccentric presses, production is impact-free and burr-free.
Punches coil sheet at 24 m/min in the cable tray production line.
Rotary Punch Chopping and Marking
Patented Rotary Punch Chopping and Marking System
Cuts continuously moving flat strip without stopping it, using twin-drum rotary die technology, and stamps the weight and logo on it. Works with zero scrap.
Chops and marks in the wheel weight line.
Cardboard Edge Protector Machine
Cardboard Edge Protector V-Notching Machine with Rotary Punch
Cuts V-notches with Rotary Punch drums, without stopping the material, into the cardboard edge protectors that protect the edges of coils and reels from impact and crushing.
Omega Ventilation Profile Machine
Omega Ventilation Profile Punching Machine with Rotary Punch
Punches the hole pattern of ventilated omega profiles in the flat sheet strip before bending, non-stop, with synchronised male and female die drums.
Rubber Profile Support Plate Machine
Metal Clip / Support Plate Production Machine with Rotary Punch
Produces the metal support plates placed inside rubber edge profiles by cutting thin sheet strip with Rotary Punch drums, without stopping it.
Integrate Rotary Punch Technology into Your Production Line
Contact the YILSA engineering team for a project-specific drum design, hole matrix and feasibility analysis.