Recent improvements of the Kloften & Kloften

Strip Splicer

January 16, 1996

Issue No.8

1. Two Step Splicing.

The method described in Issue No. 7 has been improved further by introducing an air cylinder for the movement of the upper electrode holder from the

rear to the front position.

The procedure is now as follows:

o When the power is turned on, the holder goes to the rear position.

o After completion of the first splice (rear carrier), the right upper jaw is raised enough to disengage the Micro switch controlling the heat cycle.

o A push button switch located in the front panel of the control box is depressed. This makes the air cylinder move the electrode holder to the front position, and lights a green light (integrated in the switch)

o The upper right jaw is now again lowered to complete the second splice.

Note that the holder stays in the front position (and the green light stays on)

until the solder starts feeding for the next splice, at which time the holder moves automatically to the rear position and the green light goes out.

2. Control of Tungsten Carbide Electrode Alignment.

To ensure a long electrode life it is imperative that the two electrodes rest against the carrier to be spliced with an even pressure. In other words: that the two active electrode surfaces are parallel.

An un-even pressure on the carrier will result in local overheating, causing

the carrier metal to melt and become stuck to the electrode surface.

While it sometimes is possible to clean the electrode surface, using emery cloth, in many cases particles will be pulled out of the electrode surface,

with pitting as a result. A pitted electrode surface will, at best, cause a thickness increase in the splice, but in most cases it will require replacing the

electrode.

We have found that by placing a piece of semi-conducting paper between the two electrodes and measuring the current flowing across the paper, we can

determine when the two surfaces are parallel, since this will coincide with

Issue No.8 (con'd):

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a maximum in the current measured on a 0 to 10 milliampere meter.

As a service to our customers we have made up a kit consisting of a 0 to 10 mA instrument, a 1 kOhm resistor and a 9 volt battery, plus the requires leads for connection to the electrodes.

The procedure for using this kit is as follows:

o The power lead to the lower electrode holder is disconnected from the connecting block and one of the crocodile clips (from the kit) is attached

to it. The other crocodile clip may be fastened to the top holder.

o The other ends of these leads are plugged into the box containing the instrument.

o To check the connections, close the right jaw on the splicer. You should now

read 9 mA.

o Place a piece of carbon black paper between the two electrodes. The reading should now be somewhat below 2 mA.

o While watching the instrument, try adjusting the position of the upper electrode

by tightening or loosening the two 3 mm nuts on the angle just behind the electrode holder. When the maximum reading is obtained, the two electrode surfaces are parallel.

It is advisable to make this control every time a new electrode is installed, and before

an attempt is made to make a splice, since this first splice may ruin the electrode

(by making it become pitted).

3. Wide Strip Splicer.

The new splicer mentioned under (2) in Issue No. 6 suitable for the splicing of wide strips in front of stamping presses has been improved further.

It is now possible to splice strips ranging in width from 6 mm to 52 mm using the standard machine.

To change from one strip width to another only involves loosening two screws in each of the two front guide rails, pushing these rails up against the new strip, and fastening them again.

The soldering process stops automatically when the far edge of the strip is reached, and in most cases the other parameters may be left unchanged, so that one unit may

serve a number of presses operating with different strip widths.