Royal Canadian Mint – Redesign of a Die Loosening Station
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Date
2017-12-06
Authors
Kotak, Honey
Plett, Ryan
Maharajh, Mikhail
Shah, Syed
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Abstract
Detailed in this report is Team 29’s concept development process and final concept selection for our project for the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) assigned to us by Dr. Paul Labossiere. During the final process of coin production, the stamping dies the RCM uses wear out, and must be replaced several times per day to maintain consistency and quality within coins. The current die replacement process utilizes a long breaker bar with a torque multiplier to remove the dies from their anvils. The stamping process occasionally causes the dies to become too tight for the current removal process, resulting in operators finding unsafe methods to break the die free. To solve this issue, we divided our project into three sections and made designs for each. The main sections of design were the torque application device, the anvil holding bench vise design, and integration and ergonomics. For torque application we considered multiple options, including various off-the-shelf torque guns, as well as some fully custom designs. Following our selection process and a meeting with the RCM, we choose an off-the-shelf torque gun as our final concept going forward. For the vise design, again we came up with multiple concepts and in the end, we chose to modify the current vise by implementing custom designed jaws to improve the hold on the anvils. Finally, for our third design section, integration and ergonomics, we choose to implement a self-leveling tool holder arm that will allow one torque gun to service two vises in a die changing station. An off-the-shelf pneumatic torque gun from a commercial industrial bolting company was selected. This torque gun features a digital display for accuracy and has a torque range from 300 ft-lbs –1200ft-lbs, which has a more than sufficient breakout torque for loosening, but may be too powerful to use effectively for tightening. The design has left the RCM the option to select the smaller torque gun which may not break dies free, but has a low enough torque range to tighten. The price is comparatively lower than some of the other torque gun models considered. For the integration and...