[TheForge] Side-loading question (was: 15Ton Press)

[Andy Vida]

Bruce Freeman wrote:
> 
> I've gotten two "yes" responses.  So let me continue.
> 
> Suppose you had to construct a press that would not let its cylinder get side loaded (and for the moment $ is not an issue).  It seems to me that a fairly straight-forward "suspension" system could be used to avoid side-loading.
> 
> For example, suppose you build a press using three hydraulic cylinders arranged in a triangle. 

	Why multiple cylinders?  One properly sized cylinder makes for
	simpler construction and fewer design problems.

> These would be connected at three points to the ram.  In principal
> you could run the three of them from a single pump (but you might
> want some sort of slip-linkage to keep one from getting ahead of
> the other two due to lower friction). 

	Id rather connect them in parallel so you get perfect pressure 
	equalization between them.

> When one cylinder encounters resistance (more than frictional) the
> pressure will tend to rise within that cylinder, which will tend to
> keep it from receiving more fluid until the pressure in the other two
> cylinders rises equally.  If each cylinder were mounted on a sort of
> a ball and socket joint (loosely interpreted), then it seems to me
> that none of them would ever receive any side loading.

	A bit too complicated IMO.  Devices such as these should be
	as simple as possible.  The fewer the moving parts, the less
	there is to go wrong, and when catastrophic failure results
	in hard, sharp missiles flying around the shop, simplicity is
	a cardinal virtue.
> 
> This may not be the best way to implement such an idea.  I can think
> of other ways to accomplish this hydraulicly (if that's a word), but
> the principal would remain the same.  I'm not trying to say this would
> be cost  effective.  I wouldn't know about that.

	Milk and cookies keeping you up at night?