B rochure & Specifications MEET THE HELICAL FORMER D e cember 2017 THE HELICAL FLIGHT FORMER PRODUCES TRUE HELICES FOR EARTH AUGERS, AUGER WINGS, SCREW FEEDERS, SCREW-PILES, HELICAL PIERS, SCREW CONVEYORS, FRUIT AND WINE PRESSES AND MATERIAL HANDLING AND EXTRUSION APPLICATIONS T h e r e I s N o O t h e r H e l i x F o r m i n g M a c h i n e T h a t O f f e r s A l l T h e A d v a n t a g e s o f t h e H e l i c a l F o r m e r
WHY CHOOSE THE HELICAL FORMER? Helical Former is manufactured by Robust Machinery Limited, a family owned and proudly British company based in the South of England. We took the principals of Hooke s Law, and engineered the most compact, efficient and revolutionary helical forming machine ever. That meant reimagining every element to make it not only safer and more economical, but crucially, able to produce accurate helix flights for a more discerning marketplace. The result is more than just a helical former. It s the future of helical forming. Fast Accurate Economical Safe 1 0 0 % Produce perfect helices every time with the Helical Former. The machine is easily programmed by the operator to your precise specifications. The Helical Former will produce consistent helices quickly, quietly and with accuracy. S a f e t y F i r s t Only one operator is needed with no hands on any moving parts. The operator is positioned behind the machinery with clear line of sight over the machine. Easy safe handling, loading and unloading. S i n g l e A c t i o n There is no mechanical percussion in the forming process. This makes the machine quiet, very smooth to operate and far more energy efficient. As a result there is very little wear and tear on the machine and far less stress on the operator. N o D i e s Eliminate the hassle and cost of changing and storing dies and forming-plates. Helical Former uses no dies and makes producing true helices simple, safe, cost effective and efficient with quiet operation and reduced running costs. L e f t o r R i g h t Completely programmable and easy to use, the Helical Former can form left or right hand helical flights. Simply key in the dimensions on the operating panel and let the Helical Former get on with the job. C l i e n t F o c u s Delivering on time and on budget is critical to you. We provide technical support and training for all of our Clients. We are interested in your business, what you do and how you do it and we innovate to support your growth and vision.
SIMPLE, PROVEN PRINCIPLES Your Helical Former stretches flat annular discs (blanks 1 ) into helicoid shaped spirals (helices 2 ) - like the coils of a spring. It employs a basic law of physics called Hooke s Law 3 to produce consistent Helices. EASY CONTROLS Enter the Stretch (P1) and Spring-back (P2) dimensions. P1 and P2 are measured from the home position. The Helical Former is now programmed to achieve the desired pitch 4 for one offs, or for an entire batch. The pitch is infinitely variable within the specified range of each machine. Once settings are entered for a specific helix they can be stored by pressing one of the function (F1 to F4) buttons. VARIOUS JAW OPTIONS Swing Jaws - Supplied with Short Pitch (Screw Pile) Models Only These are rugged and versatile. Not as quick as U-Frame Jaws, but after a bit of practice the average time per cycle is about 2 to 3 minutes depending on size. Even if you choose one of the other quicker options it is always useful to have a set of Swing Jaws for those tougher jobs and for larger flights. We include a set of swing jaws with whichever option you choose. U-Jaws - Standard for Long Pitch (Auger) Models These are high rate producers and very versatile whether helices are for square shafts or circular, these jaws can form helices as small as 30 mm internal diameter and up to more than a meter external diameter. They can be customised for particular needs. Typical cycle is about 1.5 minutes. Hydraulic Jaws Optional for All Models These are made to order and matched to task. They can be automated or manually triggered, and may be integrated with an existing assembly line or a custom overhead track. Hydraulic jaws are typically of the U-Jaw type and come with their own hydraulic pack and pendulum control. BESPOKE OPTIONS We also build custom Helical Formers for special spirals and sizes, and long pitches so please do talk to us about your special requirements. We can assist with the design and supply of integrated handling equipment for your own helix forming line. WHAT MAKES THE HELICAL FORMER SO UNIQUE AND TRUE FORMING? The main feature of the Helical Former is its ability to form true helices and to produce accurate repeats. These unique features are achieved by close proximity and alignment of the forming forces, the design of the jaws, and the simple to operate - programmable electronics. The physical laws that govern stress:strain relationships for all grades of tensile metals ensure the even forming of the helical flight. The unique Jaws of the Helical Former allow rotation of the gripped edges during forming to avoid distortion from true helicoid form.
HALF PITCH MODELS FOR SCREW-PILES ( M a x i m u m P i t c h To H a l f o f O D ) Model Code: SJ =Swing Jaws UJ =U Jaws HJ =Hydraulic Jaws Power kw 360-480V 3Ph 50 or 60 Hz Thickness Capacity (S-355) mm cycles per hour with manual handling Std Stroke length mm Crated size LxWxH cm Weight kg HF25.250.40 SJ 3.0 15 15-20 250 150x60x120 600 HF25.250.40 UJ 20-30 660 HF25.250.40 HJ 30-40 720 HF40.350.50 SJ 5.5 25 15-20 350 200x80x130 1200 HF40.350.50 UJ 20-30 1350 HF40.350.50 HJ 30-40 1500 HF50.450.60 SJ 7.5 30 15-20 450 200x80x160 1650 HF50.450.60 UJ 20-30 1800 HF50.450.60 HJ 30-40 1950 HF60.500.70 SJ 9.2 40 10-15 500 250x100x150 1800 HF60.500.70 UJ 15-20 2000 HF60.500.70 HJ 20-25 2200 HF80.600.90 SJ 15.0 50 5-10 600 300x110x160 2400 HF80.600.90 UJ 10-15 2600 HF80.600.90 HJ 15-20 2900 HF100.700.120 SJ 22.0 60 5-10 700 350x120x160 3000 HF100.700.120 UJ 7-12 4000 HF100.700.120 HJ 10-15 4500 View The Helical Former Demos on YouTube. Click the icon or search Helical Former
FULL PITCH MODELS FOR CONTINUOUS AUGERS Model Code: RJ = Rotating Jaws Power kw 400V 3Ph 50 or 60 Hz Thickness Capacity (S-355) mm Max Diameter cycles per hour Std Stroke length mm Crated size LxWxH cm Weight kg HF25.450.30 RJ 1.1 10 450 30-40 450 140x40x100 600 HF30.600.40 RJ 3.0 15 600 25-35 600 200x60x120 1500 HF40.900.50 RJ 5.5 25 900 20-30 900 275x80x130 2500 HF60.1200.70 RJ 9.2 35 1200 15-20 1200 350x100x150 4500 HF80.1600.90 RJ 15.0 48 1600 10-15 1600 400x120x160 8000 HF100.2000.120 RJ 22.0 60 2000 5-10 2000 500x140x180 12000 For Prices and Conditions of Sale, please contact us at info@helicalformer.com View The Helical Former Demos on YouTube. Click the icon or search Helical Former
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: What is meant by half pitch and full pitch? Pitch is the distance between starting point and end point of a single turn of a screw-flight. When the required pitch is equal or more than the outer diameter of the flight we need a "full pitch Helical Former". When the required pitch is equal or less than half of the outer diameter of the flight we need a "half pitch Helical Former". ("Half pitch" or "full pitch" may be referred to as "50% pitch"or "100% pitch"). Q: Why do we make Helical Formers for "HALF PITCH" and "FULL PITCH" applications? The reason we offer both options is that the half pitch Helical Former offers a big saving. Some industries, like screw piling, never require more than "half pitch" flights therefore we can provide exactly what is needed at a very competitive price. Q: Can I make half pitch flights on a full pitch Helical Former? Yes - no problem. Q: Are there differences in the design of the blanks for half pitch and full pitch Helical Formers? Yes, we provide different programs for the design of each type. The blank is always an "annulus" (a circular plate with a central hole - like a washer). The main difference is in the shape of the cut out slice that links the inside hole to the outside. For half pitch blanks the slice is a narrow parallel sided slot like a saw cut and is referred to as the "kerf". For full pitch blanks the slice resembles a portion from a pie chart and is basically triangular in shape with the apex angle in proportion to the pitch, and is referred to as an annulus sector. Q: How would I figure out which Helical Former is right for my business? Contact us with your requirements. We will reply with advice on the best Helical Former for your business. View The Helical Former Demos on YouTube. Click the icon or search Helical Former
CONTACT US Helical Former is manufactured by Robust Machinery Limited. Company Number 9438775 Designer & Patent Holder of the Helical Former. Duncan McGregor CEng FICE CEnv FIMMM UK Registered Address 1 Deal Avenue, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 3LP, United Kingdom Telephone +44 (0)1323 655 752 Factory Address Diplocks Buildings, Diplocks Way, Hailsham, BN27 3JF Technical Enquiries Duncan McGregor engineering@helicalformer.com Global Sales Beth McGregor info@helicalformer.com International Business Development Pedro J Banon Soler Press & Media Enquiries Visit our Web Pages View Demonstration Videos pedro@helicalformer.com marketing@helicalformer.com http://www.helicalformer.com youtube.com/c/helicalformer Glossary: 1. Blanks. In the context of the Helical Former, the blank is a flat concentric annular disc of steel profiled using gas, plasma or laser, from consistent material of uniform thickness. The thickness of the blank is limited to the specified capacity of the specific Helical Former model based on UK grade S-355 steel (Yield strength 355 MPa). If in doubt ask us. 2. Helices Plural of Helix. Other terms: helical segments, screw flights, auger flights, helical spirals, Archimedes screws, helical plates, helicoids and screw conveyer segments. 3. Hooke s Law. See : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hooke%27s_law. (Strain is proportional to stress). 4. Pitch is the axial dimension between corresponding points on a helical flight. Usually from leading edge to trailing edge. 5. Spring-back is the axial distance that a stretched helical flight has to return in order to form the pitch. Higher elastic modulus increases spring-back. The amount of spring-back can be pre-calculated or determined by trial.