QuadTech has worked with Candy Mfg. Co., Inc. for 25 years in the design and manufacture of its control systems for the print industry. That’s an extraordinary record in today’s economy where the recession and overseas competition are shutting down so many small family-owned companies. The relationship started when QuadTech began using Candy differentials on their folding machines. The relationship continued when they decided to stop manufacturing their own harmonic drive gear boxes. When that decision was made, they turned to and its line of shaft-mounted Harmonic Differentials.
One of the first applications to use Candy equipment was the QuadTech line of print folding equipment which used the DIFF-7, 7 horsepower differential gearbox. In a later application on the same machine, the HDC-5C shaft-mounted Harmonic Differential was employed to further enhance the machine’s performance. According to John Neary, engineering manager at QuadTech, this application required operation at high speeds, leading to lubrication challenges. Candy worked with Neary to develop a new method for lubrication that kept the equipment from overheating. Although the folder line has since been discontinued, Candy’s components continue to find application in QuadTech designs.
Although some mechanical differential applications have been replaced by servos, Neary says he wouldn’t hesitate to use Candy again if an application required a differential gear box. “I like working with Candy,” says Neary, “The equipment is compact and they give good technical support.”
“They made adjustments to their product,” says Neary. “They didn’t just provide an off-the-shelf component and expect us to work around it.”
With that kind of support, perhaps the two companies will continue working together for another 25 years!
***
QuadTech, Inc., a division of Quad/Graphics, is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of control systems that help commercial, newspaper, packaging, and publication gravure printers improve their performance, productivity, and bottom line results. Their website is www.quadtechworld.com .
Quad/Graphics is a $4.8 billion global provider of print and related multichannel solutions for consumer magazines, special interest publications, catalogs, retail inserts and circulars, direct mail products, books and directories. Their business approach is based on the world’s most advanced print manufacturing platform backed up by technological innovation. Their website is www.qg.com
Omar Dozal, tooling engineer at Valeo Engine Design, found Candy Mfg. Co., Inc. about nine years ago during the design of a new radiator. He needed to synchronize between two rolling devices to precisely control the fin gaps for enhanced engine performance. Speed was not the most important design consideration and he wanted to keep machine operation simple for the line workers — a mechanical gearbox fit the bill.
Searching the Internet, he found Candy and saw that its equipment was being used to synchronize the placement of colors or registration control when printing. He saw that they could fine-tune placement of the ink drops. Although the application wasn’t identical, a light bulb went off and he could see the similarity.
Working with tech support at Candy, he specified the HDD-20, shaft-mounted Harmonic Differential for his machine to control the fin gaps. It worked out of the box when first installed in 2001 and it is still running, eight years later!
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” says Dozal. The longevity points to the quality of the HDD-20 design and the tight specifications that Candy requires of its own manufacturing process. Quality, precision, reliability, and long life are the result.
Currently, there are more than 30 HDD-20 Harmonic Differentials in use in the Valeo plant. Most recently the radiator machine was retrofitted with an Accu-Gear Servo Reducer, also supplied by Candy.
“Candy Controls always has the answer to my technical questions,” says Dozal. “They know their stuff.”
***
Valeo Engine Design is a tier-one radiator supplier to Honda, Ford and other major automakers. Based in France , they have an operation in Greensburg , Ind. Their website is www.valeo.com
Steve Zabran, engineering manager for TMI -Tishma Innovations in Schaumburg , Ill. , is learning to drive on the left-hand side of the road. That’s because his new client is a bottler of distilled alcoholic spirits located in Great Britain . “So far, I’ve done okay,” he says, “The only thing I’ve run into is a curb.”
Distilleries have a long tradition of excellence in Great Britain , and many of them are using antiquated equipment. Slippage from backlash in the drive train of these lines requires frequent attention from a maintenance technician, and adjustment is time consuming. The line must be shut down so the technician can use a wrench and a graduated scale to realign. It’s a trial and error process with several rounds of stopping, adjusting, and restarting the line before resuming production. In addition, adjusting the timing for changeover from one product to another can take hours. Clearly it’s time to upgrade and so one of the distilleries appealed to Tishma to help lower labor costs and down-time, while maintaining quality.
“This was a high-stakes situation for Tishma,” says Zabran, “because success with this client could create opportunities with other distilleries in the region.” For this important design, he chose Candy Mfg. Co. , Inc. for a key component — the speed differential gearbox. With the Candy system in place, adjustments can be made on the fly with no down time. Product change-over can be made quickly by releasing the locking key on the Candy Differential and dialing in the predetermined setting in degrees.
“The maintenance technician can visually see the timing being advanced or retarded as needed,” says Zabran. “Backlash still occurs, but the line can be adjusted quickly. For this application, the Candy Differential gearbox is an excellent solution.”
The client says the new equipment is “spot-on.”
Zabran says the Candy Diff-7 was key to their success. “Candy’s customer support is outstanding. They have exceptional follow-up. The sales manager stops by in the morning on his way to work to see if we’re doing okay. Candy took this part of the design off my plate so I could focus on other things.”
Success with this equipment is sure to bring in more clients from European distilleries, increasing Tishma’s client base and providing more time for the Tishma team to perfect their skills at driving on the “wrong” side of the street!
***
TMI - Tishma Innovations LLC, is managed by Petar Tisma. Located in Schaumburg , Ill. , they manufacture packaging machines for food, confectionery, beverage, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and golf ball industries, as well as many others. Tishma can be contacted at www.tminn.com or by contacting Petar Tisma directly at ptisma@tminn.com/.
