Case Study – Bliss Welded Products Clutch & Brake Exchange Unit (AKU-352-2)

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Revro supplied a fully reconditioned exchange clutch and brake unit for a client running two Bliss Welded Products Model S2-300-84-48 300-tonne presses. Built as a complete, fit-ready assembly, the unit is held as a rotable spare and interchanged into either press if a clutch or brake fails – turning what could be weeks of unplanned downtime into a planned changeover.

Exchange unit Model AKU-352-2 – reconditioned clutch and brake assembly for Bliss Welded Products Model S2-300-84-48 300-tonne presses (two off).

An exchange unit that keeps production running

The clutch and brake is the heart of a mechanical press. When it fails, the press stops, and a full strip-down and rebuild in place can take a machine out of production for weeks. For a plant running two identical presses on the same work, that kind of downtime is expensive and very hard to plan around.

A rotable exchange unit removes that risk. Revro supplied a complete, reconditioned clutch and brake assembly that interchanges across both Bliss Welded Products S2-300-84-48 presses. If a clutch or brake fails on either machine, the reconditioned unit is fitted and the press is back in production, while the removed unit is sent for reconditioning in turn. There is always a serviceable assembly ready to go – so an unplanned breakdown becomes a short, controlled changeover.

What was supplied

The exchange unit was built as a complete, fit-ready assembly:

  • Flywheel and flywheel shaft – the rotating mass that stores the press’s drive energy, with the shaft that carries it.
  • Pinion gear – transmits drive from the flywheel assembly into the press gearing.
  • Pneumatically operated 2-plate air friction clutch – engages the drive to the press on demand.
  • 2-plate interlocked spring-operated brake – stops and holds the slide. It is spring-applied, so it sets safely if air pressure is lost, and interlocked with the clutch so the two can never engage together.
  • Micro-inch drive complete with electric motor – rotates the press slowly for die setting and maintenance.
  • Pedestal – supports and aligns the assembly.
  • Bearing and shaft mounting housings – carry the shaft and bearings in correct alignment.
  • Transport platform – lets the unit be moved, stored and positioned ready for changeover.

Unit at a glance

 

Exchange clutch and brake unit Detail
Unit model AKU-352-2
Condition Reconditioned, fit-ready
Application Bliss Welded Products Model S2-300-84-48 300-tonne presses (two off)
Clutch Pneumatically operated, 2-plate air friction
Brake 2-plate, interlocked, spring-operated
Inching Micro-inch drive with electric motor
Supplied as Complete assembly on transport platform

Why a reconditioned exchange unit

For critical presses, a reconditioned exchange unit is one of the most cost-effective forms of insurance a plant can hold:

  • Minimised downtime. A clutch or brake failure is met with a swap, not a rebuild-in-place, so the press returns to production in a fraction of the time.
  • Planned, not unplanned. The strategy converts an unpredictable breakdown into a controlled changeover that can be scheduled and resourced.
  • One unit, two presses. A single exchange assembly covers both identical S2-300-84-48 machines, so the cover cost is shared across the pair.
  • Lower cost than new. A properly reconditioned exchange unit gives like-new service at a fraction of the cost of a new assembly.
  • Safety maintained. The clutch and brake is a safety-critical system. A correctly reconditioned, interlocked, spring-applied unit keeps the press operating to a safe standard.

About press clutch and brake systems

On a mechanical press, the flywheel is driven continuously by the main motor and stores the energy needed to do work. The clutch engages to connect that spinning flywheel to the press drive and produce a stroke; the brake stops and holds the slide the moment the clutch disengages. The two are interlocked so they never act at the same time – as the clutch engages, the brake releases, and as the clutch releases, the brake applies.

This unit uses a pneumatically operated air friction clutch and a spring-operated brake. The air clutch engages cleanly and is easy to control, while the spring-applied brake is fail-safe by design: if air pressure is lost, the springs set the brake and bring the press to rest rather than leaving it free to coast. A micro-inch drive, powered by its own electric motor, lets the press be rotated slowly and safely for setting dies and carrying out maintenance.

Because it governs both motion and stopping, the clutch and brake is also central to press safety. Keeping it in good order – whether through reconditioning, an exchange unit, or scheduled service – is one of the most important parts of running a mechanical press well.

Talk to Revro

Revro reconditions, exchanges and supplies clutch and brake units for Bliss Welded Products and other mechanical presses across Australia, New Zealand and the wider region, alongside press supply, installation, commissioning, service and spare parts. Whether you need a one-off rebuild or a rotable exchange unit to protect a critical press, tell us your press model and we will scope it. Additional details on this unit can be supplied on request.

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