Heated-head retrofit: PID heat control and motion limits on a production press.
A cutting press with a heated head ran on manual temperature judgment and unprotected head travel. The owner wanted repeatable heat, protected motion, and records for quality audits.
Starting condition
Head temperature was set by operator feel, heat-up time varied through the shift, and head travel had no positive upper/lower limits. Scrap rates climbed on temperature-sensitive material.
What was scoped
Mithril designed a retrofit adding PID temperature control with a tuned profile for the head, motion limit switches with documented setpoints, interlocked head access, and operator-facing status indication. The package included a controls schematic, commissioning checklist, and operator walkthrough notes.
Outcome
Budget band: roughly $15,000–$20,000 with materials. Duration: about eight weeks. Heat repeatability gave the shop audit-ready temperature records and cut temperature-related scrap on sensitive runs.
Why it matters to your machine
Manual heat control hides variation until it shows up in scrap. PID control plus motion limits makes the process repeatable, protectable, and documentable for customer audits.
Related services
Case notes are anonymized where customers asked. Numbers are ballparks from project records, not offers. PE-stamped or code-regulated portions are handled through Utah licensed firms when required.