Fly-Over-Punch (FOP) Technology

The Challenge. Reliable Part Transfer in Cold Heading.

In every cold header, one of the most critical operations is the transfer of parts between stations. This step must happen quickly, precisely, and in rhythm with the forming cycle.
The real challenge lies in grabbing the product quickly after ejection from the die, especially when parts are only supported over a short length.

This is particularly crucial for:

• Short products
• Parts with a shoulder or step in the shank
• Applications using collapsing dies

The goal was to achieve a transfer that is faster, more stable, and more reliable while maintaining the proven robustness of a fully mechanical system.

The Fly-Over-Punch (FOP) concept was developed by Nedschroef Machinery to overcome a long-standing limitation in traditional transfer modules for cold forming.

Until now, we featured a mechanical transfer module designed for precision and reliability. The mechanical transfer uses a cam-driven system. Both the finger opening and closing movement and the sideways movement of the transfer slide are mechanically linked to the crankshaft, and therefore directly synchronized with the motion of the main slide.
This system has long been valued for its simplicity and reliability, but it has a natural limitation:

The sideways movement cannot begin until the main slide, which carries the punches, has moved back far enough to create clearance for the fingers to pass. During the forward stroke, the transfer moves the product to the next station. When the punch reaches the front-dead center (FDC), the fingers open to release the product. They are clear of the punch but still around it, so sideways movement can only begin once the main slide moves back and creates clearance.

What FOP changes

The Fly-Over-Punch (FOP) transfer eliminates this waiting time by lifting the fingers above the punch when opening. The sideways movement can start immediately upon opening of the fingers, without waiting for the main slide to move back. This allows earlier motion and faster product gripping, resulting in a smoother and more efficient transfer and a significant step forward in transfer system design for cold forming.

The FOP transfer brings this fly-over-punch functionality to a fully mechanical system. It combines the speed and timing advantages of earlier motion with the reliability and simplicity of mechanical engineering.

The FOP transfer starts its sideways motion significantly earlier than the traditional system.

The traditional system must wait until 20° after the main slide front dead center (FDC) to start its sideways movement.
The Fly-Over-Punch transfer starts already 5° before FDC. This earlier start gives a 25°advantage and a gain of 47 mm gain in main slide movement. The difference in timing means that the FOP grabs the product faster and more securely.

• Traditional transfer: fingers close at 270°
• FOP transfer: fingers close already at 250°
• Result: quicker grip, smoother motion, less downtime

In short, the FOP design allows the fingers to start moving over the punch while it is still in its forward position, eliminating the waiting time that limits traditional systems.

Thanks to this earlier motion start, the FOP system can:

• Grab parts faster, even those with minimal supported length
• Reduce the risk of falling parts or misalignment
• Increase reliability in production of short or shoulder-type products
• Enhance overall efficiency without adding complexity

The design maintains full mechanical robustness ensuring predictable, low-maintenance performance.

The FOP concept builds lessons learned from earlier transfer systems implementations on other machines for cold forming. Extensive in-field testing allowed Nedschroef Machinery to refine the design, addressing every improvement point reported by service and production teams. All known improvement points were addressed to achieve longer maintenance intervals and higher OEE.

For further enhanced flexibility, The FOP transfer can also be equipped with complementary options to suit specific production needs ensuring full readiness for high-speed cold forming applications:

• Adjustable Cam

The FOP can be combined with an adjustable cam, allowing fine tuning of the timing of the sideways movement. This does not reduce movement duration but offers better alignment with varying product geometries.

• Short Product Support

To ensure even the shortest parts can be grabbed securely, the FOP can be paired with the short product support feature. This keeps parts supported immediately after they leave the die, ensuring consistent and stable pickup.

Ready for Future Integration

The mechanical FOP transfer has been designed with the future in mind.
It supports deployment across the entire NedForm product family, and its modular design enables future add-ons such as:

• Finger force monitoring
• Servo-assisted transfer modules
• Further developments in digital integration and monitoring

This makes the FOP a proven foundation for future developments in mechanical transfer technology.

The new FOP Transfer delivers tangible production benefits: Faster part grabbing, higher reliability, and full readiness for your most challenging cold forming applications.