The document discusses how boosts are used on roll forming machines to accelerate dies up to material speed. It explains that boosts push dies out as the press fires to get the tooling in motion before hitting the material. It then focuses on the relationship between boost outputs and press outputs on different controller models, describing the parameters that determine their timing and how to adjust them to optimize acceleration and prevent material deformation at various speeds.

1. Boosted Dies
A boost is a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder used to “shove” a punch or cut tool up to
material speed on a roll forming machine. This method of die acceleration is crude and
less precise than servo actuation, but it’s cheap and effective. Typically, a boost is only
used when the material is not strong enough to support the weight of the die. In this case,
the boost helps by pushing the die out as the press is firing so the tooling is already in
motion by the time it hits the material.
Boosts are not really used for accuracy, and the boost should not play a role in
determining calibration or accuracy on the machine. When establishing press reaction
times, the boost should be completely disabled if at all possible. Once the press reaction
times and calibration are established, then the boost should be reconnected and it’s timing
established. The function of the boost is to prevent material deformation due to the
forces involved when trying to use the material to accelerate the weight of the die.
In AMS controllers, the boost output and the press output have a special relationship
based on the series of controller (MP300, XL100, XL200). It’s important to understand
this relationship to get the best results from the equipment. There are four parameters
that work together to determine the timing states of the two outputs; Press (or Shear)
Dwell, Press (or Shear) Reaction, Boost Dwell, and Boost Reaction.
MP300, XL100 Series and XL 200 series (up to v2.06)
The Shear Dwell parameter should be set to a time corresponding to the time required to
break through the thickest/strongest material run on the machine. This time is found by
trial-and-error, requiring the user to load his thickest material into the shear and perform
a standing cut, increasing or decreasing the Shear Dwell parameter until just enough time
is programmed to break through the material with a single press fire. For the purpose of
this document, it is assumed that a Shear Dwell time of 0.1 s is sufficient to break
through the thickest material run, and that the shear/boost combination is installed on a
functioning roll forming machine.

2. With only the Shear Dwell set, the corresponding boost output will turn on at the same
time and for the same amount of time as the its press output. In figure 6-1, a shear/boost
combination is programmed only with Shear Dwell time. Both the shear and the boost
will turn on for 0.1 s of time.
Figure 6-1
Because of the nature of attempting to hit a moving target, it is necessary to compensate
for speed changes on the machine. The Shear Reaction parameter handles the time error
induced when speed changes occur. While establishing the Shear Reaction time, the
boost cylinder should be disabled so that it does not impact the operation of the shear die.
This can typically be accomplished by removing the solenoid to the valve that controls
the boost. The test for Shear Reaction can then be performed at a speed slow enough that
the material will support the weight of the die without the boost. Press reaction formulas
are listed in the AMS controller manual, as well as in other documentation, and will not
be covered here.
Once the shear’s reaction time is determined, it is entered into its corresponding
parameter. This affects both the shear and the boost in figure 6-2. Because the boost
output is tied to the shear output, both signals are shifted forward in time by the
programmed reaction time. Both outputs will turn on 0.05 s earlier, and off 0.05 s earlier.
The original timing states are shown to represent the original starting point.
Figure 6-2

3. After entering the parameters above, the boost is reconnected to the die and some sample
parts are run. Often at this point, it might be observed that the die is dragging, or
“hanging up” on the leading edge of the material. To solve this problem, some amount of
Shear Boost Dwell is added in figure 6-3 to continue pushing the die forward as the die
retracts out of the material.
Figure 6-3
This is the first time that the boost begins to behave differently from the shear. Up to this
point, the boost turned on at the same time, and for the same amount of time as the shear.
Now, the boost stays one for an extra 0.1 s for a total time of 0.2 s. Even though the
shear and boost are fired simultaneously, the boost stays on longer, allowing the shear to
retract with no back pressure on the material. However, at higher speeds, the user might
notice some buckling on the leading edge of the next piece. This is an indication that the
shear die is not fully up to speed by the time the shear blade contacts the material. To
solve this problem, Shear Boost Reaction is added in figure 6-4 as a way to get the shear
die moving earlier, so the die has time to more closely meet line speed by the time the
blade contacts material.
Figure 6-4
It should be noted that the boost output is still only on for a total of 0.2 s, but it turns on
0.05 s before the shear and stays on for 0.05 s after the shear has turned off.

4. XL200 Series (v2.10 and later)
Starting with v2.10, it was decided that the XL200 series controller should allow the user
completely independent control of the press and boost outputs. This significantly impacts
the functionality of the boost output, especially if the user is familiar with the old
operation method.
The Shear Dwell parameter functions identically in both the old and new software
versions. The time entered must still be found by trial-and-error by performing standing
cuts on the thickest material that will be run through the machine.
With only the Shear Dwell set, the corresponding boost output will not turn on. In figure
6-5, a shear/boost combination is programmed with Shear Dwell time. Only the shear
will turn on for 0.1 s of time.
Figure 6-5

5. In any mode of operation, the system must account for the reaction time of the press in
order to make accurate parts from start to finish and through all speed ranges. While
establishing the Shear Reaction time, the boost cylinder should be disabled so that it does
not impact the operation of the shear die. This can typically be accomplished by
removing the solenoid of the valve that controls the boost. The test for Shear Reaction
can then be performed at a speed slow enough that the material will support the weight of
the die without the boost. Press reaction formulas are listed in the AMS controller
manual, as well as other documentation, and will not be covered here.
Once the shear press reaction time is determined, it is entered into its corresponding
parameter. This only affects the shear output in figure 6-6. The boost output “on” state
will be based on the original target coincidence point (where the shear would have
originally turned on).
Figure 6-6
After entering the parameters above, the boost is reconnected to the die and some sample
parts are run. Often at this point, it might be observed that the die is dragging, or
“hanging up” on the leading edge of the material. To solve this problem, some amount of
Shear Boost Dwell is added in figure 6-7 to continue pushing the die forward as the die
retracts out of the material.
Figure 6-7

6. At this point, the shear is fired 0.05 s before the boost turns on. When the boost is fired,
it stays on longer than the shear output, allowing the shear to retract with no back
pressure on the material. However, at higher speeds, the user might notice some buckling
on the leading edge of the next piece. This is an indication that the shear die is not fully
up to speed by the time the shear blade contacts the material. To solve this problem,
Shear Boost Reaction is added in figure 6-8 as a way to get the shear die moving earlier,
so the die has time to more closely meet line speed by the time the blade contacts
material.
Figure 6-8
After the last parameter change, the boost output fires 0.05 s before the shear output,
helping to bring the die up to material speed before the blade contacts the material.
Because of the shift in reaction time, it might be necessary to go back and increase the
Shear Boost Dwell parameter to force the boost to keep pushing the die as the blade
retracts out of the material, if the material starts to hang up on the blade again.