1. Remember the following words:

sheet metal working – обработка тонколистового металла

flywheel – маховик

angle bender – гибочная машина

blow - удар

strip – полоса, лента

coin - чеканить

punch - пробивать

blank – вырубать, заготовка

stamp - штамповать

draw the way into – прокладывать путь; give the way to - уступать

single acting mechanical press – механический пресс простого действия

feeding– подача; feed (fed, fed) – подавать

component, part – деталь

pump - насос

coil - рулон

substitute - заменять

appreciate - оценивать

guillotines – гильотинные ножницы

frame – рама

light tonnage machines – пресс малого усилия

flywheel driven double and triple action drawing press – вытяжной пресс двойного или тройного действия с маховичным приводом

clutch - муфта

combined spring operated brakes – комбинированный подпружиненный тормоз,

versatile – универсальный, широкого назначения

NC (numerical control) – цифровое программное управление

closed loop control systems – замкнутая система управления

ancillary equipment – вспомогательное оборудование

enhance – усовершенствовать, улучшать, увеличивать

II. Read and translate the text. Metalforming – a craft with roots deep in the past

The first step in the automation of sheet metal working, a craft with roots deep in the past, was undoubtedly the introduction of the flywheel as a means of providing the explosion of energy needed to perform at one stroke the work of thousands of hammer blows.

By the late 1800s flywheel driven machines were in use for almost all the known ways of sheet metal working. Guillotines cut sheets into convenient blanks and strips; angle benders formed the strips; presses coined, blanked, stamped, formed, punched and drew their way into the sheet metal manufacturing industry.

At the turn of the century the industry was well established although largely labour intensive. Men and women operators fed countless numbers of blanks into the tools and removed the same countless numbers of components. Whilst labour was cheap and demand was low the situation remained fairly stable and consequently the development was slow.

Between the wars there were some improvements of existing types of machines and methods of feeding. Automatic machinery began to be used in certain specialized areas, such as can making, though most general press work was still hand fed. After World War II means of reducing labour and increasing productivity were in much greater demand. Existing presses were provided with feeding equipment of all types; roller feeding generated an increased demand for sheet metal in coil forms and a new industry developed from the need of manufacture. Presses were specially designed as high speed production units, mainly for the manufacture of small components at first, but soon progressing to larger and more complex parts.

The flywheel remained the basis of the industry but hydraulics was beginning to be substituted in some of the heavier machines. Soon the advantages of individual pump units were appreciated and hydraulically powered guillotines and press brakes appeared in the market and were quickly accepted by the industry. Hydraulic presses were available in various forms both as light tonnage machines and as alternatives to heavy flywheel driven double and triple action drawing presses.

By the 1960s the pneumatic clutch and combined spring operated brakes were standard equipment on automatically feeding presses and in widespread use on many single operating presses. The shape of presses was also changing as cast iron began to give way to welded steel frames, a more versatile material with a much greater potential for large press constructions. NC electronic equipment to control the stroke was introduced. By means of electronic measurement and closed loop control systems errors caused by mechanical inaccuracies and speed variations were avoided. Developments in ancillary equipment were also taking place. Die hydraulics greatly enhanced the capabilities of standard presses and later, new methods of feeding strip which didn’t depend on mechanical drive precision for accuracy were introduced.

III. Fill in the gaps.

1. The flywheel ………. the basis of the industry.

2. ………. began to give the way to welded steel frames

3. Die hydraulics greatly ………. the capabilities of hydraulic presses.

4. Hydraulic presses were ………. in various forms.

5. Roller feeding generated a great ………. in coiled strips.

IV. Give the title to each passage.

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