Abstract: This relates to an applied force monitor which is associated with sheet material forming mechanisms so as to determine whether sheet material is being properly formed by the amount of force applied in the formation thereof. A typical force applying member would be a cam. Suitable strain gauges are associated with the force applying member with the strain gauges being coupled in a bridge having a voltage output which is indicative of the applied force and which is directed to a microcomputer into which suitable indicia is selectively fed and such indicia will include high and low forces which would be indicative of a fault. The microcomputer includes a memory in which the faults are stored and in addition to indicating when individual faults do occur, the memory, when excess faults are determined, will serve to shut down the associated machine. Data may be visually displayed or may be permanently recorded by way of a printer.

Abstract: This relates to a double seam tightness monitor wherein the second operation track of a cam of a double seaming apparatus or can closing machine is modified so as to permit the high dwell portion of the lobe thereof to deflect under loading from the associated cam follower which forces the second operation roll against the double seam component. Suitable strain gauges are associated with the deformable cam track portion and these are coupled in a bridge having a voltage output which is directed to a microprocessor. The microprocessor is provided with selected inputs which in combination with the voltage input from the bridge may be utilized to provide various signals including a high force condition signal, a pass condition signal, and a low force condition signal. There may also be associated with the microprocessor a printer for identifying the station where an abnormal condition exists, the specific force of the abnormal condition, the machine number, the time and the date.