Roller Feeder Release Timing: How to Adjust and Verify

Pilot Release Setup

Roller Feeder Release Timing: Safe Setup and Verification

Roller feeder release timing decides when the rollers let go of the strip so the die’s pilot pins can complete final positioning, and when they grip the strip again for the next feed. This guide explains how the release striker works, where the release point should be, and how to adjust and verify it safely.

Short answer: jog the press down slowly and set the release striker so the rollers start to open when the pilot pins are about one-third of the way into the pilot holes. The rollers must be open before the pilots are fully in, and they must grip the strip firmly again before the next feed. Then confirm the setting over repeated strokes and at each speed step.

Why does release timing matter?

The feeder moves the strip close to its target position; the pilot pins in the die then make the final small correction, known as pilot pin alignment. If the rollers are still clamped while the pilots enter, the strip, the pilot holes and the tooling are loaded against each other. If the rollers open too early, the strip loses its reference before the pilots hold it.

Observed condition	Likely cause	What to check
Pilot holes are pulled, elongated or marked on one side	Release too late or incomplete; passline or strip constraint	Where the pilots are when the rollers open; strip path and pilot condition.
Strip buckles, stretches or tears near the pilots	The rollers still hold the strip while the pilots pull on it	Release point and release striker position.
Strip moves before the pilots control it	Release too early, or poor strip support	Release point, loop condition and strip movement.
Feed varies after release	The rollers grip again too late or too lightly	Return to grip, clamping pressure and consecutive pitch results.
Behavior changes with speed	Clearance, vibration or mechanism response	The speed step and the first stroke where the symptom appears.

How does the roller feeder release mechanism work?

On a HENLI RFS roller feeder, the release is mechanical and driven by the press. The release striker, an adjustable release screw mounted on the press slide, comes down with the slide and presses the release lever on the feeder. The rollers open, the pilot pins center the strip, and the rollers close on the strip again before the next feed. The height of the release screw sets the release timing, and its horizontal position sets its alignment with the release lever.

When you select a new feeder, the RFS release striker is supplied in the kit with the feeder, eccentric disc and pull rod, so the release hardware matches the feeder from the start. NC servo feeders release the strip differently, with a mechanical or pneumatic release; see our NC servo feeder FAQ on pilot release.

roller feeder mounted on a C-frame press with a drawbar from the eccentric disc at the crankshaft end — A roller feeder mounted on a C-frame press; the drawbar runs from the eccentric disc at the crankshaft end.

A compact press fitted with a roller feeder.

Where should the release point be?

Set the release so the rollers start to open when the pilot pins are about one-third of the way into the pilot holes. By then the pilots already hold the strip, so it cannot run off, and the rollers are open before the pilots go fully in, so the pilots can pull the strip into position without fighting the feeder. The rollers must then press the strip firmly again before the next feed; otherwise the strip cannot be fed properly.

Too early: the rollers let go before the pilots reach the holes, and the strip can move with nothing holding it.
Too late: the rollers still clamp the strip while the pilots pull on it, so the strip deforms and the pilot holes lose their shape.
No grip before the feed: if the rollers have not closed on the strip when the next feed starts, the strip cannot be fed properly.

How to adjust roller feeder release timing

Never reach into a moving press or feeder. Use the press’s jog or inch mode and your site’s lockout procedure, and stop the press before you touch the release striker or the feeder.

Set the feeder height, feed length and clamping pressure first, so the strip is fed correctly before you look at the release.
Switch the press to jog (inch) mode and bring the slide down in short steps.
Watch the pilot pins and the rollers, and note where the pilots are when the release striker starts to open the rollers.
Raise or lower the release screw to move the release point until the rollers start to open with the pilot pins about one-third of the way into the pilot holes.
Adjust the horizontal position of the release screw so it lines up with the release lever on the feeder.
Lock the release screw, then jog through the stroke again and check that the rollers grip the strip firmly before the next feed.

How to Adjust Roller Feeder Release Timing for Stamping Dies

Verify over repeated strokes and speed steps

One good stroke does not prove the setting. Run a series of strokes at slow speed, then raise the speed in steps. After any release change, recheck the feed pitch, the pilot holes, strip marks and the rollers’ return to grip.

Release: the strip is free while the pilots make the final correction.
Control: the strip does not move on its own while the rollers are open.
Return: the rollers grip the strip consistently before the next feed.

upright decoilers feeding strip to roller feeders on a row of stamping presses — Upright decoilers paying off coil strip to roller feeders on a row of presses.

coils on horizontal payoff turntables supplying strip to a row of presses — Coils on horizontal payoff turntables supplying thin strip to a row of presses.

Related roller feeder settings

Pilot releaseWhy a stamping feeder must let go of the strip.
Full adjustmentHeight, feed length, release and pressure in order.
Feed lengthSet and measure the feed pitch separately from release.
Clamping pressureGrip the strip without slipping or marking it.
InstallationMounting plate, feeder height, eccentric disc and pull rod.

Frequently asked questions

When should a roller feeder release the strip?

When the pilot pins are about one-third of the way into the pilot holes. The rollers must be open before the pilots are fully in, and they must grip the strip again before the next feed.

Can I copy the release setting from another die or press?

No. Press motion, die and pilot geometry, feeder linkage and release hardware all differ, so set the release striker for each die and check it by jogging the press.

What should be rechecked after changing feeder release timing?

Check the feed pitch over several strokes, the pilot holes, strip marks and the rollers’ return to grip, at each speed step.

Need help interpreting a release symptom?

Send the feeder model, press and die details, material and pitch, the point in the stroke where the problem appears, photos of the strip or pilot holes, and any recent adjustments.

Request technical review
View Mechanical RFS Roller Feeder Models