The Stamper - Gibson Bass Stamper

THE GIBSON
BASS STAMPER

The stamper is CE Certified, every machine is manufactured to order to meet individual customer specifications each one comprises three main components: the stamping head, the control box and the hydraulic power pack.

The Stamper design

We work closely with all our customers to minimise the number of digits required, as this also minimises capital cost. We also advise on how and where to position the Gibson Bass Stamper to minimise the labour input, in turn, minimising the running cost.

We can often install and operate the stamper without adding any extra labour. For example, at one site, the stamper was on a trimming conveyor after fleshing. We linked the stamper PLC into the conveyor to pause the conveyor while stamping to give the operator time to trim the hide as the stamp was taking place.

There are 3 components

Stamper Head

The stamper head is the heart of the machine. It comprises as many digits as you want (generally from 4 to 7, but we have done a nine-digit stamper). Each digit has seven independent hydraulic lines, each line serving one piston, which serves one cutter.

Because of the powerful hydraulic pump, the stamp is very fast, at around one second per stamp. The cutters go right through the hide, and hence the split is identified as well as the grain. The exit holes of the cutters on the flesh side can be clearly seen on the stamped hide.

Control Box

The control box contains the hydraulic valves, the PLC, and other electronic components. As a safety feature, the control box contains only 24VAC and 24VDC, and there is no electricity at the stamping head.

The PLC is the computer that controls the stamper operations. The stamper stamps seven-segment numbers, letters and codes. Each stamper is programmed to stamp according to the individual needs of the customer.

Hydraulic Power Pack

The hydraulic power pack has a 3-phase motor that provides up to 2000 psi (nearly 14,000 kPa), which results in each of the seven cutters having the equivalent of a 40kg weight on it. The stamper is completely safe.

The classic model has a specially designed guard preventing any accidents. While the “Open Jaw’ model, which is suited for heavily dung loaded hides, has a two-button operation with an ‘anti tie down’ feature.

Innovative Features

Innovation is the cornerstone of our customers’ success. Since manufacturing commenced in 2001, many improvements and innovations have been made to the Gibson Bass Hide Stamper, driven by our customer needs.

Orientation

Do you want the number to be facing the edge of the hide, or do you want it facing away from the edge?

Do you want to have the grain side up when stamping or the flesh side up, even if you are reading it from the grain side? All four combinations are available at the touch of a button. Our aim is to make our stamper compatible with whatever you want to do.

Restamp

In individual traceability, the integrity of the stamp is critical.

If for any reason, the operator is not completely happy with the stamp, for example, they did not get the hide fully into the jaws; then they can press the ‘Restamp’ button on the touchscreen or press the ‘Restamp’ foot pedal. This allows the operator to repeat the stamp of the previous number, even if the new number to be stamped has already been loaded by the PLC. The restamp is done without affecting the tally of pieces and stamps. We understand that the realities of life can get in the way of perfect operation, so we have added options to allow for unforeseen but likely eventualities.

Skip one

The philosophy behind individual traceability is that every hide must have a number, and every number must have a hide.

If for any reason, as the stamping progresses, you have a hide that you get a new number for, and you can’t stamp that hide, for whatever reason, you press the ‘skip one’ button and go onto the following number for the next hide. That means you have one number that doesn’t have a hide and one hide that doesn’t have a number. But at least all the subsequent hides come in the correct order and get their right number. Any skipped numbers are recorded in the PLC and can be retrieved via the local area network.

Dual mode

If you are stamping hides destined for the shoe trade, some customers may want a stamp on each side.

We have programmed in this possibility. In Dual mode, the stamper makes two stamps for each number before the hide is counted. An alert on the touchscreen tells the operator which stamp they are doing, the first or the second, so they cannot get lost. The stamper PLC does not get lost either, and the count of hides is correct even though two stamps are made each hide. You can even use the ‘restamp facility’ during the Dual stamp, and the PLC will keep track of it for you.

Different Species

The Gibson Bass Stamper will stamp anything within reason. Some customers identify goat and sheep as well as cattle.

We can give you the ability to keep track of the individual tallies of each species by allowing you to select on the touchscreen the species you are going to stamp next. Then the totals of each species can be downloaded along with any batch or operator code they may be stamped with, the date of stamping, or anything else you want us to record.

Remote Access

Recently we have added the option of including a remote access modem.

This allows interrogation of the stamper in real-time from anywhere in the world through the internet or over a mobile phone. You can log in and see, virtually, what is happening at the stamper operation at any time—a powerful management tool.

Knife for hanging hole

When hides are hung on a hook on a chain, a hole is needed. We can make that hole simultaneously with a stamp being made by including a knife as an ‘extra digit’.

If this suits your manufacturing setup, it not only saves an operation but also reduces the number of knife-wielding people by one—a big plus for safety.

If you want the hole made at a different place in the process from where the stamp is made, we can make a device that just has the knife.

Rotating Head

When the stamper is installed on a kill floor or beside a moving chain, we recommend you consider our new “Rotating Head’ option.

In this case, once the hide is inserted and the trigger activated, the stamper is free to rotate as the body moves past the chain. When the stamp is finished (around 1.0 seconds later), the hide is released, and the stamping head returns to its initial starting position. In the starting position, a brake is applied to allow the operator to insert the hide more efficiently, and as soon as the trigger is pressed and stamp starts, the brake is released.

Open Jaw Stamper

This is our biggest innovation since the invention of the stamper some 20 years ago.

Our standard 25mm jaw option has worked successfully for two decades, but very heavy European hides and US winter feedlot hides have necessitated the development of the open Jaw stamper. This stamper has jaws that open to 45mm, enough for the dirtiest, dungiest hides.

In this case, the safety of the operation is maintained through a two button ‘anti tie down’ stamp initiation.

If you have a particular need and you can’t see something that meets it here please don’t hesitate to contact us. We have the ability and manufacturing capabilities to modify or create new features to suit.

Safety

The guard, which complies with all the standards we have been able to find, makes the machine extremely safe.
You cannot get any part of the human anatomy into the cutting zone.
When we manufacture the ‘Open Jaw’ model for heavily dung loaded hides we use a two-button system with an ‘anti tie down’ feature.
There is no electricity at the stamper head. In the control box, there is only 24VDC and 24VAC.

THE GIBSON BASS STAMPER