THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR JUST-IN-TIME (JIT) DELIVERIES IS MAKING PROGRAMMABLE AUTOMATION NECESSARY FOR METAL STAMPING OPERATIONS. PROGRAMMABLE AUTOMATION (ALSO KNOWN AS FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION) MEANS THE ABILITY TO CHANGE MANUFACTURING FROM ONE PART TO THE NEXT WITH SPEED AND EASE. AN IDEAL PROGRAMMABLE SYSTEM FOR METAL STAMPING PRESSES, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE REPEATABLE TIMING CONTROL FROM SETUP TO SETUP, IS DESCRIBED. THE SYSTEM INCLUDES A PROGRAMMABLE ROTARY LIMIT (CAM) SWITCH, A TONNAGE MONITOR, AND A DIE PROTECTION MONITOR. EACH OF THESE FUNCTIONS WOULD CONTAIN THE ELECTRONICS AND FEATURES NECESSARY TO ALLOW QUICK DIE CHANGES, PROVIDE ACCURATE, REPEATABLE TIMING SIGNALS, AND PROTECT AGAINST DIE SMASH-UPS AND PRESS OVERLOADS. THE IDEAL SYSTEM COULD ALSO BE CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER TO MONITOR PRESSROOM STATUS AND COLLECT DATA FOR STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL (SPC). THE IDEAL SYSTEM WILL BRIN