TRUMPF enters world of panel bending

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2014-11-05 10:28:43

TRUMPF is entering the world of panel bending: its TruBend Centre 5025 has a bending length of 2.5 meters and the TruBend Centre 5030 has a bending length of 3 meters. These thin-sheet processing specialists provide the ideal complement to the company's bending portfolio. In panel bending, bends are formed by the movement of the bending tool. The sheet itself is inserted horizontally and fixed in place by blank holders.

During the bending process, the workpiece remains in the horizontal position and does not need to be readjusted. This system has ergonomic benefits, especially when processing components with large surface areas, and it boosts productivity as well.

Even using the standard tools, the panel bending technology offers an extremely quick way to form positive and negative bends as well as folds. It also allows for circular bends with a variety of radii – a significant advantage, since this cuts down on setup times and reduces tool costs. The TRUMPF machines offer an extremely wide variety of parts that go far beyond the traditional range of panel bending components. They produce complex components with great productivity and precision, from filigree edges to large-scale forms.

The new TruBend Centre machines are semi-automatic bending centres. Operators just need to insert the sheet by placing it against the back gauge. All further material handling is automatically directed by the 2-axis part manipulator, which completes all the bending steps per edge. At the end, the machine operator simply turns the sheet and the process begins again.

The machine also automatically takes care of tool changing to eliminate setup time for the machine operator. During bending operations, the ToolMaster Bend to the left and right of the machine remains in its resting position. When the next job comes along, it quickly and reliably reequips the blank holders automatically. Operators can use this time to get the new material ready, for instance.

These features make the machine particularly user-friendly. What’s more, the automation of workpiece handling and tool changing enhances productivity. The result is an extremely fast and economical machine, including for small and medium-size batches, and evident even in the manufacture of single parts.

With its TruBend Centre, TRUMPF is alone in the industry in offering a panel bending machine with an additional vertical axis for the part manipulator. This makes for unprecedented flexibility, since the part manipulator can fix parts at a range of positions. Without this additional feature, many components would be impossible to manufacture. The vertical axis also makes sure that the operator can easily remove parts that have downward edges.

Even with the standard tools, the TruBend Centre machine concept allows for a whole range of shapes and formats – for aluminium and mild steel sheets up to 3 millimeters thick and stainless steel sheets up to 2.2 millimeters thick. Possibilities include not just short side lengths, deep boxes and small profiles, but also parts with formed sections, recesses, and parts with diverse radii. The machine can also productively process galvanized and painted sheet metal.

For exceptional geometries that present particular challenges, extra blank holder and bending tools are available and are also automatically fitted as needed. These enable the manufacture of very small profiles, parts with formed sections near the bending line, flanges or staggered bends. Thanks to these options and the possibilities unlocked by the 2-axis part manipulator, users have what is for panel bending an unusually large degree of freedom to shape their components.

The optical angle assistant also supports the operator to ensure the best possible accuracy every time. This feature is particularly helpful when setting up for new parts. An integrated camera displays the current and desired angle at the control. During processing, the operator can monitor the angle and adjust it as necessary. This helps deliver quality parts from the outset.

The angle drive that generates the tools’ movement also contributes to the high quality of the bending parts. The interaction of the two axes ensures that the component’s surface is protected as much as possible during the bending process. In addition, the angle drive boasts an extremely robust design and takes up little space – both ideal features for everyday industrial use.

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