Deep-Box Bending of Sheet Metal Makes Appliance Manufacturing Easier

The made-to-order X-Press SuperCustom press brake from Gasparini North America, Inc. (Avon, OH) uses 1,300 mm daylight with 900 mm tool adapters to produce very deep boxes up to 600 mm and more and is especially useful for manufacturing of home appliances, food processing equipment, tanks, cabinets, and catering equipment. Extended daylight and repositionable tool adapters allow easy bending of even the biggest sheet metal parts. The machine frame has been redesigned and reinforced to combine the versatility provided by the ample front daylight with greater structural strength. Tool adapters can be moved freely along the entire ram to match any type of box or profile. Thanks to an integrated pipe-less pneumatic connection, rearranging tool adapters is incredibly easy. Even with small batch production and frequent tool changes, time losses are reduced to a minimum.

Accurate ACSG2 real-time crowning guarantees a constant angle along the entire profile length, with no “canoe” effect, regardless of material variability. The system actively reacts to frame deflections, which are dynamically corrected. Bend accuracy is ensured by a GPS4 angle control system. Thanks to the patented sensor, samples and tests are no longer needed to correct springback, even on stainless steels. The X-Press SuperCustom press brake is Industry 4.0 ready and can be built to any tonnage and size, with made-to-order daylight and stroke. Some of its available options include 3D file import, wireless foot pedal, Telelink remote assistance, front supports, multi-axis back gauge with sheet supports, sheet followers, and much more.

Gasparini has also developed an automated press brake bending line with extremely innovative characteristics: the press brake’s circuits, frame and key components are all completely networked through sensors to extract a wealth of data. Mass production now turns flexible using a smart press brake that is connected to the rest of the factory. This automated bending line for sheet metal panels represents the very first press brake line that is compliant with Industry 4.0. It is possible to get detailed statistics about all production phases, as well as the cycle time needed to make a specific product. This means a shop can know their actual costs, eliminate bottlenecks and monitor errors or other process-related problems. Another advantage of this network of sensors is the capability of detecting potentially problematic working conditions and addressing them with preventive maintenance to reduce faults and machine stops, solving failures before they become production outages.

A network of sensors also allows the material being bent to be parameterized to maintain dimensional and strength variation under control. The machine will manage springback accurately and in real time, minimizing the need for samples and tests. A shop can also go as far as to determine whether the raw material is in accordance with what they are expecting. Another game-changing feature is integration with other components of a Smart Factory. Different from machines of previous generations, this automated bending line can be interfaced with ERP, NAS, CAD, and CAM systems. Shops can perform remote uploads of bending programs and drawings. The press brake can be connected to laser cutters, automatic warehouses, welding lines, and so on. The biggest advantage is that the shop now knows their production status in real time to optimally manage raw materials and supplies. Processes can be followed and programmed on the fly according to the workload.

From an engineering perspective, this automated bending line can be equipped with blank loading, sheet pickup, thickness check, piece movement and tool change. This machine is completely autonomous and can work unmanned 24/7 to make profiles and panels that are usually made with roll forming lines, but it allows for a higher flexibility on size and shape of the formed pieces.

Gasparini North America, Inc., 33720 Lear Industrial Parkway, Avon, OH 44011, 440-937-0081, www.gasparininorthamerica.com.