A safety power assist for a manual press is provided. In another aspect, a press includes a tool, a manual actuator, a switch and an automatically powered actuator. A further aspect of the present press employs a spring which must be compressed beyond a predetermined pinching force before a switch is activated, where switch activation causes an automatically powered actuator to advance a workpiece-contacting punch or tool.

Sucker rods include end fittings having an outer wedge portion proximate to an open end, an inner wedge portion proximate to a closed end, and an intermediate wedge portion between the outer and inner wedges. Each wedge includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an angle between the leading and trailing edges. The triangular configuration, length of the leading edge, the length of the trailing edge, and size of the angle in each wedge portion cause distribution of force, such that compressive forces distributed to the rod proximate the closed end exceed compressive forces distributed to the rod proximate the open end. An automated installation procedure installs the end fitting through the use of multiple chucks, positioned by servo motors along a fitting table.

A double-blank detecting apparatus for a press machine that is provided with a die cushion apparatus and is configured to form blanks one by one automatically and repeatedly. The double-blank detecting apparatus includes: a position signal acquiring unit configured to acquire a slide position signal indicating a position of a slide of the press machine; a load signal acquiring unit configured to acquire a die cushion load signal indicating a die cushion load generated on a cushion pad of the die cushion apparatus; and a double-blank detector configured to detect a state in which a plurality of blanks are stacked as a double blank based on the slide position signal acquired by the position signal acquiring unit and the die cushion load signal acquired by the load signal acquiring unit.

A sheet material bending system includes a tool changing apparatus that changes tools between a press brake and a tool stocker. The tool stocker is arranged behind the press brake. To change tools from the front and rear of the tool stocker, the front and rear of the tool stocker are opened. The tool changing apparatus has a pivot that is movable in front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions and is rotatable around an axis extending in the up-down direction. A front end of the pivot is provided with tool holding units to hold tools.

A sheet material bending system includes a tool changing apparatus that changes tools between a press brake and a tool stocker. The tool stocker is arranged behind the press brake. To change tools from the front and rear of the tool stocker, the front and rear of the tool stocker are opened. The tool changing apparatus has a pivot that is movable in front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions and is rotatable around an axis extending in the up-down direction. A front end of the pivot is provided with tool holding units to hold tools.

Provided is an abnormality prediction system and an abnormality prediction method that are capable of predicting an abnormality occurring in a die that is used in a press machine. A die abnormality prediction system (50) includes: an acoustic emission (AE) sensor (62) configured to detect an elastic wave that occurs in a processing portion of a die during processing performed by a press machine using the die; a stamping load detection sensor (61) configured to detect a parameter (a stamping load) other than a parameter regarding the elastic wave, out of parameters regarding a state of the die during the processing performed by the press machine using the die; a score calculation unit (56) configured to calculate an abnormality prediction score of the die based on an output signal from the AE sensor (62) and an output signal from the stamping load detection sensor (61); and an abnormality prediction unit (57) configured to predict an abnormality occurring in the die, based on a result of the calculation performed by the score calculation unit (56).

Provided is an abnormality prediction system and an abnormality prediction method that are capable of predicting an abnormality occurring in a die that is used in a press machine. A die abnormality prediction system (50) includes: an acoustic emission (AE) sensor (62) configured to detect an elastic wave that occurs in a processing portion of a die during processing performed by a press machine using the die; a stamping load detection sensor (61) configured to detect a parameter (a stamping load) other than a parameter regarding the elastic wave, out of parameters regarding a state of the die during the processing performed by the press machine using the die; a score calculation unit (56) configured to calculate an abnormality prediction score of the die based on an output signal from the AE sensor (62) and an output signal from the stamping load detection sensor (61); and an abnormality prediction unit (57) configured to predict an abnormality occurring in the die, based on a result of the calculation performed by the score calculation unit (56).

The invention relates to a lower tool (1) having a longitudinal-offset measuring device (2), which lower tool (1) is part of a bending tool arrangement for use in a bending press. The lower tool (1) has a tool body (3) having a longitudinal extension (4), in which longitudinal extension (4) a bending recess (5) is provided. The bending recess (5) extends from an upper flat side (6) of the tool body (3) into the latter and is formed at least by two contact surfaces (7). The transition from the upper flat side (6) into the bending recess (5) forms a contact edge (8), which contact edge (8) forms a contact line (9) in the longitudinal extension (4). A sensor (10) for determining a longitudinal offset (18) is arranged in the region of the contact line (9), wherein a sensing portion (11) of the sensor (10) is oriented in the direction of a metal sheet (16) to be bent.

The invention relates to a lower tool (1) having a longitudinal-offset measuring device (2), which lower tool (1) is part of a bending tool arrangement for use in a bending press. The lower tool (1) has a tool body (3) having a longitudinal extension (4), in which longitudinal extension (4) a bending recess (5) is provided. The bending recess (5) extends from an upper flat side (6) of the tool body (3) into the latter and is formed at least by two contact surfaces (7). The transition from the upper flat side (6) into the bending recess (5) forms a contact edge (8), which contact edge (8) forms a contact line (9) in the longitudinal extension (4). A sensor (10) for determining a longitudinal offset (18) is arranged in the region of the contact line (9), wherein a sensing portion (11) of the sensor (10) is oriented in the direction of a metal sheet (16) to be bent.

A safety power assist for a manual press is provided. In another aspect, a press includes a tool, a manual actuator, a switch and an automatically powered actuator. A further aspect of the present press employs a spring which must be compressed beyond a predetermined pinching force before a switch is activated, where switch activation causes an automatically powered actuator to advance a workpiece-contacting punch or tool.