A machine integrated positioning system shows an operator where to place a raw part in the press brake or other machinery. Further, the operator is informed if the dimensions associated with the raw part are, or are not, correct to produce the planned finished part. The operator is visually shown how the raw part is to be oriented. The operator is informed if the raw part is right-side-up, along with other pre-final placement information. If these and other conditions are not met, the machine integrated positioning system may prevent the press brake and other machinery from cycling.

A sheet metal bending machine comprises main bending tool assembly (2; 6) that extends along a longitudinal direction (A) and is movable so as to bend a workpiece (50), a guide (3) associated and parallel to the main bending tool assembly (2; 6), extending through a working zone (W) of the bending machine (1) and sideways protruding from the latter at least with a first end portion (4), and shuttles (21, 22, 23) slidably mounted on said guide (3) and supporting at least one auxiliary tool (41, 42) to be associated with the main bending tool assembly (2; 6) in order to execute partial bends on the workpiece (50); the shuttles (21, 22, 23) are movable along the longitudinal direction (A) between a first active position (P1), in which the shuttle (21, 22, 23) are inside the working zone (W) and the auxiliary tool (41, 42) is mounted on the main bending tool assembly (2; 6), and a first inactive position (R1), in which the shuttle (21, 22, 23) are outside the working zone (W) and positioned at the first end portion (4) of the guide (3); the shuttle comprise a first set (11) of shuttles (21, 22, 23), each shuttle (21, 22, 23) carrying a respective auxiliary tool (41, 42), said shuttles (21, 22, 23) being mutually connectable to form a first shuttle convoy (13) having a selectable number of shuttles (21, 22, 23); the first shuttle convoy (13) is movable between said first inactive position (R1) and said first active position (P1) in order to mount a defined composition of auxiliary tools (41, 42) on the main bending tool assembly (2; 6).

A manipulator for components, in particular sheet metal parts, includes a base body mountable stationarily or movable along a guide arrangement, a first pivot arm pivotally coupled to the base body via a horizontal first pivot axis, a second pivot arm pivotally coupled to the first pivot arm via a horizontal second pivot axis and a third pivot arm pivotally coupled to the second pivot arm via a horizontal third pivot axis. A first axis of rotation extending radially to the third pivot axis is formed on the third pivot arm. A gripper support arm is rotatably coupled to the third pivot arm via the first axis of rotation and extends radially to the first axis of rotation. A gripping arrangement is rotatably coupled to the gripper support arm via a second axis of rotation spaced from the first axis of rotation. A bending installation includes the manipulator.

A table assembly is used to support a workpiece to facilitate bending of the workpiece. The table assembly is attached to a press brake system and include a base and a clamp. The clamp is movable relative to the base to enable placement of the workpiece onto the base, and the clamp secures the workpiece to the base to block relative movement between the workpiece and the press brake system without additional user operations. The workpiece is secured via the table assembly without a manual force (e.g., to hold the workpiece in place) while the press brake system operates to bend the workpiece. The table assembly reduces, limits, or eliminates certain user operations during metalworking. The table assembly improves user experience (e.g., reduce an amount of manual labor) and/or efficiency associated with press brake operations.

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.

An apparatus for a garage door panel which includes a formed metal section with at least one decorative portion on the front surface and having a rear surface. The formed metal section including a top portion with a male tongue and a bottom portion with a female groove. The garage door panel includes an insert combination of a polystyrene section and twin wall polypropylene section. The rear surface of the formed metal section is spray coated with a combination isocyanate and polyol resin which combines to form as hardened polyurethane foam section. The front surface of the polystyrene section is retained against the polyurethane foam section and the rear surface of the twin wall polypropylene serves as the rear surface of the garage door panel. Two metal stiles are respectively affixed at the left or first end and the right or second end.

The invention relates to a positionable robotic cell for placement at a bending machine. The robotic cell comprises a frame for receiving the robot and a receiving device for a workpiece as well as a positioning device for repositioning the robotic cell. Moreover, a first sensor device is provided for recognizing the position of the robotic cell relative to the manufacturing device. The invention furthermore relates to a production facility with a bending machine and with such a robotic cell as well as a method for operating such a robotic cell at a bending machine.

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining the bending angle on a bending machine, wherein the bending machine includes an upper tool and a lower tool for reshaping a workpiece by bending along a bending line. One or more measuring arrangements are positioned on the bending machine, which together include at least one illumination device and in each case at least one image acquisition device. Each measuring arrangement is assigned a different surface portion of the workpiece which lies laterally adjacent to the bending line and extends along the bending line. A light pattern is imaged on the workpiece by means of the at least one illumination device of a respective measuring arrangement onto the assigned surface portion. The light pattern contains a plurality of zones which are arranged side by side along the bending line.

A received beam amount acquisition section 60 acquires a received beam amount per unit time of a beam receiver 52 at certain sampling time intervals. A beam shielding detection section 66 detects presence or absence of beam shielding of a monitoring beam B by determining whether or not the acquired received beam amount per unit time of the beam receiver is lower than a determination threshold Th for detecting the presence of beam shielding of the monitoring beam B. A detection sensitivity of the beam shielding detection section 66 is configured to be switched from a normal sensitivity mode to a high sensitivity mode when bending is initial processing based on a predetermined processing program, and an acquired height position of the beam receiver 52 is lower than a predetermined second height position LP2.

A forming operation on a workpiece clamps the workpiece between a first clamping jaw with a first shaping edge, and an adjustable second clamping jaw with a second shaping edge so that a portion projects between the shaping edges and afterwards a bending edge of an adjustable bending bar is guided at a distance past the shaping edges, whereby the portion of the workpiece is angled away in relation to the part of the workpiece that is clamped between the clamping jaws. The bending edge is guided on angling along a straight path of movement of the bending edge, and after the bending edge has passed the shaping edges, the shaping edges are adjusted along an adjustment path which approaches the path of movement of the bending edge.