In a case where a vacant space exists on only one side in a holder area of a stocker positioned at an exchange position, a first upper tool exchange unit is first moved in the left-right direction, and located in the vicinity of the vacant space. Next, the first upper tool exchange unit is moved forward and thereafter moved to the left, so that a tool retention member of the first upper tool exchange unit is brought into contact with one side surface of a tool. Then, under the contact state, the first upper tool exchange unit is moved to the right until the other side surface of the tool abuts on a stopper.

On a back side of a table, moving bodies are provided being movable in a left-right direction. A bending system includes moving actuators to cause the moving bodies to move in the left-right direction relative to the table and position detectors to detect positions of the moving bodies in the left-right direction. The moving bodies are provided with hole detectors to detect the engagement holes of tools fitted to a tool holder. The bending system includes a hole position acquisition unit to acquire positions of the engagement holes of the tools in the left-right direction, based on positions of the moving bodies in the left-right direction at the time of the engagement holes of the tools being detected.

A bending system includes a tool storage, first and second tool exchange units each having a tool retention member, and a control device. When misalignment of tools held by a tool holder of a press brake occurs or is estimated to occur, the control device is configured to (1) move the first tool exchange unit to one side in a lateral direction to a position corresponding to one end of a regular arrangement position at which the tool retention member of the first tool exchange unit contacts with the tools and (2) move the second tool exchange unit to another side in the lateral direction to a position corresponding to another end of the regular arrangement position at which the tool retention member of the second tool exchange unit contacts with the tools.

A back gauge system is provided for actively adjusting position of a piece of sheet material in a sheet metal bending brake to a predetermined distance from a bending edge for performing a bend in accordance with a predetermined bending line. The back gauge system includes a frame connected to the sheet metal bending brake, a linear displacement assembly configured to move a stopper supporting the leading edge of the piece of sheet material, and a controlling system communicably connected to the linear displacement assembly to modify the position of the stopper along a traveling axis. A conversion kit assembly is also provided to retrofit an existing sheet metal bending brake not equipped with the back gauge system. The conversion kit comprises the back gauge system disclosed herein and optionally a cavity guide to support the sheet metal and prevent sagging thereof during operation of the back gauge system.

A bending method includes a series of processes of repeating bending of a workpiece by applying pressure to the workpiece with upper and lower tools attached to upper and lower tables of a press brake from a first process to an N-th process while feeding the workpiece at a predetermined pitch. The series of processes includes: measuring a bending angle of the workpiece at completion of an M-th process; and correcting a table output for applying pressure to the workpiece based on a measurement value of the bending angle of the workpiece as measured and a target value of the bending angle of the workpiece at completion of the M-th process. In a case where the table output is corrected, the bending is restarted from a previous process which is the M-th process or a process before the M-th process based on the corrected table output.

A roller offset forming tool includes a first roller configured to rotate in a first direction against a metal sheet. The first roller includes a first bead having a first shape. The tool includes a second roller disposed opposite and configured to engage with the first roller. The second roller is configured to rotate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction against the metal sheet to thereby deform the metal sheet and form an offset feature therein. The second roller includes a secondary bead having a second geometry. The first bead is configured to align and mate with the secondary bead thereby hold the metal sheet between the first and second rollers. The first shape and the second geometry are configured to mitigate a distortion of the metal sheet in an area apart from the offset feature and stiffen the metal sheet at the offset feature.

A gathering operation includes a restraint operation of moving forward a left lower tool retention member so as to restrain a reference lower tool with the left lower tool retention member, an inserting operation of moving forward a right lower tool retention member so as to insert the right lower tool retention member into an insertion hole of a target lower tool, and an execution operation of moving the left and right lower tool retention members along a left-right direction so as to come close with each other. If a failure of the inserting operation is determined, a control device performs a retry operation of moving forward the right lower tool retention member again so as to insert the right lower tool retention member into the insertion hole (141) of the target lower tool after moving backward the left lower tool retention member.

In a method for manufacturing a metal pipe from a metal plate using a forming tool, the position of the tool is optimized simply and correctly by incorporating individuality of the raw material plate into setting of the tool position. As a preparatory stage, a forming process is analyzed by simulation for each plate. Based on result of the analysis, correlation between a deformed shape value of a raw pipe and tool position information is acquired. Then, the forming process for each plate is stored as correlation between the deformed shape value of the raw pipe and the tool position information. During pipe manufacturing, a deformed shape value of the raw pipe is measured actually while a plate is passed. On the basis of the actually measured deformed shape value, a forming process for the raw pipe is expected and assumed (by using the correlation). Tool position information necessary for implementing the expected and assumed forming process is retrieved from the stored correlation. The retrieved tool position information is realized at a stand array.

An abutment mechanism operation control method includes determining, when, from among at least three abutment mechanisms each including a base part and an abutment part, each configured to be movable along each of a first operation axis in a first direction and a second operation axis in a second direction, and each arranged in parallel in the second direction, first and second abutment mechanisms positioned at both sides and with the abutment part offset with respect to a reference axis of the base part along the first direction, and a third abutment mechanism positioned between the first and second abutment mechanisms, are operated, whether an operation of at least one of the first and second abutment mechanisms and an operation of the third abutment mechanism interfere with each other, and causing at least one of the first, second, and third abutment mechanisms to perform an operation to prevent the interference based on a determination result.

An vehicular tow-behind trailer design and manufacturing process primarily utilizing 4 by 8 sheets of 11 gauge cold rolled steel as the primary input material. The process employs a nitrogen laser cutter and CNC press brake to create precisely engineered components, resulting in a modular, lightweight trailer that is easier to manufacture and assemble. The design features two distinct models sharing common components, with variations in size and configuration to meet diverse user needs. Key innovations include a removable roof, pre-cut attachment points for accessories, and a modular frame design with a removable tongue for efficient shipping.