A pneumatic plug gauge has been developed in the context of the invention. This plug gauge comprises a first measuring channel which can be connected to a pressure medium source and opens into a first outlet for the pressure medium, which outlet can be directed to a surface of the workpiece to be tested. According to the invention, this plug gauge is designed to determine the tilt angle between a section on the surface thereof and a region opposite this section on the surface of the workpiece by virtue of the first outlet being arranged at one end of the section and at least one second outlet being provided, which second outlet is arranged at the other end of the section. It has been recognized that the admittedly high precision of pneumatic length measurements can be converted in a particularly advantageous manner to high precision of the angle measurement in this manner. The tilt angle can be measured at least with an accuracy of less than one tenth of a degree. At the same time, the measurement is fast enough for 100% control in mass production. The plug gauge is the central element in the measuring system and in the method, to which the invention likewise relates.

An apparatus for measuring a bending angle between two portions of a workpiece in a bending machine includes at least a motion sensor unit provided with a gyroscope sensor, a processing unit connected with the gyroscope sensor and a coupling device for connecting the motion sensor unit with a portion of the workpiece to be bent. During a bending operation of the workpiece the gyroscope sensor measures at least one angular velocity and a related rotation angle of the portion according to an axis and the processing unit receives data from the gyroscope sensor regarding the rotation angle in order to calculate the bending angle as a function of the rotation angle.

The invention relates to a bending angle measuring method for a bending machine (1), in particular a bending press or brake press, and the bending machine (1) has a bending tool arrangement (2) with at least one upper (3) and lower tool (4). A sheet to be formed (5) is placed in the bending tool arrangement (2). A light pattern (13) is emitted onto a section by means of a lighting device (11) of a bending angle measuring device (7), the section being a single part and surrounding a sub-region on a lateral surface of the lower tool (4) and of the sheet (5) placed in the bending tool arrangement. The light pattern (13) on the lower tool (4) and on the sheet (5) is detected by an image detecting device (10) of the bending angle measuring device (7), and a bending angle is ascertained from detected light pattern (13) by an analysis module. Furthermore, a transition portion (9) between the lower tool (4) and the sheet (5) is ascertained and, based thereon, a sub-detection region (19) in the detection range (8) of the image detecting device (10) is ascertained. The sub-detection region (19) is detected by the image detecting device (10) and the currently produced bending angle is ascertained while carrying out the bending process.

A bender machine designed to bend and shape sheet metal comprising a blade holder unit (1) which has a “C” shaped section, which is mobile and moves in two directions, both of which are at right angles to a fixed bench, and where the unit is fitted with one or more bending blades, wherein: servomotors and planetary gear reducers are used for moving the blade holder unit (1);
the blade holder unit (1) uses a jointed mechanism comprising two mechanical units (20, 20a; 30, 30a) which form a closed kinematic chain of five components connected by five kinematic pairs all of which are revolute; the mechanical unit (20, 20a) for moving the blade holder unit (1) in a substantially vertical direction comprises a pair of servomotors coupled respectively to two gear reducers, which operate respective cranks (9, 9a) on which respective connecting rods (8, 8a) are hinged, and where the other end of each connecting rod is connected by respective pins (7, 7a) to a respective base (10, 10a) fixed to the blade holder unit (1). The mechanical unit (30, 30a) for moving the blade holder unit (1) in a substantially horizontal direction comprises one pair of servomotors (6, 6a) coupled to corresponding planetary gear reducers, each of which operates a respective camshaft (3, 3a), and also characterized in that the camshafts (3, 3a) are hinged on the rear supports (2, 2a) of the blade holder unit (1).

There is provided a press brake that improves bending accuracy of a partial bending method. The press brake includes: a conveying mechanism that intermittently conveys a workpiece; a die; a punch; a crowning mechanism; a bending amount measuring device; and a control device. The control device presses an end portion of the workpiece in a conveying direction by the punch and conveys the workpiece by the conveying mechanism until the pressed portion enters into a measurement range of the bending amount measuring device. The control device drives the crowning mechanism so as to correct a crowning amount in accordance with a difference between a middle bending amount and an end bending amount measured by the bending amount measuring device.

An apparatus for the support and the controlled advancement of a sheet in a bending machine for forming a cylindrical or conical structure, in particular of a truncated cone structure, comprises a base structural frame adapted to be positioned upstream of said bending machine, with respect to an advancement direction of the sheet, a plurality of conveying modules which can be mounted, removable, on the structural frame so as to generate a plan of modular support and advancement which can be configured geometrically according to the shape and dimensions of the sheet to be produced; the modular support and advancement plane is geometrically configured to keep the sheet metal part supported by the plane in a flat condition; an lifting and tilting device configured to vary the position of the structural frame, supporting the conveying modules, from a horizontal lying position to an inclined lying position in which the support and advancement plane is inclined downwards towards the bending machine; repositioning and position correcting members configured to orient and arrange the sheet in a correct position before starting a bending cycle and configured to correct, during the bending cycle, the position of the sheet to impose it a predetermined advancement trajectory towards and through the bending machine. The relative method is also envisaged.

The invention relates to a folding machine for folding an object, using a measurement system for measuring an angle between a first plane through a first surface area and a second plane through a second surface area of an object. The system includes a sensor arrangement for measuring the coordinates in a measurement coordinate system of a plurality of measurement spots in the first surface area, and an inclinometer for measuring an inclination of the measurement coordinate system to the direction opposite to the direction of the force of gravity. The measurement system also includes a processing device for determining the angle between the first plane and the second plane based on the measured coordinates of the plurality of measurement spots, the measured inclination and information on the angle between the second plane and the direction opposite to the force of gravity.

A method for selecting optimum operation performance criteria for a metal working process. The method includes the step of developing a process model relating process parameters for the operation with performance variables for said operation, wherein the process parameters and performance variables are retrievable via integrated multiple data sources, and selecting at least one optimization technique to define a function, said function including process parameters. Moreover, the method includes generating the function for optimization by using acceptable tolerances of a product to be machined as a basis to define ranges for performance variables along with ranges for process parameters, and applying the at least one optimization technique to said function, whereby optimum operation performance criteria are calculated for the process model including process parameters and performance variables to obtain a set of requirements to be used for controlling the metal working process.

A method for selecting optimum operation performance criteria for a metal working process. The method includes the step of developing a process model relating process parameters for the operation with performance variables for said operation, wherein the process parameters and performance variables are retrievable via integrated multiple data sources, and selecting at least one optimization technique to define a function, said function including process parameters. Moreover, the method includes generating the function for optimization by using acceptable tolerances of a product to be machined as a basis to define ranges for performance variables along with ranges for process parameters, and applying the at least one optimization technique to said function, whereby optimum operation performance criteria are calculated for the process model including process parameters and performance variables to obtain a set of requirements to be used for controlling the metal working process.

The invention relates to method for estimating a shortening length of a sheet metal workpiece which is bent about n bending axes and by n bending angles alpha, comprising the following method steps, wherein

the bent sheet metal workpiece comprises n+1 limbs extending along a straight extension line and n curved regions which are produced by bending the sheet metal workpiece and extend between two adjacent limbs.