The invention relates to a method for bending of a workpiece (2) along a straight bending line (27), by means of a first bending tool (5) and a second bending tool (6) of a press brake (3), wherein the region between the two bending tools (5, 6) is monitored for the presence of obstacles by means of a safety system (30), by a control apparatus (24), during the approach movement between the first bending tool (5) and the second bending tool (6). Subsequently, the position of the bending line (27) of the stress-relieved and pre-bent workpiece (2) is determined in relation to a center plane (40) of the first (5) and/or of the second bending tool (6), by means of the safety system (30). On the basis of a control signal, a correction of the position of the workpiece (2) is is carried out, until the position deviation (42) of the bending line (27) lies within a permissible maximal deviation from the center plane (40). Subsequently, the workpiece (2) is bent to its final angle.

A machine for bending sheet metal provides at least one sheet metal resting tool, at least one sheet metal pressing tool, and at least one sheet metal bending tool, parallel to one another; for moving the tools along a first and a second axis perpendicular to one another at least two electric motors are provided for moving the sheet metal pressing tool along the second axis, at least two electric motors for moving the sheet metal bending tool along the first axis and at least two electric motors for moving the sheet metal bending tool along the second axis; a command and control unit connected to the electric motors commands and controls the driving of the electric motors to maintain the parallelism between the tools in the operating step. In this manner, using hydraulic drives is avoided.

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 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.

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.

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.

An electronic angle measuring device for a bending machine for measuring the bending angle between the legs (4) of a sheet (5) using a sensor element (7) is described, which supplies angle-equivalent signals in a contactless manner to a signal processing unit (9), which has a microprocessor and a memory unit and is connected to a digital display (10). To provide simple measuring conditions, it is proposed that the sensor element (7), the signal processing unit (9), and the display (10) form an angle measuring device (6) which is fastenable on the upper tool (1) of the bending machine and is usable as a handheld encoder, and which has a motion sensor (11), which is connected to the signal processing unit (9) and detects the lowering and/or raising movement of the upper tool (1), for triggering the measuring procedure.

An electronic angle measuring device for measuring the bending angle between the legs (4) of a metal sheet (5) having a sensor element (7) which delivers angle-equivalent signals in a contact-free manner to a signal processing device (9) comprising a microprocessor and a memory unit which is connected to a digital display (10) is described. In order to create advantageous measurement conditions, it is proposed that a sensor element (7) which deflects a laser beam through a rotating mirror onto the two legs (4) of the metal sheet (5) and which forms a measured value from the reflection beam received in the emission direction, the signal processing device (9) with the microprocessor and the memory unit as well as the digital display (10) form an angle measuring device (6) which can be fastened to an upper tool (1) of a bending machine and which can be used as a manual measuring device (6).

A device is described for aligning an angle measuring device (1) in relation to two workpiece planes (2, 3) enclosing an angle to be measured, wherein the angle measuring device (1) has a rotating mirror (8) for deflecting a laser beam (10) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (7) of the mirror (8). To provide advantageous alignment conditions, it is proposed that an orientation stop (13), which defines a stop straight line (14), which is parallel to the axis of rotation (7) of the mirror (8), for both workpiece planes (2, 3), is assigned to the angle measuring device (1).

The invention relates to a measurement system for measuring at least an angle of the first plane through a first 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 on the first surface area. The measurement system further includes 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 of the first plane based on the measured coordinates of the plurality of measurement spots, the measured inclination from the inclinometer and the direction opposite to the force of gravity. The system may also measure the angle of the second plane.