A machine tool and method for optimizing the performance of when manufacturing a workpiece requiring machining and bending operations, wherein the machine tool includes a machine frame with at least one linear movable tool carrier slide configured to carry a working unit, at least one work spindle provided to receive a workpiece and a working unit mounted onto the tool carrier slide. The working unit is configured to be rotated around a B-axis and the working unit is moved linearly in a plane perpendicular to the B-axis and wherein the working unit is configured to bend the workpiece received by the work spindle.

The machine includes: a bending head movable with at least two degrees of freedom in a transverse vertical plane; a first drive is arranged to move the bending head in the plane and to move a tool of the bending head between an open position, in which it defines with a die of the bending head a free space adapted to receive a tube to be bent, and a closed position, in which it clamps the tube against the die. A tube-carrying structure is rotatable about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the plane; a second drive is arranged to cause the tube-carrying structure to rotate about its own axis of rotation; and an electronic control unit is arranged to control the first and second drives so as to move the bending head and the tube-carrying structure in a position such that the tube is received with a desired orientation in the free space between the die and the tool.

The machine includes: a bending head movable with at least two degrees of freedom in a transverse vertical plane; a first drive is arranged to move the bending head in the plane and to move a tool of the bending head between an open position, in which it defines with a die of the bending head a free space adapted to receive a tube to be bent, and a closed position, in which it clamps the tube against the die. A tube-carrying structure is rotatable about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the plane; a second drive is arranged to cause the tube-carrying structure to rotate about its own axis of rotation; and an electronic control unit is arranged to control the first and second drives so as to move the bending head and the tube-carrying structure in a position such that the tube is received with a desired orientation in the free space between the die and the tool.

A bending apparatus in one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a robot, a chuck mechanism, and a plurality of bending mechanisms. The plurality of bending mechanisms are each provided as a separate component from the robot and the chuck mechanism, and are arranged in a space reachable by a workpiece held by the chuck mechanism.

A bending apparatus in one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a robot, a chuck mechanism, and a plurality of bending mechanisms. The plurality of bending mechanisms are each provided as a separate component from the robot and the chuck mechanism, and are arranged in a space reachable by a workpiece held by the chuck mechanism.

A bent product having a three-dimensionally bent portion intermittently or continuously in the lengthwise direction is manufactured by supporting a steel pipe at a first position A while feeding it in the lengthwise direction, locally heating the steel pipe being fed at a second position B, cooling the heated portion of the steel pipe at a third position C, and varying the position of a gripping means, which grips the steel pipe in a region ID downstream of the third position C, in a three-dimensional direction including the feed direction of the steel pipe in a workspace including a space on the upstream side of the third position C in the feed direction of the steel pipe to impart a bending moment to the heated portion of the steel pipe.

A bent product having a three-dimensionally bent portion intermittently or continuously in the lengthwise direction is manufactured by supporting a steel pipe at a first position A while feeding it in the lengthwise direction, locally heating the steel pipe being fed at a second position B, cooling the heated portion of the steel pipe at a third position C, and varying the position of a gripping means, which grips the steel pipe in a region ID downstream of the third position C, in a three-dimensional direction including the feed direction of the steel pipe in a workspace including a space on the upstream side of the third position C in the feed direction of the steel pipe to impart a bending moment to the heated portion of the steel pipe.

A system and method for bending a surgical rod using an automated bending system includes receiving an indication of a plurality of line segments defined on the rod and an indication of an angle measurement to be formed between at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments. Bending parameters to perform on the rod to form the angle measurement between the at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments are determined and operation of the automated bending system is controlled using the bending parameters to create an angle having the angle measurement between the at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments.

A system and method for bending a surgical rod using an automated bending system includes receiving an indication of a plurality of line segments defined on the rod and an indication of an angle measurement to be formed between at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments. Bending parameters to perform on the rod to form the angle measurement between the at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments are determined and operation of the automated bending system is controlled using the bending parameters to create an angle having the angle measurement between the at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of line segments.

A medical bending system for bending an object to be bent, in particular a rod, includes at least one object to be bent, a bending apparatus with which the object to be bent is bendable, and a navigation device having a detection unit and a data processing unit. The object to be bent and the bending apparatus include markings that are optically detectable by the detection unit and are arranged or formed on respective surfaces of the object to be bent and the bending apparatus. The data processing unit determines at least one bending parameter during the bending operation based on information from the detection unit relating to the detected markings.