A method includes feeding material in wire, rod or band form to a bending head through the a guiding nozzle of a feeding device and bending the material via a bending die. The bent material is taken out of the bending machine by a robot gripper arm controlled via a control device, and the bending die and/or the guiding nozzle is removed from the bending machine by a, preferably the same, robot gripper arm. Optionally, a further bending die and/or a further guiding nozzle is arranged on the bending machine by a, preferably the same, robot gripper arm. Optionally, the material is fed to the bending head through the further guiding nozzle and/or bent via the further bending die. Optionally, the bent material is removed from the bending machine by a, preferably the same, robot gripper arm.

The present invention discloses a forming device for a large thin-walled part with a curved surface, which includes a punch, a blank holder, a die, a lower die plate, a first annular sleeve and second annular sleeves. The first annular sleeve is connected with first driving oil cylinders. An inner diameter of the die is greater than an outer diameter of the punch. The first annular sleeve is arranged in a gap between the punch and the die. The second annular sleeve is arranged at the bottom of the punch. The first annular sleeve is arranged outside the second annular sleeve. The second annular sleeve is connected with second driving oil cylinders. The first driving oil cylinders and the second driving oil cylinders are connected with a hydraulic system.

A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having at least one channel therein configured to receive a workpiece, a seat proximate to the bending shoe which is configured to receive the workpiece thereon, and a sensor provided on the seat which is configured to sense the presence of the workpiece. In some embodiments, the sensor is configured to sense an end of the workpiece.

A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having at least one channel therein configured to receive a workpiece, a seat proximate to the bending shoe which is configured to receive the workpiece thereon, and a sensor provided on the seat which is configured to sense the presence of the workpiece. In some embodiments, the sensor is configured to sense an end of the workpiece.

A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive a workpiece and a follower assembly. The follower assembly includes a mount, a follower bar attached to the mount, the follower bar having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive the workpiece, a roller attached to the mount and engaged against the follower bar, the roller having an eccentric shaft extending therefrom, and a motor for rotating the shaft and roller, wherein rotation of the shaft and roller causes the follower bar to translate toward or away from the bending shoe. A drive member can be provided to move the mount toward or away from the bending shoe.

A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive a workpiece and a follower assembly. The follower assembly includes a mount, a follower bar attached to the mount, the follower bar having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive the workpiece, a roller attached to the mount and engaged against the follower bar, the roller having an eccentric shaft extending therefrom, and a motor for rotating the shaft and roller, wherein rotation of the shaft and roller causes the follower bar to translate toward or away from the bending shoe. A drive member can be provided to move the mount toward or away from the bending shoe.

The machine comprises a working apparatus arranged to carry out the working operation on a tube, or a similar blank, and a tube feeding device arranged to feed the tube towards the working apparatus. The working apparatus and the tube feeding device comprise respective clamping members for clamping the tube being worked. According to the invention, at least one of the clamping members of the working apparatus or of the tube feeding device is provided with a displacement sensor arranged to detect and measure any movements of the tube relative to said clamping member while the tube is clamped by said clamping member during the working operation.

Provided, among other things, is a method of cutting and folding a planar substrate with a focused laser beam, directed from above the substrate, to form a shape with features in 3-dimensions, the method comprising: (a) executing from above laser cuts to the planar substrate so as to provide one or more a releasable segments; (b) executing from above one or more laser-executed upward folds to bend all or a portion of a releasable segment; and (c) executing from above one or more laser-executed downward folds to bend all or a portion of a releasable segment; wherein the cuts and folds are structured so that precursors to the 3D shape remain attached to the substrate while sufficient cuts and folds are made to form the 3D shape, and wherein the planar substrate is immobile during said steps (a) through (c), or is only moved in the plane of the substrate.

Provided, among other things, is a method of cutting and folding a planar substrate with a focused laser beam, directed from above the substrate, to form a shape with features in 3-dimensions, the method comprising: (a) executing from above laser cuts to the planar substrate so as to provide one or more a releasable segments; (b) executing from above one or more laser-executed upward folds to bend all or a portion of a releasable segment; and (c) executing from above one or more laser-executed downward folds to bend all or a portion of a releasable segment; wherein the cuts and folds are structured so that precursors to the 3D shape remain attached to the substrate while sufficient cuts and folds are made to form the 3D shape, and wherein the planar substrate is immobile during said steps (a) through (c), or is only moved in the plane of the substrate.

A high-strength steel sheet has a chemical composition including 0.05% to 0.3% of C, 1% to 3% of Si, 0.5% to 3% of Mn, 0% to 0.1% of P, 0.001% to 0.1% of Al, and 0.002% to 0.03% of N, in mass percent; further includes iron and impurities; and has a structure including 50% to 90% of bainitic ferrite, 5% to 20% of retained austenite (.sub.R), a total of 10% to 50% of martensite and the retained austenite, and 0% to 40% of polygonal ferrite, in area percent based on the entire structure. The retained austenite has a carbon content (C.sub.R) of 0.5% to 1.2% by mass, an average equivalent circle diameter of 0.2 to 2 m, and an average aspect ratio (maximum diameter/minimum diameter) of less than 3.0. The high-strength steel sheet excels both in elongation and deep drawability while having a strength of 980 MPa or more.