A received beam amount acquisition section 60 acquires a received beam amount per unit time of a beam receiver 52 at certain sampling time intervals. A beam shielding detection section 66 detects presence or absence of beam shielding of a monitoring beam B by determining whether or not the acquired received beam amount per unit time of the beam receiver is lower than a determination threshold Th for detecting the presence of beam shielding of the monitoring beam B. A detection sensitivity of the beam shielding detection section 66 is configured to be switched from a normal sensitivity mode to a high sensitivity mode when bending is initial processing based on a predetermined processing program, and an acquired height position of the beam receiver 52 is lower than a predetermined second height position LP2.

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.

The invention relates to a bending tool (1) comprising a tool body (2) having an upper (3) and an opposite lower end region (4), wherein an attachment extension (5) is configured in the upper end region (3), and a working tip (6) is configured in the lower end region (4). A tool identification marker (11) is disposed in the tool body (2), and a communication interface (9) is disposed in the attachment extension (5) on at least one side surface (8) and not projecting beyond it, which interface is connected with the tool identification marker (11) by way of a connection line (10). An electronics unit (12) is disposed in the tool body (2). A voltage supply contact (14) that is electrically insulated relative to the tool body (2) is is disposed on the attachment extension (5), which contact is connected with a voltage supply module (15) of the electronics unit (12). Furthermore, a change-over switch (16) is disposed in the connection line (10), wherein in a first switching position, the tool identification marker (11) is connected with the communication interface (9), and in a second switching position of the change-over switch (16), the electronics unit (12) is connected with the communication interface (9).

In a bending system and a method for using the same, the bending system includes a bending robot provided between a press brake and a predetermined setting area that is arranged in front of the press brake to assist in bending a workpiece. The bending robot includes a robot hand for holding the workpiece on a pallet that is set in the predetermined setting area. An image pickup unit, which picks up an image of the workpiece on the pallet from an oblique upper direction, is provided above and anterior to the predetermined setting area. A first illumination unit, which illuminates an image pickup area of the image pickup unit, is erected on a left front side of the predetermined setting area. A second illumination stand, which illuminates the image pickup area of the image pickup unit, is erected on a right front side of the predetermined setting area.

In an installing method for installing divided upper tools to upper tool holders disposed to be spaced at an appropriate interval in a left-right direction in a lower portion of an upper table of a press brake, by using a tool changer, a round bar-shaped finger provided in the tool changer is engaged in a circular engagement hole provided at a central portion in the lateral direction of each divided upper tool. The divided upper tool is temporarily positioned in a gap between an upper tool holder to which the divided upper tool is to be installed, and an adjacent upper tool holder. The temporarily positioned divided upper tool is moved in the left-right direction to be installed to the upper tool holder to which the divided upper tool is to be installed.

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.

A press brake for bending a workpiece including a movable ram and a support beam. A punch is connected to the ram, and a die is connected to the support beam. The punch and the die are separated by a gap. The ram is configured to be driven towards the support beam to thereby close the gap between the punch and the die and deform the workpiece. The die includes a pair of die members extending in a longitudinal direction separated by a recess having a width in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The width of the recess is adjustable by moving the die members, which are releasably engaged with the support beam. The die members move horizontally to disengage from the support beam to thereby allow for lateral movement of the die members to adjust the width of the recess.

A die including a first support having a plurality of panels with adjacent ones of the panels defining a gap therebetween, and a second support having a plurality of panels with adjacent ones of the panels defining a gap therebetween. The first and second supports are configured to be interleaved by positioning at least one panel of each support within one of the gaps of the other support. The first and second supports are positionable in an interleaved configuration in a plurality of different positions relative to each other. The die further includes a coupling component configured to engage at least one of the supports to couple the at least one support to an underlying surface when the first and second supports are in one of the plurality of different positions.

The invention relates to a bending press (1) for bending workpieces, comprising an upper tool (2) and a lower tool (3), a tool holder (4), in which the upper tool (2) is inserted, and a tool holder (5), in which the lower tool (3) is inserted, wherein the upper tool (2) and the lower tool (3) can be fixed in various positions within the respective tool holder (4, 5), a control device (13) for controlling the bending press (1), a sensor device (8), which is connected to the control device (13), and a stop (6) for positioning the workpiece within the bending press (1), wherein the stop (6) can be moved in relation to the tools (2, 3) by means of a drive (9) controlled by the control device (13). The sensor device (8) is designed to detect the position of the upper tool (2) and of the lower tool (3) within the bending press (1) without contact, and the control device (13) is designed to adapt the movement process by means of which the stop (6) is positioned in relation to the tools (2, 3), in dependence on the position of the upper tool (2) and of the lower tool (3) detected by means of the sensor device (8).

The invention relates to a bending machine, in particular a press brake, having an upper beam and a lower beam. The upper beam is movable in a working direction of the bending machine in order to form a workpiece by bending along a bending line, which extends in a width direction of the bending machine. The bending machine includes a safety system having a first functional element and a further functional element for monitoring a safety area between both functional elements and between the upper beam and the lower beam. The safety system is arranged to follow the movement of the upper beam in the working direction. The first functional element and the further functional element are mechanically connected to one another via a flexible tractive force transmission means and an adjustment device for changing the position of the functional elements. The adjustment device includes a coupling section.