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.

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).

A machine tool apparatus for a press brake, folding press or punch press system includes a tool holder body having a receiving portion configured for selective engagement with a coupling end of a machine tool. The apparatus also includes a magnetic coupling assembly comprising one or more magnetic elements configured to generate a magnetic coupling adapted for the selective engagement of the tool holder body with the coupling end of the machine tool. In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include an actuator configured to manipulate at least one of the magnetic elements to modulate the strength of the magnetic coupling for selective engagement and disengagement of the tool holder body with the coupling end of the machine tool.

There is provided a press brake that can improve forming accuracy in partial bending. A press brake includes: a conveying mechanism that intermittently conveys a workpiece; a die including a pair of shoulder portions and a groove portion located between the pair of shoulder portions, the pair of shoulder portions being arranged away from each other in a conveying direction of the workpiece and supporting a rear surface of the workpiece; a backup plate that extends on the pair of shoulder portions, covers the groove portion, and is interposed between the die and the workpiece; and a punch that moves relative to the die so as to approach the die each time the conveying mechanism stops conveying the workpiece and presses the workpiece so as to bend the workpiece within an elastic deformation region of the backup plate.

A press brake for bending a workpiece that includes a movable ram and a support beam. The press brake includes a backgauge that has an arm with a plurality of fingers for grasping the workpiece. The arm is mounted to an arm support that is mounted on a carriage that is mounted on a backgauge support frame. The arm is configured to swing relative to the arm support in a plane perpendicular to the carriage from a position projecting away from one side of the carriage to a position projecting away from the other side of the carriage. The carriage is configured to rotate 180 degrees so that opposite sides of the workpiece may be positioned under the ram to thereby allow for bending operations to be performed on opposite sides of the workpiece without removing the workpiece from the backgauge.

A system (100) for sheet metalworking comprising a punch (1) connectable to a press (P), wherein the punch (1) is configured with a first electrical terminal (2). A die (3) configured with a die surface (DS), to support sheet metal (SM). A support member (4) movably disposed in the die (1), the support member (4) is provided with a second electrical terminal (5). The support member (4) and the punch (1) contacts a working portion (B) of the sheet metal (SM) at an axis (A-A) to supply electric current to a localized region (LR) of the working portion (B) for sheet metalworking.

The invention relates to a method for conveying components and to an automated vacuum gripper (1) for components (3), in particular sheet metal parts, comprising a plurality of suction elements (4), which are arranged at a preferably movable support part (5), a first vacuum generator (8) for forming a first vacuum circuit (9), a second vacuum generator (10) for forming a second vacuum circuit (11), at least one switching element connected to a system controller (14) for automated switching of the first vacuum circuit (9) to the second vacuum circuit (11), at least one compressed air supply (15) connected to at least the first and the second vacuum generators (8), at least one sensor device (16, 17), wherein the first vacuum generator (8) is associated with a first predeterminable group (12) of suction elements (4), and the second vacuum generator (10) is connected to a vacuum tank (18) for forming a second vacuum circuit (11), which may be activated in case of emergency and is redundant to the first vacuum circuit (9), and wherein at least one first sensor device is (16) is formed for monitoring the vacuum at least at the first vacuum circuit (9), and at least one second sensor device (17) has an optical sensor for detecting a relative movement of the component (3) during a conveying operation.

The invention relates to a production system (1) comprising a bending tool (11), a tool store (12), a bending machine (4) and a manipulation device (13) which performs a travelling movement from a tool store position located in the region of the tool store (12) to a machine operating position located in the region of the bending machine (4). A first coupling element (18) is arranged on the manipulation device (13) and a second coupling element (19) is arranged on the bending machine (4). In the machine operating position, the two coupling elements (18, 19) are coupled together, through which the manipulation device (13) is fixed in position relative to the bending machine (4) and thus a reference position is set.

[Problem] To provide a bending device with a novel structure capable of efficiently bending a metallic plate without scratching or denting the plate. [Solution] A device (10) for bending a metallic plate (W) mounted on a pair of movable plates (35, 35) by applying pressing force to the metallic plate by an upper die (20) along a central axis (X), wherein against the biasing force of a coil spring (45), the movable plates move with the extension of the metallic plate during bending, and therefore the metallic plate is not scratched. The upper surface of each of the movable plates is a perfect flat surface, and therefore does not dent the metallic plate being subjected to the pressing force by the upper die. When the pressing force and the load of the metallic plate are removed after the completion of bending, swing members return to the original position thereof, and the movable plates are also returned to the original position thereof by the biasing force of the coil spring, with top parts (42) of fastening members (41) coupling the movable plates to fixed plates (38) functioning as a stopper and holding the movable plates at the original position.

A method for manufacturing a product includes placing a processing target material on a die, bringing a first punch into contact with the processing target material placed on the die, and bending the processing target material by pressing the processing target material by the first punch. The bringing the first punch into contact with the processing target material placed on the die includes bringing two pressing portions of the first punch into contact with two first groove portions of the processing target material and bringing a recess portion of the first punch into contact with a projection portion of the processing target material.