Tool holder designs are described. In some cases, the tool holder has a clamp assembly that can be used with tools having different tang styles. The tool holder in some cases has at least two differing tolerance areas provided therein, wherein the tolerance areas provide complementary tolerance to the design. In some cases, the tool holder can have a mechanically actuatable mechanism that functions with one or more internal components that limit adjustment of the mechanism to prevent damage to one or more of tool and the tool holder when securing the tool therein.

A sheet material bending system includes a tool changing apparatus that changes tools between a press brake and a tool stocker. The tool stocker is arranged behind the press brake. To change tools from the front and rear of the tool stocker, the front and rear of the tool stocker are opened. The tool changing apparatus has a pivot that is movable in front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions and is rotatable around an axis extending in the up-down direction. A front end of the pivot is provided with tool holding units to hold tools.

A tool or die component for a press brake apparatus includes a tool body having a coupling end adapted for coupling with a holder, and a working end adapted for operation on a workpiece. One or more magnetic elements can be adapted for selective engagement of the tool or die component within a punch press apparatus by magnetic coupling with the tool body, where the working end is configured for forming the workpiece by operation of the press brake apparatus. The magnetic coupling can be defined between the tool body and holder disposed adjacent the coupling end, or between the tool body and an adjacent tool or die component disposed along a side surface of the tool body, or both.

The invention relates to a production device (1) and to a method of operating said device, comprising a bending press (2) for producing workpieces shaped by bending between bending tools (13) of a stationary bench beam (8) and a press beam (9) that is adjustable in relation thereto. The production device (1) further comprises a tool magazine (4) and a handling device (3) with a gripping device (17) for the bending tools (13) and a stop device (23) which has at least one adjustable stop finger (28), and also a control and monitoring device (24). The stop device (23) is connected to a comparator circuit of the control and monitoring device (24) and has a measuring sensor system and at least one measuring means for determining reference position data of the bending tool (13).

A mold holder device in a press brake includes comprises a mold clamp that clamps a mold with respect to a mold contacting surface provided for a holder body of the mold holder device. The mold clamp is pivotally arranged on the holder body. A long groove is formed in a mold clamping surface with which the mold clamp clamps the mold with respect to the mold contacting surface. The long groove is in parallel with a pivot axis of the mold clamp. A metal pipe member has a longitudinal slit and is inserted in a rotation restricted state into the long groove. A part of an outer peripheral surface of the pipe member is protruded toward the mold contacting surface.

A bending machine for metal sheets includes a punch assembly having an upper tool-holding crosspiece that supports a set of upper bending tools with respective supporting pins and is provided with a guiding groove that is open for receiving the set of upper bending tools. The guiding groove has a lateral supporting groove that receives and supports the supporting pins and maintains the set of upper bending tools slidably coupled to the upper tool-holding crosspiece. The supporting groove has a single second lower opening to allow disengaging/engaging of the supporting pins from/with the supporting groove to remove/insert from/into the upper tool-holding crosspiece at the same time all the upper bending tools. The punch assembly has a single closing element connected to the upper tool-holding crosspiece that is linearly movable between closed and open positions to close and open the second lower opening.

An attachment base extending in a left-right direction is provided on a lower end side of a front surface of an upper table of a press brake. On the attachment base, a plurality of protruding tabs protruding downward are formed at intervals in the left-right direction. An upper tool holder is disposed between the protruding tabs adjacent to each other in the left-right direction in the front surface of the attachment base. A connecting member is attached to a back surface of each protruding tab, and the connecting member includes a distal end located on a back side of the upper table. A guide member supporting a moving body movably in the left-right direction is coupled to a distal-end face of the connecting member.

Tool holder designs are described. In some cases, the tool holder has a clamp assembly that can be used with tools having different tang styles. The tool holder in some cases has at least two differing tolerance areas provided therein, wherein the tolerance areas provide complementary tolerance to the design. In some cases, the tool holder can have a mechanically actuatable mechanism that functions with one or more internal components that limit adjustment of the mechanism to prevent damage to one or more of tool and the tool holder when securing the tool therein.

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.

A clamping system for a press brake or folding press includes a beam for holding one or more tools. The clamping system includes a first and a second transducer, each capable of transducing electrical energy to light and vice versa. The first and second transducers each are configured to transmit light towards, and to receive light from, the one or more tools held by the beam. An assembly of such a clamping system and a tool including a marking being configured to reflect light received from the first and second transducers, and to such a tool.