The invention relates to a production plant (1) comprising a brake press (3) having press beams (13, 16), slot-shaped tool holders (19, 20) disposed and/or arranged on the press beams (13, 16), bending tools (4), a tool magazine (31) for at least one bending tool (4), a first manipulation device (30) for transporting the bending tool (4) between the tool magazine (31) and the tool holders (19, 20), and a second manipulation device (33) for positioning the bending tool (4) in the tool holder (19, 20). The second manipulation device (33) comprises at least one traction means (37) guided via two deflection means (35, 36), on which traction means (37) at least one pusher element (38) is disposed. The bending tool (5, 6) has a slot (46) extending in a direction (48) parallel with a bending edge (47) through which the at least one traction means (37) is run. The at least one slot (46) is further dimensioned such that the at least one pusher element (38) cannot be run through the slot (46).

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 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.

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.

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 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.

The invention relates to a tool magazine (1) for a manipulator (4) comprising a plurality of tool holding fixtures (2) which are distributed in a preparation area (7), especially in a substantially vertical preparation plane (11). The tool magazine (1), on one side (9) of the preparation area (7), comprises a first access opening (10) facing the manipulator (4) and, on the other side (15) of the preparation area (7), a second access opening (16) facing an operator (13) and the first access opening (10) is associated with a first protective device (17) and the second access opening (16) is associated with a second protective device (18).

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.

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.