Productivity boost for all kinds of bent parts

Ditzingen, February 2, 2012 – More attractive, faster, and sleeker: TRUMPF has introduced the newest generation of the TruBend Cell 5000 for universal use. It is distinguished above all by an improved interplay between the brake press and the robot. The BendMaster’s travel is even more closely harmonized and the regulation of the travel path has been further refined. These and additional measures have resulted in productivity increases of as much as thirty percent, depending on the specifics of the application.

Shorter throughput times make the individual parts even more economical. The “productivity package” for the TruBend Cell 5000 thus reduces the costs for processing parts by about one fifth. And it does so for a very broad spectrum of components – since this bending cell is designed for shops needing a flexible automation solution to machine sheet metal components of all sizes.

Accordingly, five machine types are available for integration into the automated bending cell. They offer differing press forces, bending lengths and installation heights. Each of them can also be configured with a four- or six-axis rear stop. The appropriate grabber can also be installed for each application – one with jaws for small parts or a vacuum lift for larger parts, which can be up to 4 meters in length and 100 kilograms in weight. Thanks to special “construction kits”, the grabs can be designed and assembled on site. That saves time and enhances flexibility. Those benefits are also offered by the bending robot’s capability to change grippers automatically.

A special sheet metal sensor is used to guarantee process reliability and parts quality during automated machining. When work starts on each new stack of parts, a recognition cycle is carried out to determine approximate positions. At this time the geometries of the parts are registered and compared with the bending program that has been loaded into the controls. Then the height of the stack of sheet metal is measured and this figure is used to calculate maximum approach velocity. Before each sheet is picked up, the sensor detects the exact orientation of the uppermost sheet so that the grab can be properly positioned for pick-up.

To keep two parts from being picked up at once, the jaws are monitored with a camera and compressed air is used to separate sheets. When vacuum is used to lift parts, the BendMaster integrates a double sheet detector into the C axis. Three quartz sensors measure the weight. If the grab should have picked up two sheets, the upper sheet will be crowned in order to “peel the sheets apart”. The established ACB angle sensors and an additional rear stop sensor round out the safety equipment.

The cell is very flexible in design and can be set up to permit the required material flow, accommodate the parts to be machined, and handle the anticipated production volume. The length of the floor rails can be selected as desired, in two-meter steps. A pallet conveyor can be used to move new sheets into the bending cell, parallel to active operation, and remove completed parts. Using a conveyor belt makes it possible to eject small parts and parts that cannot be stacked during the bending process. All in all, the appearance of the new TruBend Cell emphasizes the compact character of the system. The switchgear cabinet in a modern box design and a white safety guard with blue panes make a visual reference to the TruBend Cell 7000 – the successful sister model specialized in high-productivity bending of small components.