Bison Machinery has added a Morgan Rushworth servo-electric press brake to its showroom stock.

The machine is now commissioned and set up for demonstrations, and will be of interest to users of hydraulic press brakes that want to save time and money by reducing energy consumption and maintenance, while increasing cycle times.

The recently introduced XPE servo-electric press brake from Morgan Rushworth brings many benefits to the table when compared with traditional hydraulic models, says the company. For instance, servo electric models save energy, require much less servicing and feature faster cycle times. Not only that, but they are quieter to operate and do not produce hazardous waste products such as used hydraulic oil.

A major benefit is that the XPE press brake only uses power when it is actually working, delivering up to 50% savings in electricity consumption.

Further advantages include: the use of an O-frame design that reduces deflection of the machine frame; no requirement for hydraulic oil, thus reducing hazardous waste output; cycle times are up to 30% faster than an equivalent hydraulic machine; quiet operation improves the working environment; only requires around 25% of the servicing compared with a hydraulic model; and produces much more even bending pressure across the width of the machine.

The XPE servo electric press brake features proven belt-drive technology for a long working life with low maintenance requirements. All models feature the high-specification ESA S675 widescreen control and a generous level of standard equipment, reports Morgan Rushworth.

For further information www.bisonmachinery.co.uk

Belgrave & Powell Ltd, a specialist engineering services group, has acquired assets, IP and goodwill from Addition Manufacturing Technologies Ltd based in Preston, UK.

Operating from the same facility in Walton Summit, Preston, the business will now trade under the name Addison Forming Technologies Ltd. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Addition was a global supplier of tube-bending equipment and tooling to the aerospace, automotive and nuclear industries. With the acquisition, Addison Forming will continue to offer a comprehensive range of services and products to its customer base, alongside new solutions that include automation and robotics.

Paul Ward, a partner in Belgrave & Powell, will lead the company as part of Belgrave & Powell’s Machine Technology Group. He says: “Despite the uncertain economic climate we recognised the long-term value in this activity, the highly skilled workforce and the company’s reputation for quality and innovation. Our vision is to provide clients with unsurpassed service, quality and technology.

“We’re delighted with this acquisition as it’s a key advancement,” he adds. “It complements our existing specialist services companies, while simultaneously allowing us to accelerate our ambitions in terms of offering advanced automation and robotic solutions. The retained team have some of the world’s best skills in the field of tube bending, tooling design and automation and, with the support of the group, we will offer immediate benefit to historical and new customers requiring support in this specialist sector.”
Belgrave and Powell Ltd is a UK-based specialist engineering services group with activities including specialist machine-tool services, tooling manufacture and distribution, operating from facilities in Preston, Halifax and Tamworth. Businesses in the group include Weld UK, Dean Smith & Grace, GAC Rail, Techni-grind and Maydown International.

For further information www.addisonforming.co.uk

Russian boiler manufacturer Krasny Kotelshchik bends 90-m long tubes into membrane walls consisting of numerous 180° single bends.

Modern power-plant construction requires powerful machines that can bend challenging materials according to strict specifications. The large dimensions involved require particular structures in the bending process. Here, tube-bending machine manufacturer Schwarze-Robitec designed the CNC 60 DB Twin booster bending machine for the Russian company, complete with 90-m long tube magazine and supporting table featuring a 10 m radius. The machine was recently put into operation.

Modern power plants continuously supply the exact amount of electricity required to the grid. The higher the process temperatures, the higher the level of efficiency. Constantly starting up and shutting down the power plants leads to extreme fluctuations in temperature.

Boiler and power-plant manufacturers aim to maximise the surface area to ensure the highest level of heat transfer. Tubes therefore need to be bent in narrow radii and must fulfil strict tolerance specifications in terms of wall thinning and ovality.

Krasny Kotelshchik bends tube serpentines consisting of numerous 180° single bends in sequence. Each tube section alone is up to 10 m in length. As a result, the corresponding tube system cannot be rotated as a whole for each subsequent bend. Instead, the CNC 60 DB Twin booster bending machine supplied by Schwarze-Robitec bends in both directions using two bending heads. The bending head that is not required moves to the side under the tube system. For this reason, the machine is installed in a pit in the production hall.

Schwarze-Robitec has also set up a supporting table measuring 20 m in diameter above the pit and around the bending head. The tube system is laid out on the supporting table during the bending process. Krasny can thus avoid any unwanted deformations caused by the enormous weight of the tube systems.

For further information www.schwarze-robitec.com

LVD is this week commencing Insights 2020, a series of technology events, both virtual and live, taking place in the months through to December.

Insights 2020 kicks off with six virtual technology sessions covering topics such as adaptive bending, bending automation and fibre laser cutting over the course of three days (15-17 September).

The Insights 2020 platform is designed to provide sheet-metal fabricators with access to the latest technology and new product launches, delivering timely industry insights and intelligence to advance the critical business of sheet metalworking during these challenging times.

In addition to the September virtual events, Insights 2020 virtual technology sessions are scheduled for October, November and December. Each month delivers fresh topics, and all sessions offer attendees the opportunity to ask questions of technical experts in real time.

For those willing and able to attend in-person functions, live technology days at LVD’s Experience (XP) Centre in Belgium are 1½ day events providing an in-depth look at the latest technology, including new products for 2020, live demonstrations, interactions with technical staff and networking opportunities. Events are restricted to a maximum of 25 people, and increased safety measures are in place alongside all necessary health and safety protocols.

Insights 2020 technology days are scheduled for 27-28 October, 3-4 November and 25-26 November. New products will be unveiled at all three events.
For further information www.lvdgroup-insights.com/en_uk

Enhancements to Radan 2021 include many to the Radbend module. For instance, a new option improves collision checking during automatic sequencing.

Product manager Olaf Körner explains this is particularly valuable when bending long, thin parts such as guttering. “If the channel is particularly deep and bent in the wrong sequence, it could become jammed in the press brake, clamped around the tools. This type of part can be sequenced in such a way as to guarantee that collisions won’t happen.”

Radbend also now reduces handling when calculating sequences automatically, by lessening the need for tool and part rotations.

“Every time operators have to turn a part around, either by themselves or with a colleague, it takes time,” says Körner. “This new piece of functionality calculates a better sequence, meaning it can be fed into the machine in little steps, improving the handling.”

And the tool editor now shows important additional information by default, making it more user-friendly.

A number of items of new and enhanced functionalities have also been added to the Designer module. For example, Designer now indicates bends where the design radius differs from the expected result radius when using V-width as the unfolding method. This factor is important for the unfolding process, and the finished look of the component.

Feedback is now provided on overlapping unfolds, as Körner explains: “Sometimes, when a 3D model is unfolded, it doesn’t work – faces clash on top of each other. The user is now notified of this and shown the issue graphically.”
For further information www.radan.com