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

The folding of sheet metal can be automated using a new bending centre from Bystronic.

With the new solution, it is said that users can lower production costs, boost accuracy and consistency, and at the same time increase flexibility for dealing with small to large batch sizes.

‘Bending Cell’, as the system is known, is based on the company’s Xpert Pro press brake and is served by a seven-axis robot that is able to cope with a wide variety of component sizes and shapes. A gripper changer, tool changer and magazine, and material storage unit may be either factory-fitted or retrofitted at a later time, allowing not only component handling but gripper and bending tool exchange to be autonomous. The modular system enables existing Xpert Pro machines in the field to be automated.
Intelligent offline programming software saves time by determining the optimal bending sequence for every job. Moreover, the program for the next order can be downloaded without interrupting the current process.

While the robot is bending, staff can perform other tasks such as the supply and removal of sheet and parts, or operating a laser-cutting machine or welding system. The cell is simple to use, as both the robot and press brake are controlled using the same touchscreen. Importantly, the ByVision Bending user interface provides the user with an overview of the current job status and remaining production time, even on mobile devices (optionally).

Bending Cell is available as a turnkey automation solution for Bystronic’s Xpert Pro 100, 150, 250 and 320 press brakes. Maximum press capacity is 320 tonnes and bending length is up to 3 m. Five robot types are available with handling capacities ranging from 90 to 270 kg.

For further information www.bystronic.co.uk/en_uk

Fabtech brought a wealth of innovation and technology solutions to Chicago recently, where more than 48,000 attendees and over 1,700 exhibiting companies gathered once again to celebrate metal manufacturing at its best.

The event also provided educational sessions and expert-led presentations covering the latest trends and technology in the metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing industries.
Visitors to the Salvagnini stand found a fully working smart factory run by the company’s OPS software, comprising the L5 high dynamics fibre laser with its newly developed 6 kW fibre source, the P2lean panel bender, and the B3.AU-TO press brake featuring the latest automatic tool change technology.
The third generation P2lean adaptive compact panel bender natively combines productivity and flexibility, guaranteeing precision, repeatability and quality of the finished product, says Salvagnini. Also on the stand, the B3.AU-TO press brake features the latest automatic tool change, the solid expression of a new automated and scalable bending concept that is said to provide greater certainties in terms of processing times, as well as costs and budgets.
Salvagnini’s L5 high dynamics fibre laser features the newly developed, dedicated 6kW source, which is said to perfect its performance. The latest trajectory planner, the new SVS option, and the novel nesting algorithms are claimed to guarantee even higher efficiency.
For further information www.salvagninigroup.com

Environmental and lifestyle changes within the drinks industry have brought fresh challenges and increased business to Preston-based beer pump and cooler specialist, K Coolers.

For instance, the company has had to manage two major changes within the drinks industry, the first being environmental, with the phasing out of certain refrigerants, while the second is the rise in popularity of ‘ice-cold’ beers and lagers. Both changes needed modifications to the stainless steel coils within the cooler, which in turn placed greater demands on K Coolers’ existing tube-bending capacity.
“The new R290 refrigerant required different tubes, so all of these required replacing as a smaller bore was needed for the new gas to be effective,” says Lee Worden, managing director. “Our standard 3.8 to 4.8 m long coils used for standard beers and lagers also needed to increase to 10 m in length to create ice-cold beer delivery; the knock on benefit being the elimination of under-counter chillers in pubs.”
To meet rising demand, the decision was taken to invest in a BLM 4-Runner tube-bending system fitted with motorised coil feed functionality.
“Without investing in the BLM 4-Runner we would struggle to maintain throughput,” says Worden. “The assistance we got, and continue to receive, from BLM both in the UK and in Italy, has been superb, which meant that we were bending tube within a couple of days of the machine being put on the floor. The BLM 4-Runner is being used to produce evaporator coils and other pipework for the refrigeration system on the new coolers, handling the increased demand with ease.”
For further information www.blmgroup.com