FEATURE ON BENDING & FORMING

Compact hybrid press brake

SafanDarley is adding a new machine to its Hybrid brake press range with a working length of 2050 mm. This model is available with a pressing force of 110 or 170 tonnes. According to the company, the machine is compact, fast and suitable for bending small, complex, thick sheet-metal parts.

Compared with traditional hydraulic brake presses, the introduction of the new machine significantly increases the pressing capacity for each available bending length. In turn, a wide range of possibilities are available for this machine concept. This brake press can, in fact, generate a pressing force of 110 and 170 tonnes across a bending length of approximately 2 m, making it suitable for companies with limited space. Furthermore, smaller, thick sheet-metal parts no longer have to be produced on excessively long brake presses, thus improving the efficiency and usability of the machinery.
The H Brake Hybrid is characterised by its novel hybrid concept; a combination of hydraulics and electronics. A servomotor with direct drive provides efficiency and speed, while hydraulics deliver the force and sustainability. The hybrid drive is only activated when the foot pedal is operated (the pump is stationary during the intervening period). Thanks to its dynamic Y axis, with approach and return speeds of 230 mm/sec, cycle times are achieved some 30% shorter than those of traditional hydraulic brake presses, says the company.
For further information www.safandarley.com

OKW is OK with Javelin MRP software

“We don’t do anything, anywhere in the business, without it being on Javelin.” Those are the words of Ian Cox, operations director at electronics housing manufacturer, OKW Enclosures Ltd.

“Javelin has played an absolutely vital role in getting the company to where it is today, and will remain crucial as we grow,” he adds. “As there are between 15,000 and 20,000 parts set up on Javelin across our five brands, we couldn’t run a business of this size without the information and control it gives us.”
The Fareham-based company has used Javelin and its forerunner, Jobshop, for more than 20 years, currently running the 2017 release.
“We updated our entire IT system in 2011, and now that we’ve also made a sea change to meet Javelin’s SQL database requirement, our philosophy is to work with the latest releases,” says Cox.
All shop-floor operations for manufacturing the company’s Metcase-brand enclosures are controlled with Javelin. The blanks are cut on two Murata Wiedermann CNC punch presses and then folded on Amada press brakes. Each part has a Javelin job card detailing every operation and drawing records. But before that stage, the software’s MRP system comes into play, providing precise control of all supply operations, addressing minimum stock levels and showing exactly what components need to be made.
Everything is also costed in Javelin, having been created on the system with a bill of materials and routing, which produces the standard costing.
“Modifications can be built
on to that, giving an accurate price for quotations,” says Cox. “And the standard costing is used in end-of-month stock and work-in-progress valuations.”
For further information www.javelin-mrp.com

Wemo reports record order for Rittal

German firm Rittal, a global manufacturer of control cabinets, is currently building the ‘factory of the future’ in Haiger. To this end, the company has placed a large order for a production line with Wemo worth “millions of euros”.

“The process begins with a stack of metal plates which our production line automatically feeds in, punches, corners-off and bends into a kit of parts that is then welded and painted by a third party to make a complete control cabinet,” explains Johan Lucas, commercial director at Wemo, which is represented in the UK by Press & Shear.
The fact that a leading German player such as Rittal – around €1bn in annual turnover plus factories on different continents – selected relatively compact Wemo in the Netherlands – “nearly 100 employees” – is significant because there are sufficient local and reputable machine manufacturers.
“As a builder and integrator of production lines for sheet metal working we deliver solutions for specific customer requirements which excel in terms of flexibility, speed and reliable technology, across their life cycle of up to 10-15 years,” says Lucas.
Rittal has in fact been a loyal and satisfied client of Wemo for many years.
“We have delivered lines for Rittal’s factories in America, among other places; and the next project is already in the pipeline,” says Lucas.
“As well as Rittal, we are very busy with other customers. For example, we have recently supplied complete lines, including assembly and welding, to Poland.”
For further information www.wemomachines.com

High-accuracy press brake from Haco Kingsland

According to Haco Kingsland, the company’s new PressMaster series hydraulic CNC press brakes feature the full integration of high-level machine, control, software, safety and tooling technology for the benefit of short set-up times, high part accuracy and safe operation without compromising productivity.

The Multi Touch FastBend MT Premium control offers automatic tool search during the part design process, along with instantaneous calculation of bending sequence and NC program. PressMaster press brakes can be optionally equipped with the company’s ‘Smart Tool Locator’ system, which indicates the correct tooling position as well as tools that are active during the bending process.
Lazersafe’s IRIS optical safety guard system guarantees safe operation, controlling the entire area around the top tooling and discontinuing the fast downward movement of the beam instantaneously when detecting any safety hazard in the protected area.
Further features include a new standard tooling system that is said to offer high accuracy and durability. Vertical loading together with novel self-seating and self-aligning characteristics work together to facilitate short set-up times.
The symbiosis of these technologies is designed to provide customers with flexible press brake operation offering short set-up times and components featuring ±0.1 mm dimensional and ±20’ angle precision tolerances.

For further information www.kingsland.com

New address for Salvagnini press brakes

Salvagnini recently staged a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Salvagnini Robotica, the group’s new division for the development and manufacture of press brakes and associated robotic applications in Brendola, near Vicenza. The plant is situated just 8 km from Salvagnini’s headquarters in Sarego.

With a factory floor space of 4000 sq m, the new facility is devoted entirely to the manufacture of B3 press brakes, which currently come in 14 models, from 2 to 5 m in length, and from 60 to 400 tons force capacity. According to the company, the next step in the development of these machines is full robotic automation. With this in mind, Salvagnini says that its Roboformer technology is currently in development in Sarego.
Among recent announcements, the Salvagnini B3.ATA press brake has been upgraded with numerous automated devices that make it adaptive to different materials and products, while also offering completely autonomous operation in accordance with the company’s Industry 4.0 concept. The machine’s application extends from stand-alone operation to an integrated part of the Salvagnini FMC FlexCell which, for example, allows configuration with an L5 fibre laser-cutting system and P2lean panel bender.
For further information www.salvagninigroup.com