LVD has introduced Ricobb, a collaborative robot (cobot) bending system that integrates with any LVD press brake installed since 2001. Developed by LVD Robotic Solutions (LRS) – the company’s robotic automation division – Ricobb offers a flexible and cost-effective way for sheet metalworking companies to boost bending productivity, overcome labour shortages, enable lights-out manufacturing and adapt quickly to shifting production demands.  

Compact and user-friendly, Ricobb is easily moved, docked and programmed. It can be set up and commissioned in just a few days. 

Ricobb is a mobile, highly adaptable cobot, reports LVD. Deployed on a press brake, it takes over the bending of small, simple parts and it can be quickly reassigned to another machine as production needs change. When docked, Ricobb automatically identifies the press brake, so relocation is quick and easy. The cobot delivers consistent, reliable performance and operates autonomously to maximise press brake utilisation. 

The new cobot is easy to program, requiring minimal training. Its intuitive, icon-driven interface eliminates the need for advanced programming skills. Only pick, bend and regrip positions need to be taught. Ricobb learns through simple, guided instruction and automatically records and replicates the actions.

Ricobb offers sheet metalworking companies a cost-effective way to automate repetitive bending tasks. It adds capacity to existing press brakes without requiring infrastructure changes, delivering reliable, efficient performance with a fast return on investment. The cobot also offers enhanced flexibility through customisable gripper extensions tailored to specific applications. A variety of extensions can be created within the cobot’s payload limits to suit varying production needs. 

LVD Robotic Solutions (LRS) was established in 2022 following the acquisition of KUKA Solutions Benelux.

More information www.lvdroboticsolutions.com

The Pilbara, Western Australia workshop of Bennco Engineering has received a major upgrade with the arrival of a new Haco Synchromaster 40250 CNC press brake.

Bennco Engineering has built its reputation on delivering high-quality structural, mechanical and piping fabrication for the mining and resources sector. Working in such a remote region means every piece of equipment must perform flawlessly. That is why Bennco decided to invest in a new press brake that combines accuracy, consistency and easy operation.

According to Geoff Archer, general manager for Haco in Australia, the Synchromaster was the ideal fit. He explains that the machine’s design focuses on reliability and intuitive control, allowing operators to complete complex bending jobs faster and with greater precision: “It’s all about giving fabricators the confidence to push productivity without compromising on quality.”

The Synchromaster 40250 offers a bending length of 4100 mm and a pressing capacity of 2500 kN, making it a powerful workhorse for heavy-duty applications. Equipped with the EASYBEND 2D Multi Touch system, operators can program bends quickly, visualise each step in real time and let the machine automatically calculate the optimal bending sequence.

Archer highlights that the Y1/Y2 hydraulic synchro system ensures exact positioning within a tolerance of just 0.01 mm, while the CNC crowning table guarantees a straight bend every time. Combined with a fast approach speed of 130 mm per second, the press brake delivers both precision and productivity on a daily basis.

By adopting this level of technology, Bennco Engineering can now bend and fabricate more components onsite for quicker delivery to its customers across the Pilbara.

More information www.haco.com

Vaski Group, a Nordic sheet metal equipment manufacturer with headquarters in Finland, has signed a joint venture agreement with Leeport (Holdings) Ltd, based in Hong Kong. The partnership marks an important step in expanding Vaski’s capabilities and reach across China and Southeast Asia, two of the fastest-growing markets for sheet metal machinery.

By combining the strengths of both companies in advanced machinery and automation solutions, Vaski Group will be able to serve customers in the region with greater proximity, efficiency and innovation. The goal is to show the strong presence of Vaski products, with the joint-venture company distributing a full array of sheet metal processing equipment: entry level stand-alone machines, assigned production lines, and other special machinery.

The function of the joint-venture company includes sales and service support as well as product development and sourcing in this region. The quality products of Vaski Group, together with Leeport’s well established sales channels in China and Southeast Asia will bring the market new choices for sheet metal processing.

Vaski Group consists of the 10 year old Vaski brand, which has a reputation worldwide for flat bar (predominantly busbar) processing machinery and sheet metal coil processing machines; the 140 year old Ursviken, a major producer of large press brakes, presses and shears; and 50 year old Pivatic, which manufactures sheet metal coil and blank fed punching and bending systems.

Underlining Ursviken’s long history in press brakes is the world’s first press brake built in 1902 as well as the world’s largest single press brakes with a span as large as 22.4m.

More information www.leeport.com.hk

At DACH+HOLZ 2026 in Cologne on 24-27 February, RAS will present itself as a competent partner for roofers, sheet metal workers and façade builders, showcasing a compact and powerful machine portfolio for sheet metal processing in the trade sector.

Among the proven bending and forming solutions on show at DACH+HOLZ will be the company’s EasyFormer and, notably, the recently launched TURBO2plus Compact with new XXL bending beam.

According to RAS, the TURBO2plus Compact impresses with advanced bending technology. The new XXL bending beam offers an additional 5 mm clearance behind the bending line, while the 14 mm crown tool with adjustable crowning ensures consistent, high-quality bending results across the entire working length, ensuring suitability for both roof and wall applications.

Visitors to Stand 427 in Hall 8, will experience how user-friendly technology, high precision and robust design efficiently support daily work in workshops and production environments.

Taking centre stage, those attending DACH+HOLZ are set to discover that the established RAS TURBO2plus now has a compact successor. The new TURBO2plus Compact replaces the previous standard model. It offers the same technical performance in a significantly smaller footprint, making suitable for use by small businesses, sheet metal shops and space-constrained workshops.

Whether for roof and façade profiles, advertising panels or enclosures, RAS says the new machine takes bending to the next level. The intelligent Bendex software automatically programs parts, evaluates alternative bending strategies and visualises the entire bending sequence in 3D.

Thanks to its reduced overall height, the TURBO2plus Compact can be integrated flexibly into a wide range of production environments. It is especially suited to workshops that need to operate efficiently and powerfully despite limited space.

More information www.ras-online.de/en

Salvagnini Maschinenbau is celebrating the production of its 4000^th panel bender. The milestone, celebrated at the Ennsdorf, Austria plant, is for CMAlifts, an Italian manufacturer of elevators and lifting platforms.

Salvagnini says it is consolidating its leadership in panel bending technology with over 4000 installations in 80 countries, Europe’s largest plant entirely dedicated to panel bender manufacturing, over 600 technology specialists and more than 40 years of experience. Since 1977, when Guido Salvagnini designed and built the first P4, the panel bender has never stopped evolving: today it is a fully automatic solution for the modern smart factory.

Salvagnini Maschinenbau’s 4000^th panel bender is part of an industrial journey marked by significant milestones: number 1000 (installed in Germany, 2006), number 1500 (USA, 2011), number 2000 (Korea, 2016) and number 3000 (China, 2020).

Number 4000 is a Generation 4 P4-3220 with a maximum bending length of 3200 mm and a maximum bending height of 203 mm. The machine is configured with CUT, CLA, CLA/N, P, PSE and DPM options, broadening its application range. It will see integration into an FSL (flexible smart line), which also includes an S4 punching machine and multiple automation devices, at the new fully automated factory that CMAlifts is building in Corato, Italy.

“Being part of the Salvagnini Group’s history is a source of pride for the whole CMAlifts team,” says Giulio Caputo, CMAlifts Co-CEO. “This P4 reflects our culture of continuous growth and innovation. With the new P4 we will manufacture many panels fully automatically, even our most complex profiles, with consistent quality and shorter lead-times.”

More information www.salvagninigroup.com