Numeric program set-up

Proceed as follows to set-up a new program:

 press ;

 press[ New numeric];

General data set-up The first program data set-up window will appear:

 Figure 2.2 – General data set-up mask

• Enter the width of the sheet of metal plate to bend;

• enter the thickness of the sheet of metal plate to bend;

• enter the strength  of the material to bend, bearing the following convention in mind:

− aluminium: 0 - 30;

− sheet metal: 31 - 50 (ideal value 42);

− stainless steel: over 50;

• thematerialis calculated automatically, depending on its strength;

• enter the die used to make the bend (the die must have already been designed);

• enter the slot in the die that will be used for bending (a die can have several slots.

Enter 1 if it only has one);

• enter the punch that will be used for the bend (the punch must have already been designed);

• enter the die direction;

• enter the punch direction;

Bend set-up  Now press PgDnto access the mask where the bending data ar e entered:

Enter the following information for each bend:

− The required bending angle in the Y1 angle Y1 field;

− The required bend length in the X1 ends field.

All the other bend data are calculated automatically, but can be modified by the user.

Machining data entry  Now press the PgDn key to access the mask where the machining data of the bend are entered:

 Figure 2.4 – Machining data entry mask

Workpiece data entry Comply with the following procedure to enter the workpiece data of the program:

•  press the [Workpiece Data] key from the bending data set-up mask or machining data set-up mask;

• a window with the workpiece data will appear.

 Figure 2.5 – Workpiece data set-up mask

Machining data Used to display the data concerning the absolute T.D.C , S.C.P  and P.C.P  of that bend.

Go to the required bend and comply with the following procedure:

•  press the key to access the menu;

• select the Machining Data item;

• a window with the machining data will appear;

• to quit, just go to the [Confirm] button and press [ENTER].

•  press the to access the menu;

• select the Copy Step item. The bend will be copied at the end of the section.

Bend insertion To insert a bend in a section, go to the bend after the one you wish to insert and comply with the following procedure:

•  press the key to access the menu;

• select the Insert Step item. The bend will be inserted in front of the one on which you were positioned.

Insertion of a copied bend

To insert an identical bend to one of the ones already in the section, go to the bend after the one you wish to insert and comply with the following procedure:

•  press the key to access the menu;

• select the Insert Step item. The bend will be inserted in front of the one on which you were positioned;

• using the or keys, go to the bend you wish to copy;

•  press the key to access the menu;

• select the Copy Step item. The bend will be copied on to the one j ust inserted.

Rolling definition A utility for rolling can be activated in the numeric program’s data entry window:

•  press the key to access the menu;

• select the Rolling  item. A window for entering the rolling data will appear;

• enter the required rolling angle in the Angle field;

• enter the initial position of the locator in the X Target field;

•  press [Confirm]. The calculated rolling steps will be automatically entered in thee  bending mask.

Rolling correction When rolling is carried out, it is unlikely to obtain a correct bend at the first attempt.

This inaccuracy depends on the fact that the angles to bend to achieve the rolling operation are very open (e.g. 170°C) and it is difficult to obtain precise bends with these angles.

To achieve a correct rolling operation, measure the difference between the obtained rolling angle and the required one. The difference calculated must be homogeneously divided amongst all the bends.

Example Supposing that a rolling operation with a 90° angle must be carried out and that 15  bends at 170° must be made. If the obtained result is 112.5°, it will be necessary to  proceed in the following way:

112.5 - 90 = 22.5° (difference between the real and theoretic angle) 22.5 / 15 = 1.5° (correction to make for each bend)

A 1.5° correction must be applied in the rolling step, which is repeated 15 times.

Bending and

flattening definition

A bending and flattening operation can be defined in the bend set-up window:

enter 0.0 in the Y1 Angle field. The ram’s arrival value will be calculated according to the depth of the slot, the height of the slot for flattening and the thickness of the workpiece. The position of X axis will be at the minimum target the axis can reach. R axis is positioned by taking into account that the die is open.

Bending and

flattening correction

If a bending and flattening operation must be corrected, the value of the angle cannot be modified. It will be necessary to change the numeric value in the B.D.C. field of Y1.

If the bend is pressed too much, this value must be increased.

The Y2 Target will be modified as a consequence.

Or it will be necessary to proceed in the following way:

• access the Corrections mask by pressing the key

•  press the[Corrections Coeff.] key

• The target entered is added to or subtracted from the B.D.C. of both the Y values and is a data item bound to the machine and not to the program. Press the [ Lose Correc.] key to annul the corrections.

How to carry out a striking or coining operation

Enter a normal bend with the same angle as the tools, but change the force and making any corrections to the bend as may be required, straight in the set-up mask.

Or proceed in the following way;

• access the Corrections mask by pressing the key

•  press the[Correction Coeff.] key

• The target entered is added to or subtracted from the B.D.C. of both the Y values and is a data item bound to the machine and not to the program. Press the [ Lose Correc.] key to annul the corrections.

Definition of a conical bend

This function allows the “Conical” process to be carried out once special locators have  been assembled and X2 axis configured for conical operation. “Conical bending” is carried out by an X2 axis installed on the bar of the X1 axis ( incremental type) or two completely independent axes, X1 and X2 (absolute type) which, to allow the axes to be staggered, moves after X1 has been positioned. Besides this special X2 axis, the locators also have a special profile, which allows the metal plate to be blocked (see figure). The data for making a conical bend can only be entered from the Setup masks and to enter the conical bend, the X2 axis must be enabled for operation in the conical mode (either incremental or absolute). In this case, once the typical data of a normal bend have been entered, the final target of X2 axis will be calculated in the “incremental” or “absolute”

mode in relation to the final target of X1 axis. A utility can be activated in the data entry window of the numeric program in order to make a conical bend:

Jig Locator  X1,Z1,R

Jig Locator  X2,Z2,R

Metal Plate

 Figure 2.6 – Example of a conical bend

• enter the initial position of the locator in field X1;

•  press to display the secondary menu;

•  press [Conical ]  to access a window where the required conical angle can be entered;

• enter the required conical angle in the Angle field (between -45 and 45);

• go to the [Confirm]  button and press [ENTER]. Targets X1, X2 will be automatically updated in the setups mask;

• in the case of positive phased angles, the final target calculated is X2, or X1 for negative phased angles.

Once a conical bend has been created and the user wishes to change the phase angle or metal plate width, before accessing the angle entry field with the [Conical ] function key, the bend must be cancelled and a new one set up. If this operation is not carried out, the targets generated by the angle entered in the window will be without sense. If modifications have been made to the data of a bend (e.g. metal plate width or thickness, etc.), the targets are not calculated again: X2, X2 Corrections and X2 Recoil. In a conical bend, the support function does not re-calculate the correction on the X2 Correction and X2 Recoil targets, thus the rest/support must be entered first and then the conical bend data.

Definition of a conical rolling operation

To enter a conical rolling operation, go to the first rolling bend and proceed with the conical phase. The targets vary on the first bend as described previously. Nothing is calculated if rolling is applied to a bend with a negative X1.

How to make off-slot bends

In off-slot bends, the end of bend point is in the upper position in relation to the upper die plane. The end of bend target is numerically higher than the theoretic plate crimping target in the general data of the program.

The numeric control checks to make sure that the bending cycle targets are valid and requires the following targets to be in decreasing numeric order:

• Top dead center.

• Speed change target (from version 13.2 onwards, the TDC cannot be lower than the SCP).

• Target 180 (crimping target).

• End of bend target (bottom dead center).

The program cannot be executed in the automatic mode unless this order is complied with.

For off-slot bends, the user must:

• Directly enter the end of bend value in the Y1 B.D.C. and Y2 B.D.C. fields of the numeric program (the Y1 Angle and Y2 Angle fields will be set to zero).

• Enter a value in the  P.C.P.  field of the program’s machining data which, when added to the Theoretic 180 target , gives a higher value than the set B.D.C. values.

• Enter a value in the  S.C.P.  field of the program’s machining data which, when added to the Theoretic speed change target , gives a higher value than the theoretic 180 target  + P.C.P.

• Make sure that the Top dead center  (T.D.C) in the program steps is higher than the Theoretic speed change target  + S.C.P .

Example Supposing that a program has been setup in which:

Speed change target = 132.00;

180 target = 127.00;

Bending target (a = 135°) = 124.72;

After having checked to make sure that the required end of bend value is 142.35, this value must be entered in the Y1 B.D.C. and Y2 B.D.C. fields.

To execute this program, the user must:

enter 20.00 in the P.C.P. field:

127.00 + 20.00 = 147.00 > 142.35;

enter 20.00 in the S.C.P. field:

132.00 + 20.00 = 152.00 > 147.00.

Make sure that the top dead center is higher than 152.00.

How to save the program

Once the entries have all been made, press to access a window where the  program name must be entered.

After having entered the name, go to the [Confirm] button and press [ENTER].

Save as A program can be saved with a different name from the initial one. This may be useful if the user does not wish to lose the modifications made to a program but does not wish to change the program loaded (thus different programs can be obtained with different corrections). Comply with the following procedure:

•  press to access the menu;

• select the Save as item;