Page 19 - MetalForming August 2010

and minimized scrap rates,” says Simp- son, “press-brake manufacturers are focused on helping shops move jobs from the office to the shop floor quick- ly and efficiently, and with making the first part a good part. Offline program- ming (OLP) and virtual bending in the office makes that happen, and allows a fabricator to move the know-how out of the shop and into the programming office. Thus, one well-trained and knowledgeable press brake operator versed in OLP can develop documented setups and program bend sequences for every job on the floor, and view 3D simulations of each
procedure. This allows for a some- what reduced skill level on the floor without sacrificing quality or increas- ing scrap levels.”
Nearly every fab-
ricator that pur-
chases a new press
brake also invests in
OLP software,
according to Simp-
son, who says that
buying the software
is like “buying a sec-
ond press brake and putting it in your office.” Using the software to manage bend sequencing, account for material bend allowances and predict and account for collisions allows a fabrica- tor to go from the office to the shop and produce a finished part in as little as 15 min., Simpson says. Shops avoid a trial- and-error process that adds unnecessary operator and press-brake production time.
“This waste reduction of human and machine capital becomes even more critical as part volumes shrink—even to as little as one—and as more shops look to take on prototype-development work for their customers,” says Simpson. “Before the operator even heads out onto the shop floor to start his shift, he can look at each job tracker—even for new jobs—and know exactly what tools
he needs, where the tools are stored, what the setup looks like and how long it should take him to complete the setup.”
Tool-Positioning Aids
Setups at the press brake can get quite complicated, particularly when several tool stations are set up along the bed for sequential, staged bending. Staging one tool set to impart one bend onto each blank from a healthy blank stack won’t challenge too many opera- tors. However, asking an operator to stage a set of several—say four or five— sets of tools along the bed, and then run each blank through four or five forming operations is another story. Manufac- turers have focused, again, on ways to mistake-proof these particularly chal- lenging setups. “Smarter machines leads
to fewer mistakes on the floor,” says Simpson.
One way manufacturers have made “smarter machines” is by developing tools and techniques to help an opera- tor properly use multiple staged tool setups across the press-brake bed. Simp- son describes a Trumpf solution—use of optical LEDs as positioning aids. The LEDs mount above the upper tool rail tools, and light or dim based on the part program. Activated LEDs serve multiple purposes—they alert the oper- ator where to install the tooling on the brake, and then illuminate during the bend sequence to guide the operator along the programmed bend sequence.
“This feature (and other manufac- turers offer similar functionality) helps prevent operators from making the wrong bend,” says Simpson. “For exam-
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METALFORMING / AUGUST 2010 17
Skilled operators always will remain a must in any sheetmetal-fabrication shop. And, one way to attract more folks to the sheetmetal- fabrication trades is to improve the ergonomic aspects of operating the machinery. New fea- tures available to improve ergonomics include adjustable foot and hand rests to minimize fatigue and improve productivity.