CNC Bender with Automatic Change of Radius

Since some years ago, Fagor Arrasate   has been developing the CNC bending process. Thanks to this technology it is possible to make several bending operations in a unique working station, achieving also a flexibility that the conventional benders cannot match. Not only these systems allow to get bending of different shapes but also the control of these servo controlled benders guarantees the right manufacturing of the part independently of the materials or thickness to be processed. Likewise, it is possible to correct the different elastic-plastic behaviors of different processed steels as well as compensating the spring back of the material. Also, it is improved the quality of the sheet metal surface.

This is specially interesting when manufacturing refrigerator’s doors because the design of these parts are usually needing several radiuses in their bending due to aesthetic reasons.

It must be emphasized that this change of the radius is made automatically within the bending cycle time what reduces significantly the time needed for the complete bending process. This is very interesting as, in this way, the working cycle times are always short and are not altered when changing models, eliminating the idle times usually present in benders with less technology. More parts made in less time means a higher profitability and productivity.

The tool holder (a revolver device) has a capacity for 4 tools that are easily interchangeable. It is enough to release some screws and exchange one tool for another. This also improves the profitability and gets an optimum ROI as, when the market demands new shapes, it is enough to add new tools to the system without the necessity of changing the whole station. The holder has some machined references to facilitate a perfect positioning of the tools once they are installed in order to guarantee the highest bending accuracy.

This type of quick change is not only interesting for manufacturing refrigerator doors  but for any other kind of parts requiring different radiuses what is becoming a significant market trend due to aesthetic reasons, advanced design and the try to create distinction in the market.