Method and apparatus for bending an elongate workpiece

Apparatus for bending an elongate workpiece to a desired configuration, comprising:

• an automatic bending machine,
• storage means for storing information representative of the desired configuration and information representative of bending operations to be performed by the bending machine in order to bend a workpiece to the desired configuration,
• reference means for receiving a workpiece that has been bent using the automatic bending machine and supporting it in a location that is fixed relative to first, second and third mutually-perpendicular axes,
• data collection means for automatically scanning a bent workpice received by the reference means and generating information representative of the actual configuration of the bent workpice, said data collection means comprising an optical scanner assembly for emitting light towards a reference plane defined by the first and second axes and receiving light, and means for generating a signal representative of the position, relative to the reference plane, of a surface from which light received by the optical scanner assembly has been reflected, and transport means for moving the scanner assembly relative to the reference means in a direction along the first axis, and
• comparison means for comparing the information representative of the actual configuration of the bent workpiece with the information representative of the desired configuration and, in the event that there is a difference beyond a predetermined tolerance, modifying the information representative of bending operations in a manner such as to reduce the difference.

A method of producing an elongate workpiece that has been bent to a desired configuration, comprising:

• (a) bending a workpiece using a sequence of bend instructions,
• (b) carrying out a first data collection and generating first information representative of the actual configuration of the workpiece,
• (c) comparing the first information with information representative of the desired configuration,
• (d) using the result of the comparison to estimate the location and orientation of the workpiece and determine an optimum path for scanning the workpiece,
• (e) using a position sensor to carry out a second data collection, by transporting the position sensor along the optimum path, and generate second information representative of the actual configuration of the first workpiece,
• (f) comparing the second information with the information representative of the desired configuration and, if the comparison indicates that the workpiece conforms to the desired configuration within a predetermined tolerance, bending at least one additional workpiece using said sequence of bend instructions, and otherwise adjusting the bend instructions.