Programming system for the single arm bending robot

A method for controlling a manipulator for handling a workpiece processed by a press brake which is equipped with a side sensor for detecting a position of the workpiece in the horizontal X-axis direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of upper and lower dies of the press brake, the manipulator being arranged to be movable in the X axis direction, and a head of the manipulator being arranged to be rotatable about a first shaft and a second shaft, comprising the steps of:

• (a) inputting a position of the workpiece for an initial bending stage;
• (b) inputting an angle of rotation of the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator for each of a plurality of bending stages;
• (c) sequentially calculating a position of the workpiece for the second and subsequent bending stages, based on the initial position of the workpiece input at the step (a), and the angle of rotation of the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator at each of the bending stages which is input at the step (b);
• (d) producing a first instruction data for rotating the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator for each of the bending stages, based on the position of the workpiece at each of the bending stages;
• (e) producing second instruction data for detecting a position of the workpiece in the X-axis direction by means of the signal from the side sensor at a bending stage for bending a long side of said workpiece.

A device for controlling a manipulator for handling a workpiece processed by a press brake which is equipped with a back gauge sensor for detecting a position of the workpiece in a horizontal Y-axis direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of upper and lower dies of the press brake, the manipulator being arranged to be movable in the Y-axis direction, and a head of the manipulator being arranged to be rotatable about a first shaft and a second shaft of the manipulator, comprising:

• (a) means for inputting a position of the workpiece for an initial bending stage;
• (b) means for inputting an angle of rotation of the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator for each of a plurality of bending stages;
• (c) means for sequentially calculating a position of the workpiece for the second and subsequent bending stages, based upon the initial position of the workpiece which is input from the workpiece initial position input means, and the angle of rotation of the workpiece about the first and/or second shafts at each of the bending stages which is input from the workpiece rotation angle input means;
• (d) means for producing an instruction data for rotating the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator at each of the bending stages, based on the position of the workpiece at each of the bending stages;
• and
• (e) a numerical control means for positioning the side of the workpiece to be bent with respect to the upper and the lower die by means of a detection signal from the back gauge sensor.

A method of controlling a manipulator for handling a workpiece processed by a press brake which is equipped with a back gauge for detecting a position of the workpiece in a horizontal Y-axis direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of upper and lower dies of the press brake, the manipulator being arranged to be movable in the Y-axis direction, and a head of the manipulator being arranged to be rotatable about a first shaft and a second shaft of the manipulator, comprising the steps of:

• (a) inputting a position of the workpiece for an initial bending stage;
• (b) inputting an angle of rotation of the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator for each of a plurality of bending stages;
• (c) sequentially calculating a position of the workpiece for the second and subsequent bending stages, based upon the initial position of the workpiece which is input at the step (a), and the angle of rotation of the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator at each of the bending stages which is input at the step (b);
• (d) producing an instruction data for rotating the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator for each of the bending stages, based on the position of the workpiece at each of the bending stages;
• (e) rotating the workpiece about the first and/or the second shafts of the manipulator at each of the bending stages in accordance with the instruction data produced at the step (d);
• and
• (f) positioning the side of the workpiece to be bent with respect to the upper and the lower die by means of a detection signal from the back gauge sensor.