US 5,842,366 AGranted

Method and a tooling machine for bending workpieces

AssigneeTrumpf GmbH & Co.

InventorsHans Klingel, Armin Horn

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Abstract

As part of a process for bending workpieces (14), when the workpiece (14) is released from the upper die (8) and/or the lower die (10), the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.) is continually determined; from the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.) found, the change in it is determined and, as soon as the change in the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.) assumes a predetermined value, the actual size of the then existing bending angle (.beta.) is compared with the desired size. On a tooling machine for carrying out the method described, there are scanning elements (17,18) and a device (24) for determining the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.) that are parts of a device (19) for determining the change in the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.). The device (24) for determining the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.) is connected to a comparison device (32) for comparing the actual size of the bending angle (.beta.) to the desired size.

Claims14

Dependent claims

In a method for bending workpieces to a desired bend angle between a pair of dies, the steps comprising:

(a) placing a workpiece between a lower die having a generally V-shaped recess therein and an upper die having a cooperating V-shaped lower end to form a desired bend angle in said workpiece;
(b) moving said upper die towards said lower die to bend said workpiece into a V-shaped configuration in said recess of said lower die;
(c) moving said upper die away from said lower die to remove the deforming force on said workpiece;
(d) continuously measuring the included angle of said V-shaped configuration of said workpiece upon removal of said deforming force until substantially no further change in included angle is determined to provide the resultant measured included angle, said measuring step sensing the position of said workpiece at two vertically spaced positions on each side of said upper die;
(e) comparing the resultant measured included angle of said workpiece with the desired bend angle for said workpiece;
and
(f) if said resultant measured included angle is less than said desired bend angle, moving said upper die towards said lower die to bend said workpiece further, and repeating steps (d) and (e) and (f) until the resultant measured included angle corresponds to said desired bend angle.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.