Bending
Overview
Bending and Press Brake Tending with Motoman Robots
Typical workpieces for bending operations are metal sheet/panels and tubes. The automation of bending processes is very effective and typically generates a quick return of investment.
Robotic Part Handling for Tube Bending Machines
Of course, the simplest way to automate bending processes is to use robots for loading/unloading bending machines. The bending operation is done by the bending machine, the robot's job is handling the tubes, which is a quite easy job for industrial robots.
Tubes provided on pallets or in containers can be localised by means of machine vision cameras.
Robotic Bending of Metal Sheets and Panels
Robotic Press Bending is a combination of robotic loading/unloading bending machines and part handling and part manipulation during the bending process.
Other than just part handling, robots are more involved in the metal forming process itself, working hand in hand with the bending press. In those applications, the robot is challenged by reasonable reaction forces/moments and precise motion requirements. Here you need rigid robots - no toys. Excellent axis speeds, high repetitive accuracy and and good path performance - circular movements should be fast and circular, not lazy and polygonical ... Motoman GP-Series robots will do the job!
For more information about Roller Hemming and Sheet metal Folding, please check this page.
Offline Programming Tools, like MotoSim, are highly recommended to program the motion. In addition, Motoman robots are supported by many 3rd parts CAD/CAM Simulation tools, some of them providing special bending software add-ons.
Small robots like GP8 are very fast to load parts into fixtures and prepare everything for the bending press stroke.
Collaborative Robots / Cobots, in combination with a safety device, are suited for fenceless installation handling smaller parts to a steet metal press. YASKAWA can help you with the safety assessment of the application.
Bending large metal sheets and panels is an absolutely dangerous job for human operators. A small moment of inattentiveness or a minimal mistake when positioning the metal sheet towards the press carries a high risk of occupational accidents. Motoman robots can take over this job! Larger GP-Series robots, like the GP180, GP215 or GP180-120 are perfect for those applications.
Extending the Working Range of Robots by using Tracks
Standard tracks
In a wide majority of Press Bending applications, we see robots sitting on a linear track to expand their motion range, perfectly synchronized with the robot motion and programmable as a 7th axis by the robot controller. Yaskawa - we are the masters of synchronized robotic and external axis control!
YASKAWA are offering a wide standardized portfolio of robotic tracks (TSL).
Swivelling Console (VST)
In the application example below, the robot is mounted on our VST type swivelling console.
Motion Synchronisation of Robots and Tracks
In the following application video, please check out how perfectly the linear track is synchronized with the robot motion when doing the bending operation - thanks to the superior Multi-Axis motion feature of Yaskawa Motoman robot controllers!
Programming Bending Applications
In addition to classical Teach-In or Offline Programming Methods, there are CAD/CAM programming tools on the market supporting Motoman Robots.
