Abstract: In a turret punch press (1) which rotates and indexes an upper turret (5) and a lower turret (7), positions a desired punch and die from a plurality of punches (P) and a plurality of dies (D) to a processing position (25), and performs a punching process in cooperation with the punch and the die, in the case that a core of the die with respect to the punch is offset at a time of replacing the die or after a long time use, since a hole (133) for a bolt (135) fastening a die holder (129) to the lower turret (7) is great, the bolt (135) is loosened so as to adjust a position of the die holder (129) with respect to the lower turret (7).

Abstract: A punch assembly having infinite adjustment of the punch tool and quick release of the stripper plate. A punch assembly has a clutch mechanism that secures the central punch body after a depth adjustment has been made. The clutch includes two ball bearings with an expansion spring separating the two ball bearings. The spring forces the ball bearings outwardly thus engaging the central body of the punch and the inside wall of the outer casing. This arrangement effectively locks the punch from rotation in either direction. A set of locking cams, disposed directly opposite each other and including a surface with which one may apply an inward force and a set of fingers that have a sloped face that forces the ball bearings toward each other are operated to release the central body from its locked position. This results in infinite, rather than incremental, adjustment of the depth of the punch.

Abstract: A fingerpad force sensor system is disclosed which is useful for detecting process variations during manufacturing processes in which a plurality of force sensors are applied to the gripper of a robot in order to monitor shear forces applied to the workpiece held by the robot during, for example, sheet-metal bending manufacturing processes. Each sensor is encapsulated in rubber pads which are secured to the gripper of the robot such that they monitor the status of the workpiece during all phases of automated bending: material acquisition, material handling, machine loading and unloading.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the production of bent sheet metal pieces (12) is disclosed. In the method or apparatus, a cut (14) is made in a sheet of sheet metal (10) that defines the perimeter of piece (12) to be obtained. The cut (14) is interrupted at preselected points to form a series of microjoints (16) that keep the plan development of the piece (12) united with the stiffening frame (18) constituted by the remaining part of the metal sheet (10). At least one window (36, 38) is formed in the stiffening frame (18) in order to allow a pair of bending tools having a length greater than the length of the bend to form a bend (20, 22) on the piece (12) without interfering the stiffening frame (18) while the bend is being formed.

Abstract: A staking press equipped with a component parts selecting apparatus. The staking press is equipped with a component parts supplying unit (17) that has a plurality of component parts storage sections (19, 23) each for storing a plurality of the same component parts. The component parts selecting apparatus includes a device (11) for picking up an image of a mark (m) provided on a surface of a workpiece (W), a parts identifying device (13) for identifying a component part to be installed on the workpiece on the basis of image data from the picking up device (11), a controller (15) for identifying the component parts storage section (19,23) that stores the component parts to be installed in a workpiece on the basis of data from the parts identifying device.

Abstract: A slider of the punch carry out unit is moved in the X-axis direction adjacent a punching section of the punch press machine before or after a plate material is punched into a punched product by a punch press machine. At the same time, a gravity center and a shape of the punched product are calculated and recognized on the basis of the manufacturing data. On the basis of the obtained gravity center and the shape of the punched product, the gravity center of the punched product is moved under the lift arm by the X- and Y-axis locating mechanism. Vacuum pads located just over the punched product are selected or discriminated. Then, the lift arm is lowered and the punched product is held by actuating only the discriminated vacuum pads. During this lift motion, it is preferable to bend one end of the punched product slightly upward to easily separate the punched product from the remaining flat plate material.

Abstract: A ram driving device for a press machine having: a ram; a horizontal drive axle (33) rotatably provided horizontally in a frame (3) of the press machine; a motion converting mechanism (35, 63, 83) associated with the horizontal drive axle, for converting a rotational motion of the horizontal drive axle into up-and-down motion of the ram (29); and a plurality of servomotors (43, 47) linked with the horizontal drive axle, for rotating the horizontal drive axle in synchronism with each other, to drive the ram up and down. The motion converting mechanism is a connecting rod (35); and a link mechanism (63) driven by a ball screw (61) and a nut member (77); and an eccentric ring cam (33) and a cam follower (91). Since the ram can be driven by a plurality of the servomotors synchronously, the device can generate a large press power of various moving stroke and various moving speed freely, without increasing the maintenance cost thereof.

Abstract: A method and system are provided that enable an operator without skills in performing bending operations to easily and quickly perform precise bending operations on a sheet workpiece by following a skilled operator's experience, hints or data. The method may include: storing data for a shape of a part; storing data related to a bending order for manufacturing the part from a workpiece; selecting tools for performing each bending operation; storing data for the selected tools or dies; storing bending press control data for controlling the operation of the bending press to perform the bending operations in accordance with the bending order; and storing bending operation support information for supporting an operator for performing the bending operations by using the bending press.

Abstract: The target stroke amount calculation portion obtains an initial value of the target stroke amount of a punch according to bending information including workpiece condition of a workpiece to be bent, tool condition, target folding angle, and the like. The bending information setting portion sets the bending information in the workpiece bending simulation processing portion, in a specified form. The element breakdown calculation portion divides workpiece sectional image according to the bending information to a plurality of major portions and further divides these portions to detailed portions. The workpiece bending simulation processing portion virtually deforms the workpiece according to elastoplasticity finite element method corresponding to a virtual descent of the punch by the target stroke amount and obtains workpiece deformation image after a spring-back.

Abstract: A forming method of forming a plate-shaped workpiece using a female tool having a concave section of a desired shape and a male tool which matches with the female tool, includes the following steps: providing an elastic punch in a cylindrical holder provided in the male tool; pressurizing and compressing the elastic punch relatively by a pressuring member; pressing the holder against the workpiece by means of one portion of the elastic punch; and projecting one portion of the elastic punch from the holder so as to deform a portion of the workpiece to be processed according to the shape of the concave section of the female tool so that the workpiece is formed in a state such that the workpiece is nipped pressingly between the female tool and the holder.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a tool-changing mechanism that can be used especially in combination with a metal-forming press. Especially in the case of big and heavy forming tools, pairs of tools are difficult to exchange. The present invention intends to provide the possibility of exchanging also tools of this type rapidly and easily, the tool exchange being, in addition, carried out automatically, if desired. For this purpose, the tool-changing mechanism (1) includes a circulating means provided with a plurality of reception means (4a, 4b) for holding forming tools (5a, 5b). The tool-changing mechanism is adapted to be set up beside a metal-forming press. At a tool changing position, the tools can be pushed into the metal-forming press. Furthermore, the present invention refers to an arrangement comprising a metal-forming press and a tool-changing mechanism in the case of which said tool-changing mechanism is arranged directly at the side of the metal-forming press (10).

Abstract: A sheet metal processing system is provided that includes a first sheet metal processing machine, a first sheet metal processing machine terminal for controlling the operations of the first sheet metal processing machine, a first measuring apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a product or part processed by the first sheet metal processing machine, a second sheet metal processing machine, a second sheet metal processing machine terminal for controlling the operations of the second sheet metal processing machine, and a second measuring apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a product or part processed by the second sheet metal processing machine. Each terminal includes a display apparatus for displaying the sites of the part to be measured by each measuring apparatus. Each measuring apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting the measured dimensions of the part to a receiver provided in each terminal.

Abstract: A slotting tool to slot a workpiece and cut off a slotted scrap from the workpiece comprising a punch having a toe portion and a heel portion located higher than the toe portion and a slotting portion located between the toe portion and the heel portion; a die having a starting blade to punch out a tip portion of the slotted scrap from the workpiece by cooperating with the toe portion to shear the workpiece; side blades to slot the workpiece by cooperating with the slotting portion to slot the workpiece; a terminating blade to cut off the slotted scrap by cooperating with the heel portion; a scrap cutting blade mounted to the die, the scrap cutting blade located below the starting blade for cooperating with the toe portion to cut off a tip portion of the slotted scrap; and a scrap path formed in the die, the scrap path locating under the starting blade to receive the tip portion of the slotted scrap.

Abstract: Several methods and subsystems are disclosed for aligning a workpiece as it is being loaded into a die space of a bending apparatus, and for performing sensor-based control of a robot as it moves a workpiece from one location to another within a bending apparatus environment. A backgaging mechanism is provided with finger gaging mechanisms having force sensors for sensing forces in directions perpendicular to and parallel to a die. In addition, a robot gripper sensor is provided for sensing either or both of shear forces and normal forces created by movement of a workpiece being held by the gripper.

Abstract: A crop harvesting combine having a body with a feeder house at its front end. The feeder house carries a detachable header which may be wider than the body and can thus be detached when moving the combine. The feeder house is vertically moveable in an arcuate path from a header ground contacting position to an elevated position. A first thrashing cylinder is in the header and a second thrashing cylinder is at the front of the combine body. The arcuate path of the feeder house has its center approximately at the rotational axis of the second thrashing cylinder so the distance between the axes of the first and second cylinders remains approximately constant as the feeder house is moved vertically. Downstream of the thrashing cylinder are a plurality of separation cylinders, at least some of which have concaves thereunder for reorienting elongate trash before being discharged.

Abstract: In a bending simulation apparatus, after a three-dimensional drawing generation portion generates a solid form from trihedral drawing data, a workpiece bending simulation portion places a workpiece for forming edge angles of a solid form on a die and carries out simulation operation for bending the workpiece completely up to the edge angle according to bending information including the edge angle of each side of the solid form, workpiece condition, tool condition and the like. An elongation amount of the workpiece is obtained by an elongation amount calculation portion and an elongation amount subtraction portion subtracts the elongation amount from a length of each side of the solid form. A development drawing generation portion creates a development drawing and an L-value calculation portion transmits Li value based on this development drawing to the press machine.

Abstract: An intelligent sheet metal bending system is disclosed, having a cooperative generative planning system. A planning module interacts with several expert modules to develop a bending plan. The planning module utilizes a state-space search algorithm. Computerized methods are provided for selecting a robot gripper and a repo gripper, and for determining the optimal placement of such grippers as they are holding a workpiece being formed by the bending apparatus. Computerized methods are provided for selecting tooling to be used by the bending apparatus, and for determining a tooling stage layout. An operations planning method is provided which allows the bending apparatus to be set up concurrently while time-consuming calculations, such as motion planning, are performed. An additional method or system is provided for positioning tooling stages by using a backgage guide member which guides placement of a tooling stage along the die rail of the bending apparatus.

Abstract: A compress working method and a compress working apparatus are provided for readily performing drawing in an arbitrary shape at a low cost and in a short time without using an expensive mold in the manufacturing of small batch products. A metal plate, which is a workpiece, is placed on a laminate die formed with a recess in a desired shape, and a holder is set on the metal plate. An elastic punch accommodated in the holder is urged to press the holder onto the metal plate with a portion of the urging force. In this state, a portion of the elastic punch is intruded into the recess of the laminate die together with the metal plate. The elastic punch is then unloaded after the metal plate is formed with a draw conformal to the recess of the laminate die. Since the elastic punch serves as an upper die in the press working, it is possible to readily perform the drawing in an arbitrary shape at a low cost and in a short time without using an expensive mold in the manufacturing of small batch products.

Abstract: A sawdust removing apparatus for a saw machine includes: a saw blade housing (9) for rotatably supporting a saw blade (15) for sawing work (W); a cleaning instrument (19) for removing sawdust adhering to the saw blade when work is being sawned; a cleaning instrument support member (21) pivotally supported by the saw housing for rotatably supporting the cleaning instrument; a cleaning instrument position adjusting device (23, 71) mounted on the saw housing for adjusting an overlap rate of the cleaning instrument with the saw blade; and a cleaning instrument position fixing device (25) mounted on the saw housing for fixing the cleaning instrument support member after the overlap rate of the cleaning instrument with the saw blade has been adjusted by the cleaning instrument position adjusting device.

Abstract: A tool grinding machine which can grind the cutting edge of a punch without disassembling the punch body from the punch assembly and further can grind the cutting edge of the upper surface shoulder portion of the die. Further, the punch and die of various shapes can be ground easily by selecting an appropriate previously stored operation mode determined according to grinding conditions. The tool grinding machine includes a rotary table 33 rotatably disposed on a slider 29 supported on a base 3 movable in the right and left direction; and a grinding tool 53 disposed axially away from the rotary table and rotatable and movable in an axial direction of the rotary table 33, for grinding workpiece fitted on the rotary table 33.