Abstract: A computerized method/system is provided for planning motion of a robot within a free space confined by obstacles, from an initial position to a goal position. In executing the method/system, a plan is generated so that the robot can hold and maneuver a workpiece throughout a sequence of bending operations to be performed by a bending apparatus. A plurality of proposed movements to be made by the robot are proposed for an mth movement within a sequence of movements, and at least a portion of the robot and the obstacles that confine the free space are modeled. A determination is made as to whether a collision will occur between the robot and an obstacle for each proposed movement, and a plan is generated including the sequence of movements by choosing for each movement in the sequence of movements, a proposed movement that will not result in a collision and that will bring the robot closer to the goal position.

Abstract: In opposition to a lower electrode (31) fixed to a frame (3), an upper electrode (29) is carried by an upper pressing base (23), which is engaged with a vertical guide rail (25) and joined by a resilient slide mechanism to a piston rod (35L) of a hydraulic cylinder (35) connected to a hydraulic circuit operable for an increased distance (L3) between electrode shanks (15, 7) and fastened at a head end thereof to a lower pressing base (33), which is engaged with the guide rail and joined to a piston rod (37L) of an air cylinder (37) fastened at a head end thereof to the frame and connected to a pneumatic circuit operable for supplying a balancing pressure to have the piston rod (37L) thereof contracted to stand with a total load and for relieving the pressure when a mechanical valve (85) is operated with a pedal arm (49) stepped down for starting a welding, while the pneumatic circuit is changed over by a limit switch (57) to force down the lower pressing base.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for producing reinforcement profiles on sheet metal panels wherein the profiles are obtained with the same metal sheet which constitutes the body of the finished shelf. The profiles are obtained by performing a drawing action so as to create a channel of inverted "C" shape and then performing a successive bending action capable of causing the reciprocal approach of the ends of its two parallel sides, obtaining, at the end of the operation, a shape in the form of an inverted isosceles triangle which constitutes the reinforcement profile.

Abstract: A punching tool for a press, includes a punch guide having a stripper plate at a lower end thereof. A punch body is formed with a blade portion at a lower end thereof and disposed within the punch guide for up and down movement. A punch driver includes a piston rod fixed to the punch body. A gas spring section has a gas cylinder, the piston rod of the punch driver extending through the gas cylinder for up and down movement. A high pressure gas is contained in the gas cylinder to bias the punch driver upward, and an annular elastic member is interposed between an upper surface of the punch guide and a lower surface of the gas cylinder of the gas spring section to absorb shock generated when the stripper plate attached to the punch guide collides against work during a punching process. The punching tool can reduce noise generated during punching processing and further can prevent a punching mark (scar) from being formed on the surface of the punched work.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording an operating status of an NC processing machine is provided. Measuring and recording operations can be performed with trial processing and actual processing distinguishing from each other. In order to record the operating status in a case where an NC apparatus is controlled to cause an NC processing machine i.e. a press brake, to perform continuous processing according to a processing program, a processing condition for a work used in previous processing is stored in a memory. A comparison/decision unit decides whether a processing condition for a work used in current processing coincides with the stored processing condition of the work in the previous processing. If the current processing condition coincides with the previous processing condition, a recording unit records the current processing as actual processing.

Abstract: The turret punch press has a body frame (3); a ram (51) for striking a punch (41) to punch out work (W) in cooperation with a die (35); an upper turret (39) rotatably mounted on the body frame and having a plurality of punches (41), any desired punch being selectively located at a punch area (A1); and a lower turret (33) also rotatably mounted on the body frame and having a plurality of dies (35), any desired die mated with the desired punch being selectively located at the same punch area (A1). In particular, the upper turret (39) is formed smaller in diameter than the lower turret (33), and further the upper turret (39) is dislocated eccentrically from the lower turret (33) toward the punch area (A1) to provide an open die exchange area (A2) over a part of the lower turret (33). Or else, the upper turret (39) is formed with a cutout portion (53) to provide an open die exchange area (A2) over a part of the lower turret (33) when the upper turret is disposed concentrically on the upper turret (39).

Abstract: In a work feeding device for a plate work processing machine (e.g., a turret punch press), when a ball screw (1) is rotated by a drive motor, a ball nut (103) in mesh with the ball screw and fixed to a worktable is moved in the work feeding direction. Here, the ball screw is divided into a central portion (3) and an outer portion (5). The outer portion (5) thereof is formed of an ordinary material (e.g., steel), and the central portion (3) thereof is formed of a hard material (e.g., cemented carbide) of high longitudinal elastic coefficient. Since the maximum number of revolutions of the ball screw (i.e., the resonance frequency of the ball screw) can be increased, it is possible to move and locate plate work at a high speed, thus realizing a high speed punching processing to improve the working efficiency.

Abstract: Object of the present invention is to provide a method or a system by which an operator without skills in bending operation can easily and quickly perform precise bending operations on a sheet workpiece by following skilled operator's experience, hints or data. To achieve this object, the method of this present invention comprises the steps of storing data for a shape of said part; storing data for a bending order for manufacturing said part from said workpiece; selecting tools for performing each of bending operations; storing data for the selected dies; storing bending press control data for controlling the operation of said press to performs the bending operations in said bending order; and storing bending operation support information for supporting an operator for performing the bending operation by using said bending press.

Abstract: An upper tool clamp is provided that is supported by a holder body arranged on an upper table of a press brake, so that the upper tool clamp can be oscillated between a clamped state and an unclamped state. A pressing member is mounted on a lower portion of the upper tool clamp in order to press an upper tool on an upper tool support portion which is mounted on a lower portion of the holder body. Further, an engage projection is formed on the upper tool clamp and freely engageable with a drop prevention groove which is formed on the upper tool. In addition, a first clamp/unclamp device and a second clamp/unclamp device are mounted on the holder body, respectively.

Abstract: A device for driving inserts into pieces of sheet metal includes a punch having a longitudinal axis of symmetry, a thrust surface and a through hole extending along its longitudinal axis which constitutes a supply duct for the inserts. The through hole extends through the thrust surface. A thrust rod applies a driving force to the inserts to move them into position in front of the thrust surface of the punch. The thrust surface drives the head of the insert into a piece of sheet metal through a hole while plastically deforming the periphery of the hole which interfaces with the head.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a quick clamping device for at least one tool of a machine tool, in particular for at least one bending or edging punch of a bending or edging press, comprising a clamping member and a safety and hold means for the tool, said clamping member being provided with an engagement strip which is pretensioned for engagement with a counterrecess on the tool shank and which is adapted to be actuated by a central operating member in a direction opposite to its pretension.

Abstract: A machine tool system includes a machine tool and a marking apparatus. The marking apparatus can mark parts-data on workpiece parts at high speed, without occupying any tool mounting station and without having any limitation in the number, the sequence direction, the size and the type font of characters to be marked. A mount base (33) is fixedly attached to a frame (1) of the machine tool. A marking head (51) is mounted on the mount base (37) so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The marking head (51) is provided with a pneumatic stylus (77) movable horizontally both in the X- and Y-axis direction. A parts-data of dot matrix type can be engraved on the workpiece parts by moving the stylus (77) in the X- and Y-axis directions.

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 sawed; 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: In order to load and discharge pieces of sheet metal automatically onto and from a machine tool having a horizontal table movable along a first horizontal axis, a horizontal discharge table and a horizontal loading table are provided in positions in which the tables are side by side and substantially aligned with the horizontal plane of the table of the machine tool. An unprocessed piece of sheet metal to be supplied to the machine tool is placed on the loading table. Initially, the piece-holding table of the machine tool is positioned beside the discharge table. The piece of sheet metal on the piece-holding table is transferred to the discharge table by being slid on the bearing surfaces of the tables in the direction of a second horizontal axis perpendicular to the first axis. The table of the machine tool is then moved to a position in which it is beside the loading table.

Abstract: The mechanical hand (16) comprises, on one hand, a zone (46) for the support and sliding of a panel or slab (SP) in a horizontal working plane (WP) and, on the other hand, a handling gripper (36) which can move horizontally along and across the whole range of said supporting and sliding zone (46). The gripper (36) has a lower jaw (40) located below the working plane (WP). The support and sliding zone (46) is defined by retractable members consisting of an array of vertically moving pillars (48) with each of which are associated positive control means for causing them to perform selectively a travel independently of that of the other pillars between a raised position in which one of its upper support and sliding surfaces is in the working plane (WP), and a lowered position in which the surface is at a level which is lower than that of the lower jaw (40) of the gripper (36).

Abstract: Oxygen and nitrogen contained in air is separated by an air separator. The separated nitrogen gas is supplied to an optical path cover of a laser beam machine as a protective gas for bend mirrors. Further, the separated nitrogen gas or oxygen gas can be selectively supplied to a laser beam head as an assist gas. The purity of the separated nitrogen gas can be kept within a predetermined range (94 to 99.5%) on the basis of a difference in pressure between a first conduit for supplying nitrogen gas and a second conduit for supplying oxygen gas. It is preferable to provide a filter for removing dust from air supplied to the air separator and a second filter for removing oil mist from the separated nitrogen supplied to the optical path cover.

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: In a punching processing method, a punch chip having a roller shape is arranged in a punch chip holder rotatable around the vertical axis and can be rotated around the horizontal axis. A die chip having a roller shape is arranged in a die chip holder rotatable around the vertical axis and can be rotated around the horizontal axis. Punching processing of a work is performed, in cooperation with the punch chip and the die chip, by moving the work in the horizontal direction in a state in which the work is held between the punch chip and the die chip. Further, a roll forming die used in this punching processing method is also proposed. Accordingly, it is possible to perform various kinds of punching processings for a short time without causing any seam and easily perform processings of a circle and a curve in addition to processing of only a straight line.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for measuring dimensions of workpieces, particularly rod shaped workpieces. The device includes a supporting means for supporting and roughly aligning the workpieces, a measuring mean for detecting the length of the workpiece, and a control unit including memory means for storing the measured values. The measuring device of the present invention is characterized in that the measuring means (1, 103) is provided with a sensor means (6, 104) for detecting dimensions of a cross-section of the workpiece (1, 101).

Abstract: In a method of inspecting a product processed by a turret punch press machine, an image sensing apparatus (video camera) (11) is removably fitted in a punch mount hole (5) of an upper turret disk (1) of the turret punch press machine; a product (W) processed on trial by the turret punch press machine and clamped by a work clamping device (23) is fed to an image sensing position of the image sensing apparatus by use of a work locating and feeding mechanism (31, 35, 29, 33) of the turret punch press machine; an image of the processed product is sensed at the image sensing position by the image sensing apparatus; drawing data corresponding to the processed product are inputted; and the image data of the processed product obtained by the image sensing apparatus are compared with the inputted drawing data to discriminate the quality of the processed product quality.