Page 54 - MetalForming May 2015

Servo-Electric Press Brakes
“The eP-1030 lends itself to very easy operation,” explains Buckles. “We were able to train one of our lead oper- ators in our powder-coating depart- ment who had an interest in learning to operate the press brakes. In fact, we cross-train a lot of our people.”
Included AutoPOL offline-pro- gramming software allows program- mers to perform bending simulations, shortening setup times and ensuring that bending tasks can be performed. Programmers can develop 3D models with AutoPOL, or models can be imported in 2D and 3D from a separate CAD program. AutoPOL’s bend- allowance algorithm accounts for bending tools to obtain correct radii and also calculate accurate unfolding dimensions.
“We download the bending pro- gram to the press brake, the operator will scan it and pull up the part num- ber, and that gives them the setup sheet,” says Buckles. “The operator does not need to figure out tool
pared to the 8-ft. hydraulic brake)
also is important, allowing us to bend some parts in three of four stages in one part handling. That can save a lot of time, increasing productivity and profitability.”
Quality also has improved, due to eased setup and the repeatability pro- vided by the new brake. “We no longer have to make setup parts,” says Buck- les. “We produce only the blanks that we need (from the firm’s punching and laser equipment), and when it comes to forming, every part is a good part. So the days of making setup parts are gone.
“The tolerances that the press brakes hold is incredible,” he continues. “We can bank on it every time. If we have to go down to ±0.005 in., we can easily do it. And it doesn’t take five or 10 parts to achieve this—we just need one part.” MF
Article provided by Prima Power North America, Arlington Heights, IL; www.prima-na.com.
lengths, what tools to use or the bend sequence—all of that occurs offline. When we pull programs from the serv- er to the machine, it’s extremely quick.”
Buckles also invested in quick- change tooling and a hydraulic top clamp for the press brakes. “Altogether, the software and tooling have allowed us to reduce our setup times from 20 to 30 min. to just 5 min.,” he says.
Speedy Workhorses
Champion processes 150,000 lb. of material each month, and nearly all of it routes through the Prima Power press brakes. Buckles also notes that the speed and flexibility of the new press brakes play a vital role in supporting the firm’s growth.
“The stroke length is huge for us
because we form a lot of parts that
are too deep for our traditional
hydraulic brake,” Buckles says. “And
the extra bed length (10 ft., com-

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MetalForming/May 2015
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