Page 24 - MetalForming-Dec-2018-issue

FABRICATION
Today’s fabricating technology promises the ability to produce high-quality components job after job, in a variety of applications. And, in each issue, MetalForming is committed to informing you on how fabrication equipment delivers.
Our Fabrication-section coverage details an advanced punch press that can punch, form, tap and progressively bend, resulting in a 60-percent reduction in component production time for a maker of safes and vault panels/doors, and how an advanced bending system increased capacity, decreased weld time and led to a spike in labor savings for a maker of large- format outdoor displays. We also offer advice on operational characteristics and parameters to consider when choosing vacuum cups. And, Welding Well encourages readers to forget the quick fixes and to employ effective troubleshooting procedures for resistance-welding problems.
Contents
22 News&Technology
24 AutomatedPunch-Press Setup Secures Parts Production
The equipment punches, forms, taps and bends while a load/unload system eliminates manual handling. The result: a 60-percent reduction in component production time for a maker of safes, safe- deposit boxes, vault panels/doors and more.
28 AdvancedBending Delivers Digital Displays
A new bending system ensures a bright future for this vertically integrated OEM.
31 Choosing the Right Vacuum Cups
Here’s what they can do in automated pick-and-place operations, and what to consider when selecting them.
34 Commentary: Welding Well
Resistance Welding Is a Science
Tom Snow
News & Technology
Made-To-Order Bending Tools, Part Supports
Wilson Tool International, a manufacturer of tooling systems for punch presses, press brakes, and punch and die components for the stamping and tableting industries, has announced the addition of a new division: Wilson Tool Additive. This new division and its additive-manufacturing (AM) capabilities will provide the ability to supply made-to-order bending tools and fabrication sup- port parts in only hours, according to company officials.
Wilson Tool’s Bend3DTM line
of AM bending tools reportedly match the quality of traditional steel press-brake tools used to bend sheetmetal. They also work well as forming and air-bending tools as well as mark-free bending implements.
Its Solv3DTM line of AM support parts can replace end-use parts traditionally man- ufactured out of steel or plastic. They can replace items in a shop that often require creation of an expensive mold, replace jigs or fixtures, and be used as prototypes. Wilson Tool International: www.wilsontool.com/3D
Automated Press-Brake
and Bending-Machine System
FlexCell, an automated kit-blanking and short-run bending system from Salvagnini, combines press-brake and panel-bending technologies to rapidly form parts. In operation, bar codes from a Salvagnini fiber laser or S4 punching/shearing machine are scanned into the FlexCell system, where part sequencing is automatically optimized and the panel bender and press brake are automatically set up for bending.
Depending on specifications, a part may be formed on one machine or the other, or a combination of the two—whatever method results in the shortest cycle time. FlexCell automatically forms parts to a ±0.004-in. tolerance with significant cost savings per bend as compared to conventional methods, according to Salvagnini officials. And, one operator can manage a FlexCell, as compared as many as four operators needed when running these forming processes on separate machines. Salvagnini: www.salvagnini.com
Benchtop Horizontal Bandsaw
Dake has introduced the SE 5x6 RCT semi-automatic benchtop horizontal bandsaw, featuring new reverse-cutting technology (RCT) that reportedly allows for cooler, faster and cleaner cuts. Designed for portable use, the saw can cut metal rounds, flats and tubes. It offers weld-ready miter cuts at angles from 0 to 45 deg., and its 110-V, 2.5- hp motor with variable speed provides power to cut in a variety of applications.
Features include gravity downfeed for hands-free cutting; a constant speed regulator that adjusts speed according to amount of torque needed; variable speed from 114 to 262 ft./min.; a blade-tension indicator with clutch that enables proper blade tensioning; and a quick-release vise for rapid setup and changeover.
Dake: www.dakecorp.com
22 MetalForming/December 2018
www.metalformingmagazine.com