Page 32 - MetalForming August 2019

Fabrication: Press Brake
simple addition such as front and rear LED lighting delivers tremendous pay- back on press brake operation. Some press brake manufactures have taken the innovative step of introducing CNC lights that follow and track backgauge movement. This ensures optimally lit and easy-to-work-with backstops.
Tool Proximity
an Ergonomic Focus
Machine manufacturers and oper- ators alike have long struggled with tool proximity, which can provide an obvious payback on press brake oper- ation—the quicker the tool changeover, the more productive the machine. This often becomes a focus with larger press brakes as they require more tooling, leading to incorporation of automatic tool changers. Though tool proximity seems relatively unimportant for small- er press brakes, tool changes contribute to operator fatigue. Tooling located away from a press brake not only increases fatigue, but also decreases
press brake productivity. And, fatigue accelerates as tooling weight increases. “Excessive or unnecessary motion should be reduced,” advises AIHA. “It also is critical to eliminate exces- sive force requirements and awkward
postures.”
Tool storage built into smaller press
brakes represents an important design development. Their smaller bend lengths enable easier storage of all required tooling at the machines. Again, building tool storage into these machines can reduce injury, shorten changeover times, help with organiza- tion and decrease fatigue.
More Comfortable Environment
Efforts to design ergonomic press brakes also have addressed the sur- rounding environment, namely, work- area temperature. Extensive studies show a direct link between temperature and employee productivity. For exam- ple, “a month-long Cornell University study found that inadequate temper-
atures resulted in more errors and a potential increase in a worker’s hourly labor cost by 10 percent,” reads a sum- mary from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Manufacturing environments often require work in temperatures below 60 F or above 90 F. Of course, regulating the temperature of an office setting is much easier than that of a 100,000- sq.-ft. manufacturing space. Even so, the new generation of press brakes fea- tures innovations to help increase com- fort levels. One example: the LED light- ing mentioned above, which doesn’t emit heat as does traditional lighting.
Another simple but effective adjust- ment: adding a fan or a space heater to the operating area. Simple solutions such as these help reduce press brake scrap rates and increase productivity.
In a job requiring constant repeti- tive motion and near perfect execu- tion, any comfort improvement for an operator can pay large dividends for a company. MF
The Learning Curve Redefined
30 MetalForming/August 2019
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