LVD CNC press brakes improve Beakbane productivity

Beakbane has completed a two-year investment programme to improve its metal cutting and bending capabilities, including the purchase of two LVD CNC press brakes.

The bellows and machinery protection system manufacturer selected two LVD Easy-Form 135 ton, 3m, 10-axis CNC press brakes coupled with a CAM offline programming system from LVD.

Beakbane's LVD Easy-Form press brakes feature an in-process angle-correction system as well as CNC sheet supports and an offline programming system.

Beakbane purchased its first LVD Easy-Form press brake in 2008, and shortly after in January 2009 added a second Easy-Form machine.

The press brakes provide a rigid frame and precision technology for accurate control of the bending process.

Beakbane uses the machines to bend large parts at high tolerances.

An integrated LVD Easy-Form Laser angle measurement system automatically monitors and corrects the bend angle in real time to ensure good quality from the very first part, reducing set-up time and operator involvement.

As a result, each machine requires only one operator to manage the bending process.

Because Beakbane forms large parts, it chose to equip its press brakes with a T1-T2 CNC sheet-following system.

The use of the T1-T2 sheet supports aids in one-person operation and enhances angle repeatability, part quality, safety and ease of material handling, further improving overall productivity.

Unlike conventional pneumatic sheet-support systems, Beakbane's T1-T2 system is fully programmable and follows a parabolic arc, moving with the material in a combination of axes, both up and down and pivoting toward the bend point.

Support arms make full contact with the plate during the total bending process, preventing sheet sagging and producing a better quality part.

The controller automatically calculates trajectory, lifting-arm speed and position (all dependent upon V-die opening), reducing operator intervention and setup.

For Beakbane, supporting the part throughout the bending process ensures the weight of the sheet does not 'break the back' of the part during bending.

Further simplifying bending operations, Beakbane's press brakes are equipped with LVD's Cadman Touch CNC control.

This control features an easy-to-use, intuitive user interface to minimise input, allowing Beakbane to move from drawing to completed part in fewer steps.

Cadman Touch operates on a Windows XP embedded-PC-based control unit and combines CNC control with touch-screen programming.

Offline and online process integration is achieved through LVD's Cadman-B 3D software, which enables Beakbane to import an SAT file directly from its Solidworks system.

Offline software was a key consideration for Beakbane, as it wanted a system that could take full advantage of the press brakes' capabilities.

Using the centralised 'intelligent' LVD bending database shared between the press brakes and the offline software, Cadman automatically calculates bending feasibility, tool setups and a program for the press brakes.

The system automatically determines the optimum bend sequence using 3D data.

It also automatically calculates the optimum station set-up and provides a complete graphical set-up report for the press-brake operator.

The software even allows complete flexibility for the company to manually or semi-automatically sequence, gauge and bend parts.

In addition, all axes of the press brakes, including the CNC crowning system, are calculated by the control and are automatically positioned for optimum bending results.

These automated functions keep part repeatability and accuracy at a high level.

Once a part is programmed, a subsequent setup takes a few minutes.

The efficiency of bending operations has improved the company's productivity while maintaining high product quality.

As a result, the CNC press brakes have become the mainstay of Beakbane's bending operations.

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