Press Brake Light Barrier Positioning by Tool Tip Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bending press safety devices, such as light barriers, often fail to maintain optimal positioning with different bending tools, leading to potential incorrect settings and dangerous situations due to incorrect tool data input.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using the tool tip as a reference point to adjust the light barrier's position, ensuring it is within a predetermined area of the light field, and utilizing a control device to verify the tool tip's presence and position, preventing incorrect settings by detecting shadows and obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the light barrier position is manually adjusted based on operator input of tool height, then the positioning can be changed, but incorrect settings may occur due to incorrect tool data input leading to dangerous situations
Solution Approach 1:
The light barrier positioning system performs self-adjustment by automatically detecting the tool tip position using the light receiver and autonomously moving the light transmitter to the correct position, eliminating dependence on manual operator input and preventing incorrect settings
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the light receiver detecting the tool tip shadow to automatically adjust the light transmitter position, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures accurate and reliable positioning without manual intervention
2Device complexity
If the light barrier position is fixed relative to the tool holder, then the setup is simple, but the light barrier cannot maintain optimal positioning with different bending tools of varying dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The light transmitter is mounted on an adjustable holder that can dynamically change its position along the beam direction based on the specific tool being used, allowing the system to adapt to different tool dimensions while maintaining optimal safety positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically determines the correct light barrier position by detecting the tool tip shadow and adjusting the light transmitter accordingly, enabling versatile adaptation to different tools without complex manual setup procedures
3Adaptability or versatility
If the light barrier is positioned to accommodate tools of all sizes, then all tools can be used, but the positioning may be incorrect for specific tools leading to safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The light receiver detects the actual tool tip position and provides feedback to automatically adjust the light transmitter to the precise correct position for each specific tool, ensuring both universal compatibility and high positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual measurement and positioning methods with an optical detection system that automatically identifies the tool tip position and calculates the correct light barrier placement, eliminating human error in positioning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures precise and reliable positioning of the light barrier, preventing dangerous situations by ensuring the light barrier is always optimally positioned relative to the bending tool, independent of tool variations like temperature expansion or wear.
Implementation Method 1
a safety device for generating a light barrier, in particular a laser light barrier, running between the tool holders transversely to the working movement of the movable platform, which forms a light field in cross-section
Implementation Method 2
the control device brings the first holder into the working position as a function of the shadow of the tool tip detected by the light receiver
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a press brake (10), the press brake (10) comprising: a first platform (1) having a first tool holder (11) and a second platform (2) having a second tool holder (12), one of the platforms (1) being movable relative to the other platform (2) in order to perform a working movement; a safety device (20) for producing a light barrier (27), in particular a laser light barrier, which light barrier extends between the tool holders (11, 12) perpendicularly to the working movement of the movable platform (1) and forms, in the cross-section, a light field (7), the safety device (20) comprising a first holder (21), which bears a light transmitter (25) for producing the light barrier (27), and a second holder (22), which bears a light receiver (26) for receiving the light of the light barrier (27), and the first holder (21) being arranged on a first side of the first platform (1) and being adjustable relative to the first platform (1) by means of a first adjustment drive (23) in such a way that the position of the light barrier (27) relative to the first tool holder (11) in the direction of the working movement of the movable platform (1) can be changed; a control device (9), which is connected to the first adjustment drive (23), characterized in that, before a bending operation or a series of bending operations, the control device (9) brings the first holder (21) into a working position by actuating the first adjustment drive (23), in which working position the tool tip (4) of a bending tool (8) held by the first tool holder (11) lies within the light field (7) formed by the light barrier (27).