Press Brake Workpiece Transfer With Shape-Conforming Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bending devices face accuracy issues in incremental forming as the amount of bending increases, and they require complex steps like securing supports and hooking holders, making the process less efficient and more complicated.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece transfer method and device that uses an upstream transferer to push the workpiece while a downstream support conforms to its shape, allowing intermittent transfer, eliminating the need for securing supports and hooking holders, and improving accuracy by supporting the workpiece from below with rollers and guides that pivot or move in conformity with the workpiece's shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a workpiece pusher is used to push the workpiece to a given position, then the workpiece can be transferred, but the transfer accuracy decreases as the amount of bending increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer mechanism is divided into multiple independent transfer units (first transfer unit with pusher, second transfer unit with support) that operate in sequence. The pusher unit handles initial positioning while the support unit maintains accuracy during incremental bending, allowing each unit to specialize in specific transfer phases.
Solution Approach 2:
A support unit with support members acts as an intermediary between the workpiece and the bending device. These support members contact the workpiece at specific points during transfer, providing stable support that maintains transfer accuracy even as bending progresses, without interfering with the bending operation.
2Productivity
If supports are secured to the workpiece and holders are hooked on the supports, then the workpiece can be transferred, but the process becomes complex with multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The complex support-securing and holder-hooking steps are extracted and replaced by a simplified pusher-support mechanism. The pusher unit directly pushes the workpiece while the support unit provides necessary support, eliminating the intermediate steps of securing supports to the workpiece and hooking holders, thus reducing process complexity while maintaining transfer capability.
3Ease of operation
If the workpiece is pushed by a workpiece pusher to a given position, then transfer can be performed, but transfer accuracy deteriorates with increased bending amount
Solution Approach 1:
The support members in the support unit are designed to dynamically adjust their position and contact points with the workpiece during the transfer process. As bending progresses and the workpiece shape changes, the support members adapt to maintain optimal support, thereby preserving transfer accuracy throughout the incremental forming process while keeping the operation simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A workpiece transfer method is for transferring a workpiece when bending of the workpiece is performed by a press brake including a die and a punch, the workpiece transfer method including, before or after the bending: moving an upstream transferer in a transfer direction of the workpiece while pushing the upstream transferer against an end of the workpiece, the upstream transferer being located on an upstream side with respect to the press brake in the transfer direction, the end of the workpiece being an upstream end in the transfer direction; and supporting the workpiece from below by a support in conformity with a shape of the workpiece after pressing of the workpiece by the punch, and intermittently transferring the workpiece in the transfer direction, the support being located on a downstream side with respect to the press brake in the transfer direction.