Servo-Driven Kinematic System for Sheet Metal Bending

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional hydraulic bending machines are noisy, consume large amounts of oil and electricity, lack precision, and are environmentally detrimental due to their complex hydraulic systems and high sensitivity coefficients, which restrict the use of alternative motors and reduction units.

Innovation Solution

The kinematic system employs servomotors and epicyclical reduction gears instead of hydraulic actuators, enabling precise control and higher performance levels with constant torque, and an original inverse kinematic algorithm for non-iterative motion control, allowing for defined bending trajectories without sliding and reduced oil usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If hydraulic actuators are used for bending operations, then high force and control capability are achieved, but noise level increases and environmental impact worsens due to oil consumption and hydraulic system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending forceVSAvoidnoise and environmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the hydraulic actuation system with an electric servo motor system. Specifically, servo motors (21, 22) are used to drive cranks (23, 24) that are connected through connecting rods (25, 26) to the blade-holder unit, eliminating hydraulic oil and associated noise pollution while maintaining the necessary bending forces through mechanical advantage of the crank-connecting rod mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the hydraulic system components (hydraulic actuators, oil reservoirs, proportional valves) from the bending machine, replacing them with an electric drive system that eliminates the harmful factors of hydraulic oil leakage and noise while preserving the core bending function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If traditional hydraulic systems with proportional valves are used, then bending control is achieved, but manufacturing precision is limited due to high sensitivity coefficients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending controlVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces hydraulic proportional valves and actuators with electric servo motors that offer higher precision control. The servo motors (21, 22) can be precisely controlled by a control unit to achieve accurate positioning of the blade-holder unit, eliminating the sensitivity issues inherent in hydraulic systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a control unit that receives feedback signals and adjusts the servo motor positions accordingly. This closed-loop control system with feedback mechanisms enables precise positioning and correction of any deviations, achieving manufacturing precision that cannot be obtained with open-loop hydraulic proportional control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If hydraulic actuators are used for blade movement, then bending operations can be performed, but energy consumption increases due to hydraulic pump operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending operation capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the continuously operating hydraulic pump with electric servo motors that consume energy only when actuation is needed. The servo motors (21, 22) can be precisely controlled to operate only during required bending operations, eliminating the continuous energy consumption of hydraulic pumps while maintaining full bending operation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Strength

If pentalateral kinematic chain is used for blade-holder structure, then torsional rigidity is provided, but device complexity increases without specific mechanical functions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetorsional rigidityVSAvoidkinematic structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the unnecessary pentalateral closed kinematic chain and its associated complexity, retaining only the essential functional elements. The simplified structure uses direct crank-connecting rod mechanisms driven by servo motors, eliminating the complex five-member closed chain while maintaining structural integrity and rigidity through properly designed support structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8006531B2Kinematic system for the displacement of working units of machines for bending and forming metallic sheets

Publication Date: 2011.08.30 FINN POWER

AI summary

A bending machine designed to bend and shape sheet metal comprises a blade-holder unit (10) with a “C” shaped cross-section, mobile along two mutually orthogonal directions with respect to a fixed bed, and on which one or more bending blades are fixed. This machine comprises a kinematic system for driving the operating units, in which servomotors (15, 21, 22) and epicyclical reduction gears are used for the movement of the blade-holder unit (10). Moreover, the blade-holder unit (10) of the bending machine uses an articulated mechanism consisting of two mechanical units (13, 14) which form a closed kinematic chain with five members connected by five kinematic turning pairs.