As is commonly known in the sheet metal fabrication industry, the bending operation typically represents a bottleneck in the production process. Panel bending technology can be useful in helping metal fabricators streamline this process while significantly increasing manufacturing capacity and velocity. The ROI for a panel bender can be quick when the application and annual usage for the part mix are a good match.
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To gain a better understanding of the technology, it is important to note that panel benders work on an entirely different principle than press brakes. The speed of a panel bender is based on how the technology works.
The part remains stationary while the bending tool forms flanges both up and down. The part then is rotated as the machine continues through the bending process for all sides, allowing for a very efficient bending process averaging four to five seconds per bend. Typically enclosure and flat panel parts are an excellent fit for panel benders. Large parts that are difficult to handle on a press brake can be especially good applications as well.
It is generally agreed that the average setup time on a press brake is 15 to 30 minutes, which explains the push for automatic tool changeover systems that many press brake OEMs now offer. In fact, the setup time can be so excessive that fabricators will overproduce just to amortize the setup back into the production run. Unfortunately, the parts that are not needed right away can end up sitting around somewhere as inventory, work-in-process (WIP), or worse yet, get lost or thrown away by mistake.
Setup on a panel bender is much quicker because a panel bender can use common tooling to process a variety of part geometries and material thicknesses. The operator is not required to exchange tooling physically when going from one job to another. Setup for the next job simply involves sliding the clamping tools to the new positions as needed. This can be done manually, which takes about five minutes, or with an automatic tool changer, which further decreases the setup to about 90 seconds.
The reduction in setup time that a panel bender provides is advantageous for fabricators that wish to embrace the principles of lean manufacturing&#;making only what they need when they need it and reducing WIP.
Panel bending technology works according to the transfer line principle, so that parts are always moving ahead as different stations work simultaneously. By using a modular approach, fabricators can combine multiple bending units to reduce the bending cycle time further.
This method is especially useful for achieving a 1-1 ratio between the blanking and bending operations. Once a balanced ratio is achieved, the blanking and bending processes can be integrated into one complete line without one machine or process waiting on the other. The entire process can be further optimized by feeding the finished parts directly to the assembly area, eliminating additional handling and WIP.
As with all technologies, panel bending has some caveats to its advantages. Many fabricators get excited about adding this technology to their operation only to find they do not have the right mix of parts to keep such an efficient machine busy. In many cases, complex part geometries or narrow parts can be a misfit for panel bending if the machine cannot process these types of parts with the common tooling and manipulator concept that the machine design is based on.
The idea behind the multitool panel bender was inspired by relentless research on how to expand the capability so that more types of part geometries could be processed to completion without additional manual tooling changeover.
A console is incorporated into the multitool panel bender&#;s design so that it can accommodate multiple bending tools. This enables it to bend intricate part profiles that previously were not good candidates for panel bending. An additional manipulator device on the backside of the multitool panel bender allows fabricators to process narrow channel-type parts that had been considered a challenge for traditional panel bending.
The multitool panel bender works with mild steel sheet thicknesses from 0.020 to 0.118 in. and lengths up to 13 ft. for a single machine and up to 26 ft. with two machines in tandem. Additional features such as moving tools, visual inspection devices, grippers, and custom tools can be incorporated into the final system.
The multitool panel bender is designed to be simple to program, control, and maintain, all while powered using electric drives for low energy consumption.
It is important to note that panel bending addresses not only the bending bottleneck but downstream operations as well. An analysis of the different processes in an average sheet metal fabrication shop shows that welding and assembly are by far the most expensive processes on the shop floor, with one of the main culprits being poor fit-up. How much time does the welding operator have to spend trying to make the part fit in the welding fixture rather than weld? How often does the assembly operator struggle to get the parts to fit together? This happens more often than not.
Panel benders can help streamline these downstream operations by producing parts with high flatness and accuracy. Superior flatness is achieved because unlike a press brake with dynamic crowning, minimal tonnage is placed across the bending line.
Accuracy improvements are attributable to how the part is referenced. It is referenced from a single datum point, eliminating what is known as tolerance error accumulation. When making multiple bends on a press brake, the operator often is required to gauge from previously bent flanges. This opens the opportunity for the tolerance error to accumulate, leaving the welding or assembly operator as the last line of defense to correct the problem. A quick overview of the welding and assembly departments is a good place to start when evaluating the bending process.
Panel benders are a good fit for large, boxy, flat, straight, and rectangular parts that are difficult to bend and handle by a single person using a press brake or when dealing with highly cosmetic parts.
Panel bending is commonly used to form:
Panel bending is especially applicable for bending cosmetic, or appearance, parts. Supported by a brush table underneath, the bending tool&#;s interpolated movement in the X and Y axes maintains a single point of contact to the flange during the bending process, thereby significantly reducing scratching and marring.
Panel bending technology offers many benefits in modern sheet metal manufacturing. While panel benders do have some limitations in the types of parts they can process, they can be a most efficient bending method when the application fits.
The panel bender is a machine with functions similar to the press brake but is more automatic and has more features. In the past, manual bending machines were used for metal bending. With the continuous progress of technology, sheet metal forming has entered the era of automation.
Sheet metal bending can be divided into manual, semi-automatic, and full-automatic bending centres. Automatic tool changing systems, measuring systems, etc., improve metal bending efficiency. Then came the panel bender, which has functions similar to those of the traditional press brake.
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Manual panel benders offer simplicity and affordability. However, they do require skilled operators and are not as efficient for large-scale production. Semi-automatic panel benders offer a blend of manual and automated features, which can reduce the need for constant manual intervention.
The blade of the panel bender can form a flange in the horizontal direction, and the blank holder in the other direction can keep the material stable. Standard bending blades can produce many types of radii. The bending of the panel bender will not leave marks.
Compared with the bending workpiece of the press brake, it will be more aesthetic and clean. Compared with the previous press brake, the panel bender has the advantages of being labor-saving and high-speed.
The panel bender is a highly versatile tool that can perform fully automatic bending processes, including automatic loading and unloading of tools, feeding, measuring, bending, and outputting. It has a short bending stroke and fast feeding speed and produces highly accurate workpieces.
Special tools can be used for complex bendings, such as crimping and offset bending. However, not all workpieces are suitable for the panel bender. Generally, it is better for producing box-type workpieces as it can bend the side of the whole box at once.
Nowadays, a press brake and a panel bender connected to a robot can achieve full automation, but their functions are not as complete as those of a robot bending centre. Understanding the difference between a press brake and a sheet metal panel bender can help you choose the right machine.
The working principle of the panel bender is different from that of the press brake. When operating the universal bending tool, the operator only needs to load the sheet metal. The workpiece positioning, bending, and reversing are controlled by the machine and software.
The panel bender does not press the metal plate into the lower die through punches. The panel bender is to fix the plate through a pair of blades and bend it up and down to form the final profile. When bending a complex angle, the blade oscillates around a single bending point until the desired angle is reached.
It does not move up and down along a straight line, which is different from the press brake. After positioning the plate, the panel bender can quickly adjust to the correct tool length. When bending, after the workpiece is positioned, the clamping beam tool clamps the workpiece in place. The lower tool moves upward to bend in a positive direction; The top tool moves down to bend in the negative direction.
The upper pressing tool and the bottom pressing tool clamp the sheet metal in place. But they will be not directly used to bend the metal, but the upper and lower blades apply pressure to form it. The metal plate of the panel bender is placed under the clamping claw, and then the clamping claw descends and clamps the workpiece.
The longer the plate protrudes from the other side, the higher the flange produced by the throat of the machine. The panel bender is very fast and accurate. After the workpiece is positioned, the bending tools move up and down to form a flange.
In the process of side bending, the clamping claw rotates the workpiece, and the tools move up and down to bend the plate. The movement of the tools determines the bending angle and radius of the workpiece, so even curling can be formed.
The bending blade forms more than 90 degrees of material, and the tool drops to form the final curling. Box type, flat workpieces, and large workpieces are also suitable for panel benders.
The panel bender is a specialized machine used for bending sheet metal. It has an automatic tool changer, which reduces the installation time. A complete set of tools can complete the complex bending of all workpieces. The interactive area of the panel bender's tools on the surface of the metal plate is very small.
There are few scratches on the surface of the workpiece produced in this way. The tool wear of the panel bender is also very small because the friction between the tool and the metal surface is small. The whole process of the panel bender can be carried out automatically, which saves human resources.
The panel bender's bending angle change is formed by the movement of the upper and lower blades, so its tools are not as complicated as those of press brakes. The fully automatic panel benders have an automatic tool changer, which can quickly change tools to adjust the various angle bending operations in various bending tasks.
Some large workpieces with positive and negative flanges are suitable for manufacturing with panel benders. If the panel bender can automatically set the blank holder, only one operator can handle it. The panel bender only applies pressure to the metal plate through the upper and lower blades.
This bending method makes the change and spring back of the metal plate less obvious so that it can bend the whole box side at once. The panel bender's bending method is very suitable for the production of boxes, covers, and similar items.
There are some safety problems when using a modern press brake to make small parts. While the panel bender can produce smaller profiles by clamping claws or manually manipulating them.
(1) Size and Material Limitations
Size Limitation: Panel benders are typically suitable for processing small to medium-sized metal sheets, but have limited capabilities for processing extra-large or extra-thick sheets. Bending of extra-large/extra-thick sheets requires the use of larger hydraulic bending machines or other specialized equipment.
Material Limitation: Panel benders are primarily suitable for processing relatively soft metals such as aluminium and stainless steel. However, their performance may not be ideal for processing harder metal materials like steel plates, leading to potential mold wear or reduced bending precision and accuracy.
(2) Shape and Batch Limitations
Shape Limitation: Panel benders excel at bending flat sheet materials but have limited capabilities for processing complex three-dimensional curved structures, which may require combining with other manufacturing processes such as welding.
Batch Limitation: Although panel benders offer automation advantages, their advantages may not be as significant for small-batch, multi-variety processing orders, and may even increase the time and cost associated with process adjustments and mold changes.
(3) Other Limitations
Structural Limitation: Due to the limited throat depth and opening height of panel benders, they are more suitable for producing smaller flanges. The positioning of the clamping tools and bending blades on panel benders makes it relatively difficult to perform internal bending on the machine.
Noise Issue: Panel benders can generate significant noise during high-speed operation, which may have an impact on the factory environment and operators, requiring measures such as sound insulation and noise reduction.
High Cost: Compared to conventional bending machines, panel benders are relatively expensive, making them less popular in some application scenarios.
What sets panel benders apart is their versatility. Panel bender is very suitable for producing square, large, and rectangular workpieces in bending and forming metal sheets. These workpieces have high requirements for appearance and shape. The surface of the workpiece made by the panel bender has few scratches.
Such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and other electrical appliances, as well as doors, elevators, metal furniture and so on. When selecting a panel bender, it is very important to know which workpieces its bending method is suitable for.
Not only have the panel bending machine taken on more work because of the automated nature of the bending, but the units have also helped out with more complicated work, such as hems. In addition, the panel bender can achieve unparalleled accuracy and repeatability numbers in sheet metal fabrication.
Compared with the press brake, the panel bender has more complete functions, higher automation and safer operation in the metal fabrication industry. The cost of the press brake is much less than that of the panel bender, but the operation of the panel machine is simple. CNC (Computer Numerical Control) panel benders represent the pinnacle of panel bending technology.
When choosing between the press brake and the panel bender, manufacturers should consider the specific needs of their production processes. Precision and efficiency are paramount in metal fabrication, and panel benders excel in delivering both. Using the panel bending machine can also reduce the cost of manpower and material resources through efficient batch production.
Our company, ADH Machine Tool, has been providing boosts for manufacturing press brakes, panel benders, shearing, and fiber laser cutting machines for over 40 years to meet different customers' production needs. Our product experts can provide you with suggestions to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective machine.
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