TPT January 2012

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Bending
Production cells for high demand pipe
ROSENBERGER’S Twister® bending
system offers precision, flexibility and
process safety, as well as operating comfort.
The system, with a KUKA robot at its core,
provides the operator with freedom for set-
up and number of the bending heads or
automation modules within a production cell.
The robot proves that it can do the perfect
bend in an example bending process for a
seat bracket for industrial vehicles.
To take up the components, the six-
axle device uses part-specific pneumatic
exchangeable mechanical grippers
developed for the individual applications.
The KR16/KR30 collects the respective
pipe at the upstream unit for welding seam
alignment independently, moves to the X-,
Y- and Z-coordinates servo-controlled and
therefore highly precisely, operates the
bending head and places the part on the
removal belt. This way, it links bending to
other processes. This production line can be
assembled according to individual customer
wishes and expanded as required.
After loading of the pipe hopper, precise
work commences in the system when
supplying the pipes, which are transported
up with a sliding plate and separated. The
separated pipes are taken to an alignment
and placement station. The weld seams
are recognised, turned to a defined position
and the part is pushed onto a fixed stop.
The production part is therefore optimally
prepared for assumption by the robot.
The collection position can be programmed
individually and adjusted to the workpiece at
all times. A choice between mandrel and
mandrel-free bending can be made. When
using the mandrel, the pipe is precisely
gripped by the robot in the hundredth
millimetre range and strung up to be supplied
to the connection of the bending station.
The mandrel as such is equipped with a
servo motor, like the entire system, and thus
permits the user to perform any required
motions in x-, y- and z-directions.
The bending tool is additionally equipped
with an integrated punching tool, so that
subsequent processing of the pipes at a
separate station is not required. The flexible
placement options of the robot mean that
the punching can be integrated in the
process at nearly any pipe position. The
robot presents more than pure handling in
these plants: it acts as a fixed component of
the bending machine and replaces all axes
of a conventional bending machine except
for the bending unit. A sophisticated software
package programs the robot like a standard
bending machine, with all freedoms of the
robot programming being retained.
The Twister can be equipped with up to six
working stations that may be either bending
heads or other stations like forming, milling
or external machines.
Rosenberger covers the pipe range from
2 to 50mm pipe diameter with its bending
technology, using up to nine bending levels
per bending head.
Rosenberger AG – Germany
Fax: +49 3644 5176 38
Email:
Website:
SCHWARZE-ROBITEC: Manufacturer of CNC tube bending machines
experience since 1930 · certified highest quality – made in Germany ·
cutting-edge technology · customer-focused · internationally positioned ·
keen consulting · capable · unique and individual
Manufacturing and servicing of tube and profile cold bending machines:
Tube diameters of 4mm - 420mm.
Bending to perfection.
“Excuse me, sir, just one
more thing...”
anzeige_bending-to-perfection.indd 1 11.11.2011 13:31:33