5 Must-Have Features in a commercial appliances panel bender

The Salvagnini P4 panel bender, which was introduced in , revolutionized the industry with its flexible, automated sheet metal forming technology. Since then, Salvagnini has continued to innovate with models like the P1 Lean panel bender (the smallest in the family with a large forming length of mm and an average power consumption of only 3 kWh per hour) and the P2L-21 compact panel bender (used in the commercial kitchen industry with a forming length of mm and an average power consumption as low as 5 kWh per hour).

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While the high one-time investment cost may deter some sheet metal processing users, the efficiency and intelligence of panel benders make them a revolutionary alternative to traditional press bending machines. With their highly intelligent operating control system, panel benders can efficiently bend different workpieces, making them ideal for companies looking to automate and improve their production processes.

Panel bender history

In Europe and the United States, companies often face a higher proportion of human resources costs. Especially in Northern Europe, the vast majority of companies are eager to address the high cost of labor.

Therefore, European and American enterprises have long prioritized &#;improving production efficiency and reducing manpower&#; and have launched a series of automatic and intelligent initiatives. More companies are beginning to consider purchasing smarter equipment and even embracing automated, unmanned production lines.

It has been 40 years since Salvagnini introduced the world&#;s first P4 panel bender in . The Salvagnini P4 panel bender&#;s revolutionary universal bending tools and robots introduced flexible, automated sheet metal forming technologynbsp;to the industry in the late s.

 

salvagnini panel bender

P1 Lean panel benders
The P1 Lean panel bender (Fig. 1) is the smallest model in the family of Salvagnini Panel Benders, with a large forming length of mm, full servo drive, fast speed, and an average power consumption of only 3 kWh per hour.

The small size of the machine allows for the production of small parts, making it very cost-effective.

P2L-21 compact panel bender
The P2L-21 Compact panel bender (Fig.2) is the main machine used in the commercial kitchen industry, with a forming length of mm.

The new generation P2L adopts servo motor direct drive, which can meet most of the processing requirements of panel products, covering an area of 6m×3m. The cylinder hybrid drive ensures the long-term stability of the equipment and reduces the maintenance workload, with an average power consumption as low as 5 kWh per hour.

P4- HPT standard panel bender
The P4- HPT is a standard panel bender with semi-automatic loading and unloading (Figure 3), which can be used during machine production. The loading and unloading operations can be carried out without interrupting production, resulting in a significant increase in machine availability.

As a standard panel bender, the P4 can be loaded with additional options to expand production capacity, making it the ideal machine for several major refrigerator manufacturers.

S4+P4 flexible manufacturing system
S4+P4 FMS can accommodate the production of more variety and smaller quantities of products that are not yet available.

What is a panel bender?

Previously, panel forming was done on dedicated production lines or manually operated pressure-bending machines. Panel benders have natural advantages over press brake machines for panel processing, including labor-saving and speed, as well as good repeatability and consistency of the workpiece.

With the arrival of the Salvagnini panel bender, sheet metal forming has entered the era of complete automation for the first time.

There are three main types of conventional sheet metal bending and forming:

• manual bending
• semi-automatic bending
• robot cell bending

However, despite the increasing level of automation, the efficiency bottleneck has not been eliminated.

In a panel bender, there is no need to change the die, the working stroke is short, the feeding is fast, and only one operator is needed to &#;put in&#; and &#;take out&#; the sheet.

A single machine can smoothly complete the positioning of the sheet in a single pass for four-sided bending&#; order, efficiency, and intelligence can be so simple.

The combined efficiency of the panel bender is 3 to 4 times that of a manually operated bending machine.

Panel benders can meet all user bending needs with their lean, fast, and energy-efficient capabilities.

The highly intelligent operating control system enables efficient bending of different workpieces, making the panel bender a revolutionary alternative to traditional press bending machines.

However, due to the high one-time investment cost, it has not been widely adopted by the majority of sheet metal processing users.

Working principle of panel bender

 

The panel bender has a new design concept, which involves downward bending with the upper knife and upward bending with the lower knife, with no limit on the number of bending times.

Bending forces are distributed transversely and generated by oscillating components, namely the bending knives.

The binding reaction force is generated by two components that are strongly locked to the sheet.

Downward bending (negative bending)

Upward bending (positive bending)

The bending length can be adjusted automatically, making it easy to realize unmanned production, which is shown schematically in Figure 8.

 

Panel bender&#;s structure

1. Universal tooling and bending knife

The panel bender uses a universal, adjustable tooling with upper and lower bending knives, eliminating the need for a large number of bending tools based on the shape and size of the workpiece. This significantly reduces the cost and manufacturing time of molds and tools, as well as the preparation time of upper and lower molds and tools.

It also reduces the mold and tool stock, which facilitates production management. Furthermore, the absence of the need to design and manufacture special molds and tools for each product reduces the development cycle of new products, improving the competitiveness of enterprises in today&#;s increasingly competitive market.

2. Fast and efficient automatic mold adjustment systems

When folding box-shaped parts, you need to adjust the length of the mold according to the length of the inner edge of the workpiece. There are three methods of adjustment.

The first one is manual adjustment and takes 3 minutes.

The second type is semi-automatic adjustment and takes 90 seconds.

The third type is Automatic Adjustment (ALA), which coincides with the other work steps, so no adjustment time is required.

3. A simple and logical method of 1-time positioning

Before bending, positioning is carried out by the two cutting corners of the sheet instead of the edges of the sheet, which completely avoids the positioning error caused by the shearing of the sheet and improves positioning accuracy.

The sheet only needs to be positioned once in the process of panel bending, avoiding the cumulative error caused by repeated positioning of the sheet.

This greatly improves the final accuracy of the finished product.

4. High precision and multifunctional robots

The manipulator can move the sheet forward and backward, as well as make discontinuous rotations of 90°, 180°, or 270° during multilateral bending. When the user needs a special angle of rotation, it can also be equipped with a CNC rotary device.

As shown in Figure 3, the panel bender clamps the workpiece with a rotating manipulator, which then clamps the workpiece to the upper and lower presses of the sheet. Between the upper and lower bending knives, the upper and lower bending knives act on the part of the sheet to be bent, making the necessary movements to obtain the bend angle and radius of the arc required by the program.

When one side is bent, the robot automatically rotates the sheet 180° so that the opposite side is bent, followed by the other two sides. When all four sides of the sheet have been bent, the manipulator exits. The panel is released and can be removed by the operator.

If equipped with an automatic loading and unloading system, the panel bending machine can also automatically bend the sheet placed in the designated location, which is after punching and shearing. After the bending is completed, the workpieces will be automatically taken down and stacked neatly. This can realize the automation of the bending process, reduce the labor intensity of the workers, and also avoid the quality accidents that occur due to workers.

The accuracy of the bending parts largely depends on the movement of the manipulator. Therefore, the manipulator of the panel bender has a high degree of positioning accuracy to ensure the accuracy of the bending parts.

5. Advanced CNC system

The CNC systems of panel benders are based on Windows NT, with a user-friendly interface and an intuitive, easy-to-use human-machine dialogue. They offer powerful simulation, intervention, and documentation functions, as well as self-diagnosis and remote service functions.

In addition to providing fault codes, they can also be displayed graphically. The remote service function allows software engineers to access the customer&#;s control system remotely and intervene, diagnose, or modify programs. In most cases, the system can be returned to normal operation, eliminating the need for a repair service visit, or basic normal operation can be maintained until a service technician arrives.

6. Variety of configurations

To meet the requirements of different users and products, panel benders are available in a variety of models and configurations. For example:

a) They can be manually loaded or unloaded.

b) They can be equipped with an automatic loading and unloading system, allowing for unmanned operation.

c) They can be connected with the punching and shearing system, to become a punching, shearing, and folding integrated FMS (flexible manufacturing system).

7. Advantages of the panel bender

Advantages:

(1) There is no need to change molds, upper and lower tools, which saves running costs, manufacturing costs, and management costs, and greatly improves production efficiency.

(2) Due to the advanced design structure and dynamic compensation of the bending knife, it has very good bending accuracy. Its angular accuracy is ±0.5°, and the parallelism of the two opposite sides after bending is ±0.1mm/m.

(3) Since its bending mechanism is different from other similar machines, it can perform bending processes that other bending centers cannot do. Therefore, it can greatly simplify and rationalize product structure. For example, a box-shaped part that originally required 8 plates to bend after welding can be made from 1 plate using P4 panel bender, thus reducing the weight of parts and processing time. It also reduces product design time, manufacturing costs, and improves product market competitiveness.

(4) It has the function of bending from the bottom to the top, which can avoid the indentation phenomenon that occurs when bending some workpieces with very high surface requirements (such as mirror stainless steel) and long lengths, and when the two ends are machined, greatly improving the appearance of the bent workpiece.

(5) In the machining process, the sheet feed and rotation are continuous and automatic, so its machining time is much shorter than other bending centers, especially for folding box-shaped parts, greatly improving efficiency.

(6) It has strong software functions for the automatic adjustment of the sheet compactor and the automatic generation of the bending program, thus reducing the preparation time considerably.

(7) It is extremely advantageous not only for small-batch production of many varieties but also for mass production of a single piece, and is suitable for production applications in sheet metal processing enterprises.

Pander bender features

Panel benders are characterized by the following:

(1) For companies whose parts require foam processing (such as refrigerators, rice steamers, etc.), the consistency of the parts provided eliminates the need to clean up leaks, resulting in significant improvements in processing efficiency and product quality.

(2) By using the corner-cut positioning method, it is possible to maintain the exact size of the exterior reference surface and ensure a high degree of consistency of the exterior part.

High accuracy can be maintained even if the sheet edge straightness deviates after unloading.

For workpieces with limited working envelopes that need to be refolded with a conventional bending machine, the size of the workpieces remains under control due to the exact outside dimensions.

Fig.10 Comparison of positioning methods

(3) For thin stainless steel plates (0.8mm thickness or less), manual bending can result in inconsistent offset bending due to operators prioritizing efficiency and synchronization.

The panel bender does not require lifting the plate during the bending process for larger panels, which eliminates the issue of offset bending caused by the plate not being lifted into place.

Compared to a press brake machine, the panel bender greatly improves surface quality and production efficiency, with an average increase of over 40%.

(4) The highly flexible processing capabilities of the panel bender allow for small batch and multi-mix production.

The unique ABA technology of the panel bender enables quick press length adjustments, even during robot edge changes.

As a result, it only takes an extra 2 to 3 seconds to complete the process of folding the long edge first and then the short edge (short wrap long).

The panel bender is also capable of processing products that require frequent press length adjustments.

(5) The panel bender offers advanced technology to develop new products and can complete most processes that are not possible with a press brake machine.

Compared to conventional bending machines, the panel bender has a relatively powerful processing capacity.

For example, Figure 11 illustrates the contoured shape of a refrigerator door handle developed for a customer.

Two different shapes were designed for the customer to choose and evaluate.

Previously, the customer was producing a similar product on an assembly line with five press brake machines and no quality control.

By using the P4 panel bender, the product&#;s quality was controlled, and the processing time was reduced to one minute.

Figure 11 Refrigerator door handle contouring

(6) The panel bender offers a wide range of bending tools for customers to choose from, and it is recommended that the thin red circle type bending tool be used for thin plates in general.

The configuration of the panel bender can be targeted to meet specific professional requirements.

Figure 12 Bending tool selection

(7) Industries that heavily utilize &#;201&#; chrome manganese series stainless steel often encounter difficulties due to the material&#;s high hardness and bending rebound.

Panel benders with new material property compensation technology as a standard feature have significantly improved product processability and first-piece success rates.

(8) Panel benders are available in various configurations based on customer requirements and investment size.

Panel bender applications

The panel bender is suitable for producing professional kitchenware for the catering and food industry, as well as ovens, cooking systems, cleaning systems (such as dishwashers and glassware washers), refrigerators, instant freezers, refrigerator counters and freezers, stainless steel furniture, and air handling systems (such as extractor hoods and exhaust fans).

Additionally, it is suitable for bending electrical industry cabinets, elevators, and lifts.

 

Panel Bender vs. Press Brake

Simplification of bending processes

In , the handling of a panel often requires more than one person, and it becomes difficult for one person to handle a panel longer than mm, as it moves during the bending process.

In the panel bender, the handling of the panel concerns only its loading on the working table, its rotation on the sides to bend, and the unloading of the final product.

The operator only needs to load the metal sheet to be bent and unload the final product.

In the case of an advanced panel bender, the operator only unloads the final product.

Furthermore, traditional bending systems require the operator to memorize the bend sequence to execute.

In the semi-automatic panel bender, the operator only needs to turn the panel into the position that the machine requires.

Handling of a panel with the pess-brakes

Overturning of the panel on the ball table of a panel-bender

Reduction of labor costs

Press brakes require skilled laborers with specific experience and the ability to follow and control the bending stages.

The panel bender can be operated by only one person without any specific skills: the machine automatically executes all the bending stages.

This can lead to reduced personnel costs (hiring unqualified personnel) and higher production flexibility (multiple people can use the machine).

Panel benders are suitable for the following product areas

For the stainless steel industry, the company manufactures or supplies the following types of products: ovens, cooking systems (stoves, grills, etc.), cleaning systems (dishwashers, cup washers, etc.), refrigerators, flash freezers, stainless steel furniture, air handling systems, electrical equipment and accessories, elevators, and more.

For other metal sheets, the company manufactures and supplies the following types of products: elevators, freight elevator products, painted cabinets, security doors, engineered doors (fireproof partitions, etc.), inside or outside covers, and more.

Who needs the panel bender?

• Enterprises mainly engaged in the production of stainless steel products.
• Product quality-oriented enterprises
• The products are small-batch or custom-made.
• Companies whose products are concentrated in the production and processing of press brake
• Enterprises whose products have complex processing processes

Final Thoughts

Panel bender is an advanced and modern bending machine that completely separates the quality of the product from the skill level of the workers, ensuring the production of high-quality products.

At the same time, the panel bender greatly reduces the labor intensity of the workers. Additionally, it provides sub-engineers with new design ideas and has significant advantages for the development of new products, giving the enterprise a head start in the ever-changing product market.

Source: www.machinemfg.com

History of the panel folder

In Europe and the United States, companies often face a higher proportion of human resources costs. Especially in Northern Europe, the vast majority of companies are eager to cope with the high cost of labor.

Therefore, European and American companies have long given priority to &#;improving production efficiency and reducing labor&#; and have launched a series of automatic and intelligent initiatives. More companies are starting to consider purchasing smarter equipment and even adopting automated, unmanned production lines.

It has been 40 years since Salvagnini introduced the world's first P4 panel bending machine in . The revolutionary Salvagnini P4 universal bending tools and robots introduced flexible, automated sheet metal forming technology to the industry at the end of the s. .

salvagnini panel folder

P1 Slim panel bender is

The Lean P1 panel bending machine (Fig. 1) is the smallest model in the Salvagnini panel bending family, with a large forming length of mm, full servo drive, fast speed and average energy consumption of only 3 kWh per hour.

The small size of the machine allows the production of small parts, making it very economical.

P2L-21 compact panel bender

The Compact P2L-21 panel bending machine (Fig.2) is the main machine used in the commercial kitchen industry, with a forming length of mm.

The new generation P2L adopts direct servo motor drive, which can meet most of the processing requirements of panel products, covering an area of &#;&#;6m × 3m. Hybrid cylinder drive ensures long-term equipment stability and reduces maintenance workload, with an average energy consumption as low as 5 kWh per hour.

P4- HPT standard panel bender

The P4- HPT is a standard panel bender with semi-automatic loading and unloading (Figure 3), which can be used during machine production. Loading and unloading operations can be carried out without interrupting production, resulting in a significant increase in machine availability.

As a standard panel bender, the P4 can be equipped with additional options to expand production capacity, making it the ideal machine for several major refrigerator manufacturers.

Flexible manufacturing system S4+P4

S4+P4 FMS can accommodate the production of more variety and smaller quantities of products that are not yet available.

&#;>

What is a panel bender?

Previously, panel forming was done on dedicated production lines or manually operated pressure bending machines. Panel benders have natural advantages over bending machines for panel processing, including labor saving and speed, as well as good workpiece repeatability and consistency.

With the arrival of the Salvagnini panel bending machine, sheet metal forming entered the era of complete automation for the first time.

There are three main types of conventional sheet metal bending and forming:

• manual bending
• semi-automatic bending
• robotic cell folding

However, despite the increasing level of automation, the efficiency bottleneck has not been eliminated.

In a panel bending machine there is no need to change the die, the work stroke is short, the feeding is fast and only one operator is needed to &#;place&#; and &#;remove&#; the sheet.

A single machine can smoothly complete sheet positioning in a single pass for four-sided bending&#;order, efficiency and intelligence can be very simple.

The combined efficiency of the panel bender is 3 to 4 times that of a manually operated bender.

Panel benders can meet all user bending needs with their simple, fast and low power consumption features.

The highly intelligent operating control system enables efficient bending of different workpieces, making the panel bending machine a revolutionary alternative to traditional bending machines.

However, due to the high one-time investment cost, it has not been widely adopted by most sheet metal processing users.

Panel bender working principle

The panel bending machine has a new design concept, which involves downward folding with the upper knife and upward folding with the lower knife, with no limit on the number of folds.

The bending forces are distributed transversely and generated by oscillating components, namely the bending knives.

The bond reaction force is generated by two components that are tightly attached to the sheet.

Downward flexion (negative flexion)

Upward flexion (positive flexion)

The bending length can be adjusted automatically, facilitating unmanned production, shown schematically in Figure 8.

Panel Bending Techniques

With the growing demand for highly flexible automatic processing, there is a growing need for an easy and time-saving bending process.

The CNC bending machine features a unique bidirectional bending mechanism that keeps the sheet material horizontal during the bending process, preventing space wobble. It includes functional components such as positioning device, automatic die change and operator, enabling fast, highly flexible and automatic processing.

Compared to the press brake processing method, the CNC panel bender (as shown in Figure 1) does not require die changing, has a short working stroke, a fast feed rate, higher overall efficiency, and facilitates flexible production.

Figure 1 CNC Panel Bending Machine

Successful product development and promotion has brought to the fore the challenge of meeting the diverse process needs of diverse workpieces. This challenge is now a fundamental issue in the development of bending machine technology.

Thanks to its free bending characteristics, the press brake offers a lot of flexibility in process development. No mold changes or adjustments required. By combining the upper and lower bending die with the compression die, a variety of bending processes can be achieved, resulting in superior process performance.

In this article, we will explore the capabilities of carrying out the panel bending process using typical parts from various industries.

Flattening process

The flattening process, also known as edge hemming, is a common technique used in sheet metal bending. It increases the strength of the sheet metal edge while making it smooth without the need for polishing.

To achieve flattening of a press brake, two bending processes are necessary. First, a 30° sharp punch with a deep V-groove inserted is used to bend 30° to 45°. Then, the flattening die is employed to press the material.

On the other hand, when the panel bender performs the flattening process, there is no need to change the mold. The bending beam and pressure beam collaborate to produce a variety of flattening effects, including the lower hem flattening process.

For forward and reverse flattening on the panel bending machine, there is no need to turn the sheet. Instead, it is placed on the table surface and bent at an angle of 30° to 45° using the conventional bending process. The formed bent corner is then transferred to the lower die table and flattened using the pressing die. The entire process takes just a few seconds, as shown in Figure 2.

If bending is required after flattening (Fig. 3), the panel bender can perform the task directly.

Fig. 2 Laying and leveling process

Figure 3 Bending process after flattening

The elevator and switchgear industries sometimes require a specific type of flattening called &#;opening flattening&#; (as shown in Figure 4) to improve door edge strength and feel.

To achieve this, panel benders can work in combination with a bending beam and a compression beam to easily create a variety of bend sizes and angles on the first pass and then quickly achieve the desired final flattening effect.

Figure 4 Flattening process with openings

Rounding process

The rounding process (as shown in Figure 5) is now a necessary step for most manufacturers in producing their parts. To carry out this process, specific molds are required. However, different arc angles and radii require different molds, which can be expensive and time-consuming to produce.

In contrast, a press brake requires only one additional bending process to achieve the rounding effect. With its efficient and continuous automatic bending ability, the arc can be formed by combining multiple small-angle bends. This method not only produces perfect results, but also does not interrupt the continuous processing of the part.

Figure 5 Arc Bending Panel Bender

Using the conventional bending method, even if more segments are used, there will eventually be creases on the outside of the arc formed by continuous bending. This is due to the processing mechanism of the panel bender, which does not meet the process requirements of some parts in the industry.

As a senior sheet metal equipment supplier with many years of research and development experience, we have continuously tested and finally developed a new set of arc process realization schemes. Through the mutual cooperation of the bending die and the processing and forming of the ram, the crease now appears on the inner side of the arc, ensuring that it does not affect the smoothness of the surface.

Want more information on commercial appliances panel bender? Feel free to contact us.

This has improved the forming efficiency and we can provide a suitable arc process scheme according to different arc sizes and accuracy requirements, saving time and improving efficiency while meeting process requirements.

The advantage of panel press brake processing technique is not only saving time and money, but also processing parts that conventional press brakes cannot handle. For example, the side mounting plate shown in Figure 6 requires only two processes on one side &#; a 90° forming and a 1/4 arc forming.

If processed with a press brake, bending the 90° formation first would impede arc processing, and bending the 1/4 arc formation first and then processing the 90° straight edge would certainly affect the already processed arc surface. However, this can be easily achieved with a panel bender, efficiently and with high precision.

Figure 6 Side Mounting Plate

Molded bending process

Molded bending is a broad term that refers to the process of obtaining various smaller sized shapes using the free bending path and die combination of a panel bending machine.

For example, U-shaped bend with an opening of less than 6mm, small Z-shaped bend with a pitch difference of 1mm, N-shaped bend of various small sizes and so on. See Figure 7 for examples.

Figure 7 Commonly shaped bent parts

Although these formed shapes can eventually be processed by the bending machine, they can be processed in one go using the panel bender.

The entire process does not require mold changes or surface turning, especially for larger parts. This results in low labor requirements and higher, more consistent machining accuracy.

Panel Bender Structure

1. Universal tools and bending knife

The panel bender utilizes adjustable universal tools with upper and lower bending knives, eliminating the need for a large number of bending tools based on the shape and size of the workpiece. This significantly reduces the cost and time of manufacturing molds and tools, as well as the preparation time of upper and lower molds and tools.

It also reduces the inventory of molds and tools, which makes production management easier. Furthermore, the absence of the need to design and manufacture special molds and tools for each product reduces the new product development cycle, improving the competitiveness of companies in today's increasingly competitive market.

two . Fast and efficient automatic mold adjustment systems

When bending box-shaped parts, it is necessary to adjust the length of the mold according to the length of the inner edge of the workpiece. There are three adjustment methods.

The first is manual adjustment and takes 3 minutes.

The second type is semi-automatic adjustment and takes 90 seconds.

The third type is Automatic Adjustment (ALA), which coincides with the other stages of the work, therefore no adjustment time is required.

3 . A simple and logical 1-time method positioning

Before bending, positioning is carried out by the two cutting corners of the sheet instead of the edges of the sheet, which completely avoids the positioning error caused by sheet shear and improves the positioning accuracy.

The sheet only needs to be positioned once in the panel bending process, avoiding the cumulative error caused by repeated positioning of the sheet.

This greatly improves the final accuracy of the finished product.

4 . Multifunctional, high-precision robots

The manipulator can move the sheet back and forth, as well as make discontinuous rotations of 90°, 180° or 270° during multilateral bending. When the user requires a special rotation angle, it can also be equipped with a CNC rotary device.

As shown in Figure 3, the panel bender clamps the workpiece with a rotary manipulator, which then clamps the workpiece in the upper and lower sheet metal presses. Between the upper and lower bending knives, the upper and lower bending knives act on the part of the sheet to be bent, carrying out the necessary movements to obtain the bending angle and arc radius required by the program.

When one side is folded, the robot automatically rotates the sheet 180° so that the opposite side is folded, followed by the other two sides. When all four sides of the sheet are folded, the manipulator comes out. The panel releases and can be removed by the operator.

If equipped with automatic loading and unloading system, the panel bending machine can also automatically bend the plate placed at the designated location, which is after punching and shearing. After bending is completed, the workpieces will automatically be taken out and stacked neatly. This can realize the automation of the bending process, reduce the labor intensity of workers, and also avoid the quality accidents that occur due to workers.

The accuracy of the bent parts largely depends on the movement of the manipulator. Therefore, the panel bender manipulator has a high degree of positioning accuracy to ensure the accuracy of the bent parts.

5 . Advanced CNC system

CNC panel bending systems are based on Windows NT, with a user-friendly interface and an intuitive, easy-to-use man-machine dialogue. They offer powerful simulation, intervention and documentation functions, as well as self-diagnosis and remote service functions.

In addition to providing fault codes, they can also be displayed graphically. The remote service function allows software engineers to remotely access the customer's control system and intervene, diagnose or modify programs. In most cases, the system can return to normal operation, eliminating the need for a repair service visit, or basic normal operation can be maintained until a service technician arrives.

6 . Variety of settings

To meet the requirements of different users and products, panel benders are available in different models and configurations. For example:

a) They can be loaded or unloaded manually.

b) They can be equipped with an automatic loading and unloading system, allowing unmanned operation.

c) They can be connected to the punching and shearing system, to become an integrated punching, shearing and bending FMS (flexible manufacturing system).

7 . The advantages of the panel bender

Benefits:

(1) There is no need to change molds, upper and lower tools, which saves operation costs, manufacturing costs and management costs and greatly improves production efficiency.

(2) Due to the advanced design structure and dynamic compensation of the bending knife, it has very good bending accuracy. Its angular accuracy is ±0.5° and the parallelism of the two opposite sides after bending is ±0.1 mm/m.

(3) Because its bending mechanism is different from other similar machines, it can perform bending processes that other bending centers cannot. Therefore, it can greatly simplify and rationalize the product structure. For example, a box-shaped part that originally required 8 plates to bend after welding can be made from 1 plate using the P4 panel bender, thus reducing the weight of the parts and processing time. It also reduces product design time, manufacturing costs and improves product market competitiveness.

(4) It has the function of bending from bottom to top, which can avoid the indentation phenomenon that occurs when bending some parts with very high surface requirements (such as mirror stainless steel) and long lengths, and when the two ends are machined , greatly improving the appearance of the folded piece.

(5) In the machining process, the feeding and rotation of the sheet are continuous and automatic, so its machining time is much shorter than other bending centers, especially for bending box-shaped parts, greatly improving efficiency.

(6) It has strong software functions for automatic plate compactor adjustment and automatic bending program generation, greatly reducing the preparation time.

(7) It is extremely advantageous not only for small batch production of many varieties, but also for mass production of a single part, and is suitable for production applications in sheet metal processing enterprises.

Disadvantages:

From what I understand, the biggest and only disadvantage of this sheet metal panel bender is that it is expensive. The one-time investment is too large for some companies.

Pander Folder Features

Panel benders are characterized by the following:

(1) For companies whose parts require foam processing (such as refrigerators, rice steamers, etc.), the consistency of the supplied parts eliminates the need for leak cleaning, resulting in significant improvements in processing efficiency and product quality .

(2) When using the corner cutting positioning method, it is possible to maintain the exact size of the external reference surface and ensure a high degree of consistency of the external part.

High precision can be maintained even if the straightness of the sheet edge deviates after unloading.

For parts with limited work envelopes that need to be rebent with a conventional press brake, the size of the parts remains under control due to the exact external dimensions.

Fig.10 Comparison of positioning methods

(3) For thin stainless steel plates (thickness 0.8 mm or less), manual bending may result in inconsistent offset bending due to operators prioritizing efficiency and synchronization.

The panel bender does not require lifting the board during the bending process for larger panels, which eliminates the problem of displaced bending caused by the board not being lifted into place.

Compared to a press brake, the panel press brake greatly improves surface quality and production efficiency, with an average increase of more than 40%.

(4) The panel bender's highly flexible processing capabilities enable small batch and multi-mix production.

The panel bender's unique ABA technology allows for quick adjustments to the press length, even during changes to the robot's edges.

As a result, it only takes an extra 2 to 3 seconds to complete the process of folding the long edge first and then the short edge (short and long wrap).

The panel bender is also capable of processing products that require frequent press length adjustments.

(5) The panel press brake offers advanced technology to develop new products and can complete most processes that are not possible with a press brake.

Compared with conventional bending machines, the panel bending machine has relatively powerful processing capacity.

For example, Figure 11 illustrates the contoured shape of a refrigerator door handle developed for a customer.

Two different formats were designed for the customer to choose and evaluate.

Previously, the customer produced a similar product on an assembly line with five press brakes and no quality control.

By using the P4 panel bender, product quality was controlled and processing time was reduced to one minute.

Figure 11 Outline of the refrigerator door handle

(6) Panel bender offers a wide range of bending tools for customers to choose from, and it is recommended that the thin red circle type bending tool be used for general thin sheets.

Panel bender configuration can be targeted to meet specific professional requirements.

Figure 12 Bending Tool Selection

(7) Industries that heavily use &#;201&#; chromium-manganese series stainless steel often encounter difficulties due to the material&#;s high hardness and bending rebound.

Panel benders with new material property compensation technology as a standard feature have significantly improved product processability and first part success rates.

(8) Panel benders are available in various configurations based on customer needs and investment size.

Panel Folding Applications

The panel bender is suitable for the production of professional kitchenware for the food and catering industry, as well as ovens, cooking systems, cleaning systems (such as dishwashers and glass washers), refrigerators, instant freezers, refrigerator counters and freezers, stainless steel furniture, and air handling systems (such as range hoods and exhaust fans).

In addition, it is suitable for bending cabinets, elevators and elevators in the electrical industry.

Examples of products processed by panel bender

Panel Folding Tool Features

The panel bender has a standard tool width of 160 mm and a minimum cross-section in overall dimensions of 131 cm 2 making it one of the best in the field of panel bending.

The machine is equipped with an independent locking system, which guarantees flexibility during the bending process.

The structure, number and handling of the bending tools on the panel bender allow the machine to bend even extremely sensitive material surfaces without scratches or indentations.

Furthermore, the bending process ensures low wear on the bending tools.

The panel bender moves vertically over a metal panel during the bending process.

Additionally, there are commercially available panel benders that move rotationally.

During the bending process, 80 tons of pressure is applied to the panel bender to ensure the flatness of the sheet metal and avoid bending indentations.

The panel bender's bending system allows forward, reverse, wide, curved and right angle bending of the panel during the bending process!

As shown in the figure below.

Bend radius range

DOOR WITH HANDLE

It is made from just one piece.

Provides for the execution of 8 sides and the panel tipping over during the cycle.

This last operation can only be performed by a semi-automatic machine.

For its production it is necessary to use the PSA with a set of tools and two SA blades.

PLATATION PANEL

This panel has radius curves of different dimensions completed with an edge without any containment.

Despite having an orange peel effect surface (and therefore very fragile), it can be produced without the use of protective film and will not leave the slightest mark on the panel.

The panel is mm long.

DEMONSTRATIVE PANEL

This panel was created to demonstrate the ability to create parts with more than one negative bend, as well as the ability to create bends that are very closed to each other and with bends of opposite radii.

The corrugation demonstrates the ability to work very precisely.

To produce this panel it is necessary to use a table with brushes.

DESKTOP

The new frontier in the creation of work tables, especially for the restaurant sector, is characterized by the absence of corners and welds.

This panel also demonstrates the ability to create radius corners, both positive and negative, without the need for containment.

They can be made with a length of up to 3,000 mm and a height of up to 200 mm.

To produce this panel it is necessary to use the PSA option with the aid of a video camera and an SA blade.

BACK PANEL WITH LARGE HOLE

The drawn hole was created before the bending process and demonstrates the critical handling situation.

In fact, the panel must be handled with the design facing upwards, while the folds must be made downwards.

At the end of the process, the panel will have four faces with downward curves.

FRONT FOR OVEN-REFRIGERATOR

The characteristic manipulator made up of suction cups allows the handling of panels with curves or central designs.

To produce this panel it is necessary to tip it between the first and third sides, an operation that can only be done by a semi-automatic machine.

EXHAUSTED FAN

The panel is produced with a specific fixed end.

This solution eliminates most welding, drastically reducing production waste.

Furthermore, welding of vertical corners no longer requires masking.

DOOR WITH HANDLE

The bend shown was last performed using PSA with two functions capable of negative radius bending.

COMPRESSOR PROTECTION

Producing large radius curves for this panel is definitely not a problem and no special tools are required.

Everything can be produced with standard tools.

The radius corner, even if it is 7mm high, can be executed without the need for containment, and the result is without any deformation.

FRYER SURFACE

This particular panel was executed using the vertical movement of the manipulator to control the descending thrust of the last curve shown.

To produce this panel it was necessary to assemble the PSA and the sheet metal clamps on the panel bender.

MALE AND FEMALE SLIDING DOORS

These are interesting examples that demonstrate the ability to produce negative hidden curves.

To execute them, the PSA is necessary.

DOOR

Using the &#;cutting unit&#; option it is possible to create very small shapes that are folded only on both sides and then cut with an appropriate blade.

Once the shape has been cut, it is expelled into a container located on the side of the machine.

The &#;cutting unit&#; is an option for the PSA.

PANEL

The characteristic of this panel concerns the lower central part.

In fact, it cannot be handled with the sheet metal clamps.

Video Control System Panel Folder

The operator can visualize what is happening to the sheet during the bending phase with the help of a video camera and can actively intervene by modifying the bends that the machine is performing.

This solution is very important for making panels for the first time or for making bends on panels from different batches.

Once the desired result has been achieved, the operator can save the applied process so that it can be carried out on the next panels to be bent.

This is possible not only through the use of sophisticated algorithms, which require perfect knowledge of the material (type, thickness, length), but also through the simple movement of a joystick.

Using the video camera allows you to control the different elastic returns and obtain the &#;first good part&#;.

Panel Bender vs. press brake

Simplification of bending processes

In bending machines, handling a panel usually requires more than one person, and it becomes difficult for one person to handle a panel larger than 1,500 mm as it moves during the bending process.

In the panel bender, handling the panel only involves loading it onto the work table, rotating it on the sides for bending and unloading the final product.

The operator only needs to load the sheet to be bent and unload the final product.

In the case of an advanced press brake, the operator only unloads the final product.

Additionally, traditional bending systems require the operator to memorize the bending sequence to be performed.

In the semi-automatic panel bending machine, the operator only needs to rotate the panel to the position the machine needs.

Handling a panel with the brakes

Dropping of the panel on the spherical table of a panel bender

Reduction of labor costs

Press brakes require skilled workers with specific experience and the ability to follow and control the bending steps.

The panel bender can be operated by just one person without any specific skills: the machine automatically carries out all bending steps.

This can lead to reduced personnel costs (hiring unskilled personnel) and greater production flexibility (several people can use the machine).

Where is the market for the panel bender ?

The panel bending machine is an automated production machine, and until October , few people in the world knew about the existence of semi-automatic panel bending machines.

Only two companies presented their semi-automatic panel bending machines for the first time at EuroBLECH.

According to market research, there are potential but unmet needs in the area of &#;&#;sheet metal bending.

Demand indicates that the bending process has been carried out manually using press brakes for many years.

This is a potential need because no one knows of any alternative bending solution other than the bending machine.

So far, attempts to automate the press brake have not led to any significant results.

Panel benders are suitable for the following product areas

For the stainless steel industry, the company manufactures or supplies the following types of products: ovens, cooking systems (stoves, grills, etc.), cleaning systems (dishwashers, glass washers, etc.), refrigerators , flash freezers, stainless steel furniture. , air treatment systems, electrical equipment and accessories, elevators and much more.

For other sheet metal, the company manufactures and supplies the following types of products: elevators, freight elevator products, painted cabinets, security doors, engineered doors (fireproof partitions, etc.), internal or external covers and much more.

Who needs the panel folder?

• Companies mainly engaged in the production of stainless steel products.
• Companies oriented towards product quality
• Products are small batch or custom made.
• Companies whose products are concentrated in the production and processing of press brakes
• Companies whose products have complex processing processes

Panel bender price

As we all know, the price naturally varies depending on the product mechanism or manufacturing process.

The sale of a panel bender is not just based on the price factor.

The sale is not only based on the product offering, but also on the need to present a concrete and viable solution.

The solution must include a comparison of the benefits of using a panel bending machine with other bending machines of the same type, a comprehensive comparison and analysis of productivity, processing time and number of personnel.

Furthermore, if you want a more efficient way to fold your products, panel bender technology can help you.

It can perform bending processes that are not possible with other bending machines.

It is useless to compare different products just by price. If the comparison is purely based on price, the negotiation is doomed to failure.

Top 5 Panel Bender Manufacturers

Currently, the most famous panel benders include the following 5 brands:

• Salvagnini
• Press-power
• RAS
• Trump
• Loved

Final thoughts

The panel bender is an advanced and modern bender that completely separates product quality from the skill level of workers, ensuring the production of high-quality products.

At the same time, the panel bender greatly reduces the labor intensity of workers. Furthermore, it provides sub-engineers with new design ideas and has significant advantages for new product development, giving the company a head start in the ever-changing product market.

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