4.0 press brake for Wittur's smart factory
Following the positive experience with the first press brake in February 2020, Wittur continues to improve efficiency in the bending department with a second machine. This is a 115 ton/3 metre machine centred around three pillars: the GPS4 angle control system, Gasparini adaptive crowning, and the customised Industry 4.0 package.
The press brake, which is destined for the production facility in Krupina, Slovakia, has a stroke of 300 mm and an open height of 500 mm. It is equipped with manual clamping for both punches and dies, but is prepared for the future installation of AirSlide sliding pneumatic tool holders. On the front side we have two sliding supports, equipped with a storage drawer and custom-made with an increased width of the support surface.
The Delem DA-66T CNC manages all the functions and axes of the machine, including a 4-axis backgauge (X-R-Z1-Z2) with sensorized fingers. Together with the CNC we supplied Delem Profile Lite TL 2D offline software and the TeleLink remote service platform. The press brake has been customised and is equipped with the handy Syner-G remote control. To facilitate the operator’s work, the bending program can be started either from the CNC or by pressing the down pedal.
The CNC also takes care of the exchange of data regarding the use of the press brake, the programs to be executed and the parts produced. This information is sent to the factory information system which aggregates it for future use. The communication functions, together with the process drift management systems, make the press brake purchased from Wittur Industry 4.0 compliant.
From an energy perspective, the X-Press Next press brake purchased by Wittur is equipped with the ECO+ system. Thanks to the vector inverter control of the main motor, it achieves a number of important advantages:
- increased ram speed
- reduced energy consumption
- less oil thermal stress
- quieter operation
The ECO+ package also includes Gasparini’s innovative Adaptive Crowning Plus, which features an engine-pump block and oil pressure accumulator that are independent of the main hydraulic circuit. This solution allows us to be more responsive in compensation and to consume less energy. Adaptive crowning is essential for handling parts made of different materials, where it is impossible to predict the structural deformations of the ram. The only way is to measure them and correct them in real time, so you are prepared for any situation. The Reflex system also acts in real time to detect and compensate for side frame deflection, so that bending precision is maintained even when faced with sheets of different thicknesses and hardnesses.
The two compensation systems act in synergy with the real heart of the press brake, the main reason why Wittur chose our company. We are talking about the GPS4 angle control system, the only contact measurement device entirely contained within the die. This solution allows us to bend any material, in any finish, and with the minimum natural edge given by the die opening. We do not need external flanges for reading, so we can also handle tight bends or counter bends. In the press brake chosen by Wittur we use two GPS4 sensors at the ends of the profile; the crowning system’s deformation sensors in the centre of the ram and the bed provide data about the centre of the part. In this way we monitor the bending process at three points, which allows us to achieve a precise springback angle, as well as being constant over the entire length.