The two 225 t press brakes differ in bench length of 3100 mm and 4100 mm respectively. The 800 mm open height and 600 mm y-axis stroke allow for the easy production of deep boxes without the need for large tool holders or punches. This extended stroke also allows the pieces to be extracted without complicated handling. The tool adapters are the exclusive Gasparini AirSlide, which can be positioned along the whole ram without any air hoses to be connected. The pneumatic clamps are Wila type for both punches and dies. The Drive Bar, a series of coloured LEDs, assists the operator in positioning the tools and when bending by stations. The clamps can be opened remotely with the practical Syner-G remote control.
The backgauge has 6 CNC-controlled axes (X-R-Z1-Z2-X5-X6). The fingers have a customised shape and are equipped with an additional stop. To support even the largest and thinnest sheets, we have installed retractable supports. Both machines are equipped with wireless foot pedals, which can be mounted on sliding blocks for easier movement. The CNC is the powerful Delem DA-69T, the Dutch company’s flagship model. It allows the import of 3D files and is supported by the versatile Profile-T 3D offline CAM software to create bending programs directly from the PC. The programs can also be retrieved from the network via barcode reader.
To maximise the efficiency of the two machines and increase the ram speed we have installed the ECO energy saving package. Using a sophisticated vector inverter, we drive the main motor at variable voltage and frequency depending on the work phase. This provides the cylinders with exactly the right pressure and flow rate, increasing performance and reducing wastage. During idle periods, the pump does not run idle: noise and consumption are greatly reduced, and hydraulic oil life is increased.
On the CNC we installed both Tele-Link remote assistance functionality and a job management tool to upload production orders and communicate batch progress to the ERP system. The machine is also equipped with a system to compensate for the deflection of the side frames: by measuring this deviation we maintain the correct positioning of the ram (and consequently the angle) even between different materials and thicknesses. A similar function is performed by Gasparini’s Adaptive Crowning: two sensors positioned in the two rams measure the deformation in real time to maintain correct parallelism. The result is a perfect profile with a constant angle at both ends and in the centre. There is no longer any need to set any values, let alone insert traditional paper shims under the dies: correction is fully automatic. All these features are part of the so-called Enabling Technologies, making the two Zeta6 press brakes true Industry 4.0 machines.
