For many sheet metal manufacturers, bending often means producing small- to medium-size parts on press brakes that are larger than necessary for the application, a situation that can add cost and time to the bending process — and sometimes adversely affect quality.
Coventry-based
Bystronic UK Ltd says that for parts of up to about 1,500mm bending length and a maximum thickness of 20mm, these users do not need a large-scale bending station, but rather a ‘small and versatile yet powerful one’ — hence the company’s development of its new ByBend Star 40 and 80.
The company says: “The mobility of the two ByBend Star press brakes is a significant advantage over large-format press brakes, which must be placed in a fixed position and often take up a lot of space. The new ByBend Star 40 and 80 — the smallest press brakes from Bystronic — bend as reliably as their large counterparts but in a restricted space.
“Moreover, the size and capability of the ByBend Star 40 and 80 mean they can support users in flexible contract production with fluctuating batch sizes and highly varying bending requirements, as well as undertake series production with recurring parts.
“This versatility means one of these press brakes can be positioned next to a laser cutting machine one day and be lined up with other press brakes for series production the next; and with new servo-hydraulics giving bending speeds of up to 30mm/sec, the ByBend Star 40 and 80 are up to three-times faster than a large press brake.”
The ByBend Star 40 and 80 offer, respectively, pressing forces of 40 and 80 tonnes and maximum bending lengths of 1,030 and 1,530mm — along with a standard stroke of 200mm and a maximum beam speed of 275mm/sec. Furthermore, drawers in the lower side area provide storage space for bending tools and equipment, thereby ensuring tools are readily to hand, while an automatic clamping system simplifies machine set up.
A height-adjustable folding table in the front area serves as a work aid and storage surface.
These machines also feature Bystronic’s ‘Dynamic Drive System’. This applies the exact force required for each part being bent; and when combined with ‘intelligent functions’ such as the ‘Energy Saver’ and an automatic start-stop function, ‘energy efficiency throughout the entire bending process is optimised’.