The sheet metal processing industry is facing several challenges, which depend on market developments and constantly growing needs both in terms of timing and quality of the finished product. In other words, producers today must guarantee speed and quality in a context in which the size of the batches is increasingly restricted and the urgency reigns supreme. For a production manager, it is far from trivial to preserve the economic viability of operations and good margins.
The "pains" of sheet metal bending
If we limit the observation to the bending industry, the two pains with which manufacturers most commonly have to deal are the times of setup and programming of the machines. The first, also known as setup, is often the main item of cost (or rather, loss of income) in the world of production: by definition, every machine downtime is very expensive, and tooling is a physiological cause.
If this is the case in many areas, reducing setup time in bending is an absolute must, as the complexity of the tool layout can reach very high levels and exponentially affect production costs.
In order to reduce setup times, various methodologies (such as SMED) have been formulated, but above all production supervision systems (MES) have been introduced that can optimize the various phases precisely to reduce setup operations. Another effective possibility is to integrate in the machine self-tooling systems that act in function of centrally defined programs and transmitted to the machine via network.
AMADA HG-ATC: reduced setup and programming times
HG-ATC is the AMADA solution to effectively responds to the challenges of sheet metal bending, starting from the tooling. The suffix ATC means Automatic Tool Changer, an integrated unit that composes the tool layout by itself, reducing drastically time and cost. Even the most complex setup is accomplished with precision in less than 2 minutes. The advantage is noticeable not only in terms of cost, but also versatility: by reducing setup times, the machine easily adapts to a variety of different processes and meets current market trends without losing productivity. The machine is also equipped with two pairs of manipulators and a unit for automatic die cleaning to minimize maintenance operations.
The other critical issue that AMADA HG-ATC responds effectively is the machine programming time, a theme that is also associated with the skills gap addressed in other insights. The programming of the machine, according to the instructions of the technical office, has always been a time-consuming operation; moreover, it has always required advanced skills and an almost perfect knowledge of the machine, two qualities that only experienced operators could guarantee. This has given rise to a profound need for simplification, which finds in HG-ATC an exhaustive answer: here, the designer forwards directly to the machine the specifications of the component to be manufactured, specifications that are recalled by the operator and allow the machine to prepare independently for the processing to be carried out. This creates efficiency and allows less experienced operators to produce effectively.
HG-ATC, the benchmark for productivity
AMADA HG-ATC stands out for its outstanding technical features and functionality, which affect all production parameters.
First of all, the machine is equipped with an electrohydraulic drive system that guarantees optimal results in terms of speed and precision; moreover, by activating the hydraulic circuit only when necessary, this results in a reduction of consumption and, consequently, it acts positively on the sustainability front
The machine is also equipped with several features that affect the quality of the final result, such as the active compensation and the device for the detection and automatic correction of the bend angle. There are also the features for thickness measurement and the Force Control which, through the constant monitoring of the applied force, keeps the bend angle stable.
Among the different features that make HG-ATC a benchmark, and that we recommend to deepen by downloading the brochure, there is undoubtedly the latest generation AMNC 3i multi-touch numerical control with 18,5” display, which enables different types of programming and allows a complete management of machines and setup in a simple and intuitive way, positively affecting the productivity of the entire system. AMNC 3i is also an integral part of AMADA’s 4.0 industry vision, based on machinery interconnection, data enhancement and automation.
