Sequence Planning and Tool Selection for Bending Processes of 2.5D Sheet Metals

Abstract

Planning of an appropriate bending sequence is one of the most important aspects in the processing of sheet metals as the appropriateness of the plan affects correct selection of bending tools and feasibility of bending processes. This study aims to propose a set of principles to be followed for the planning of bending sequences and selection of bending tools for 2.5D sheet metals. To this end, we first define basic bending patterns by characterizing each pattern with a set of operation rules. The sheet metal is then decomposed into a series of bending patterns that is in turn used in the planning of bending sequences. In order to select the bending tools, we combine the contours of each bending operation, choose appropriate bending punches from the bending-tool database, and then undertake an interference check with the bending contours.

Automatic computation of bending sequences for wire bending machines

“…In particular, in (Ong et al 1997) an algorithm based on fuzzy set theory is presented, while in (Thanapandi, Walairacht, and Ohara 2001a,b) and (Kannan and Shunmugam 2008) optimal and near optimal bending solutions, based on the application of genetic algorithms, are proposed. A further and last approach, presented in (Lin and Chen 2014;Lin and Sheu 2012;Rico et al 2003), is based on the decomposition of the bending sequence into a series of basic predefined bending patterns, i.e., basic shapes like channels of spirals, each one with an associated operation rule. To complete the state of the art on the automatic computation of bending sequences, it must be noticed that a simulation based bending sequence planning has been proposed in Terakado 1998, 1999), while (Koguchi, Aomura, and Igoshi 2000;Koguchi and Aomura 2002;Aomura and Koguchi 2002) focused on the bending sequencing problem considering a robotised bending solution.…”