METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING BENDING MACHINE DIE LAYOUT

• US 20090308130A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amada Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Amada Company Limited
• Inventors: Senba, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 72/379.200
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 5/02 on press brakes without making use of clamping means

Abstract

A method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, the method including the steps of: designating a bending machine die layout; extracting a region, in the designated die layout, where a punch and a die face each other, as a virtual die stage; and assigning the extracted virtual die stage to each bend line using a sheet metal shape model of a working part.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, comprising the steps of:

designating a die layout of a bending machine;

extracting a region, in the designated die layout, where a punch and a die face each other, as a virtual die stage; and

assigning the extracted virtual die stage to each bend line by using a sheet metal shape model of a working part.

2. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

creating a list of the assigned virtual die stages in a bending order.

3. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 1, wherein

when a plurality of the virtual die stages are assignable to a part of bending processes required for the working part, one having a better material handling efficiency among the virtual die stages is assigned.

4. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 2, wherein

when a plurality of the virtual die stages are assignable to a part of bending processes required for the working part, one having a better material handling efficiency among the virtual die stages is assigned.

5. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

when any of the virtual die stages is not assignable to a part of bending processes required for the working part, additionally generating a new virtual die stage suitable for the part of the bending processes to which the virtual die stages are not assignable.

6. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

when any of the virtual die stages is not assignable to a part of bending processes required for the working part, additionally generating a new virtual die stage suitable for the part of the bending processes to which the virtual die stages are not assignable.

7. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

when any of the virtual die stage is not assignable to a part of bending processes required for the working part, additionally generating a new virtual die stage suitable for the part of the bending processes to which the virtual die stages are not assignable.

8. The method for utilizing a bending machine die layout, according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

when any of the virtual die stage is not assignable to a part of bending processes required for the working part, additionally generating a new virtual die stage suitable for the part of the bending processes to which the virtual die stages are not assignable.

9. A bending workability determination apparatus for determining bending workability by utilizing a bending machine die layout and using a sheet metal shape model, the apparatus comprising:

a module for designating a die layout that is a die condition for determining whether or not the bending method is suitable;

a module for extracting one virtual die stage related to a single bending process in the designated die layout;

a module for specifying a bending process to be subjected to determination of workability; and

a module for determining workability of bending by using the extracted virtual die stage as the die condition in the specified bending process,

wherein

when a result of the determination of bending workability is positive, a bending position in the die layout is calculated.

10. The bending workability determination apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

a portion, in the die layout, where a punch and a die face each other, is extracted as a virtual die stage.

11. A bending order generation apparatus for generating a bending order by utilizing a bending machine die layout and using a sheet metal shape model, the apparatus comprising:

a module for inputting a sheet metal shape model for generating a bending order;

a die layout setting module for designating a die layout as one of conditions for generating the bending order;

a module for extracting one virtual die stage related to a single bending process in the designated die layout;

a bending search module for searching for the bending order by extracting a bend line of the sheet metal shape model; and

a bending workability determination module for determining, by using the virtual die stage as a die condition, bending workability at a specific node during the searching by the bending search module,

wherein

when the search for the bending order is successful, the bending order including a bending position is outputted.

12. The bending order generation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

a portion, in the die layout, where a punch and a die face each other, is extracted as a virtual die stage.

13. A bending data adaptation apparatus for converting bending data into bending data adapted to designated die setup, the apparatus comprising:

a module for inputting a sheet metal shape model and bending data corresponding to the sheet metal shape model;

a module for specifying a die layout to be adapted;

a module for extracting one virtual die stage related to a single bending process in the designated die layout; and

a module for searching for a suitable one of the virtual die stages by determining bending workability in each of processes according to a bending order specified by the bending data,

wherein

when a virtual die stage suitable for all the processes is found, bending data at a bending position in the die layout is outputted.

14. The bending data adaptation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

a portion, in the die layout, where a punch and a die face each other, is extracted as a virtual die stage.