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FOLDING
& FORMING

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Folding & Forming
Folding & Forming

Our sheet metal folding & forming capabilities are one of the most automated in a UK sub contract sheet metal manufacturer.

Ranging from conventional CNC press brakes to robotic and automated tool changing press brakes. Additionally we have two Salvagnini panel bending machines.

Folding & Forming

The level of automation in our sheetmetal folding and forming cell drives increased part accuracy with reduced set ups and short internal lead times for small batches, and can run unmanned lights out on larger production volumes with ease.

More detail on our folding & forming capabilities below:

Greenfield’s has a complete range of highly productive production press-brakes compliments the automated folding capabilities. From the latest HD and HFE press brakes with fast release separate sectionalised clamping arms increasing the capacity of close deep box folding.

Combining now the essential characteristics for any sheet metal forming, as off-line programming linked to 3D part simulation on the machine control to guarantee rapid set up & component repeatability of complex folding. The press-brakes are fitted with automatic bend sensors and digital bending calibration DigiPro™ functions that guarantees the accuracy and easy correction of any folding angle up to 3.0 metres in length automatically.

All of the press-brake models combines 7 axis back gauges for the most demanding sheet metal bending operation increasing optimum operator efficiency & output.

Greenfield hold a complete & comprehensive library of Amada multi quick change tooling for all material gauges, from specialist dies & vees covering beading, Dutch folding, curling, & corrugated folding to standard tooling for all disciplines.

Greenfield have two independent hybrid automatic Salvagnini panel benders. The first of which is the new P4 2516 with (ABT) advanced bending technology (ABA) automatic tool length adjustment (HPT) automatic component loading.

This gives precision sheet metal manufacturing an automatic flexible work cycle. The new cutting edge in advanced Salvagnini bending technology for all different types of multiple folds and complex radii bending. Greenfield can fold large sheet metal panels up to three metres long or additionally sets of unique kits of folded components.

This enables bent components to come straight from the panel benders ready to be assembled together as kits without waiting for all the parts to be finished eliminating pallets of WIP. Salvagnini panel benders are especially designed to remove the manual handling of large sheet metal panels when in operation.

A key advantage of the Salvagnini panel benders is they can be utilised for bending high or low volume panel work with zero set-up time. From one sheet metal part to the next gives many benefits to the production stream. Salvagnini gives our customers a more flexible and creative alternative to the limitations of standard conventional press brakes for sheet metal panel folding.

The average cycle time for Salvagnini panel bender to bend a panel with an array of complex negative & positive folding is under one minute!

The all electric Salvagnini P1 hybrid panel bender provides unmatched efficiency due to the 3 kW operating power consumption. In practice this means savings of up to 60% of the reduced electric needed to operate making it one of the most environmentally efficient folding machines on the market.

The small footprint 8 sqm still enables the Salvagnini P1 to bend large components up to 1250 mm -1000 mm – 1.6 mm giving sizeable part bending envelope.

With the additional options of automatic blank holder which adjusts itself to the dimensions of the panel being folded, completely eliminating tool changing.

Plus full automatic CLA auxiliary tools giving positive and negative folding between the blank and the bending blades.

This investment gives high productivity for folding sheet metal having the dynamics of the axis following the bending line enabling parts to be folded in less than 2 seconds per bend.

Greenfield are in a strong position for fully automated folding of sheet metal components having the only Amada Astro II 100NT Bending Cell in the UK with automatic tool and hand gripper changers. This gives the ability to offer components requiring complex bending more cost-effectively.

Standing next to the cell’s robotic handling arm is a static camera that scans identifies & checks the part before the bending cycle begins. Integrated into the Robot cell is a AC300U3 six pallet automatic stacking unloading conveyor which transfers stores the finished part after the bending cycle. This enables Greenfield more flexibility to process smaller batches as low as 50 off.

Now complex bent sheet metal parts can be run economically & cost effectively with a part change-over time of under five minutes. To utilise the system for full unmanned 24 hour sheet metal production the unloading conveyor gives the ability to change six pallets of different products giving in-excess of a shifts worth of bent part removal without manual intervention.

This is offering Greenfield’s customers a new level of automation for sheet metal manufacture not readily available in the UK. From a flat punched metal panel to a folded finished component ready for the next manufacturing process.

Greenfield’s two Amada HD1003 ATC automatic tool changing press brakes are helping to develop a different bending strategy. This enables more machine up time achieving unprecedented levels of productivity on average part runs of 40-60.

The ability to reduce time between set ups is increasing productivity and improving production performance on these smaller batch sizes. The HD ATC has made automation accessible and quick automatic tool changing has given our operators of varied experience the ability to interchange production seamlessly.

This has had an immediate knock on affect that is helping build a competitive advantage to customers’ products. Both machines carry 16 different sectionalised punches and 18 segmented die options. Most of the productivity gains are realised via the different tooling combinations that enable complex tool layouts to be set within 3 minutes.

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