Flux Reference Manual

  • Welcome to Flux
  • Introduction
    • Installing the Software
    • The User Interface
    • Part Workflow
    • The Machine Database
  • Cut
    • Basic Workflows
      • Part Workflow
        • Load Part
        • Sketch Mode
        • Measure
        • Modifying Laser Part
        • Nesting
        • Sequence Navigator
        • NC Code Generation
      • Job workflow
        • Create Job
        • Set Laser Technology Table (LTT)
        • Nesting
        • Automatic Part Placement
        • Manual Part Placement
    • Advanced Topics
      • Geometry Import Options
      • Advanced Tooling Options
        • Editing Microjoints
        • TwinLine
        • FlyLine
        • Dimple Approach
        • Remainder Sheets
        • Pie-Slug Circular Holes
        • Avoid Retooling Pierces
        • Finishing Rules
        • Clone LTT
      • Advanced Nesting Features
        • Mirrored Parts
        • Find a Part in Nest Layout
        • Filler parts in Nest Layout
      • Advanced Tooling Optimization
        • Contour Quality
        • Optimizing Stability with Scrap Cutting
        • Optimizing Tilting Behaviour
        • Space Out Slice Cuts to Avoid Collision
        • Minimize Number of Different Layouts
        • Dynamic Level Setting
      • Advanced Menu Options
        • Context Sensitive Menus
        • Hierarchy of Settings
        • Multi-Selections
        • CSV Output
      • Manual Sheet Slicing Cuts
      • Text on Parts
    • Application Settings
      • Cut CAM
        • Layout
          • Nest Settings
          • Sheet
          • Sheet Handling
          • Skeleton Cuts
          • Work Support
        • Laser CAM
          • Sequence
      • Cut Outputs
      • Cut View
  • Bend
    • Basic Steps of Flux Bend
    • Basic Workflow
      • The Main Panel
      • The Workflow Panel
      • Batch processing
      • Modifying the Geometry
      • The Bend Navigator
      • Editing the Bend Solution
        • Editing a Bend
        • Changing the Bending Sequence
        • Editing a Tool Mount
        • Editing a Bend Setup
        • Editing the Back-Gauges
        • Angle Measurement
        • Using a Pre-Bend
        • Editing multiple mounts
        • Adding a Tooling station
      • Recomputing the Bend Solution
      • Generating Bend Outputs
      • Export Bend Report
    • Design of bend parts
      • Min Radius and Flange Length
      • Corner Design
      • Bending Tolerances
      • Selection of Tools
    • Advanced Workflow
      • Preparation of Bend Parts
        • Preparing a 2D drawing
        • Editing a Drawing
        • Add Bending Information as Text to DXF
        • Measuring and changing Outer Dimension
        • Preparing 3D models
        • Preparing an Assembly
        • Component Detection
        • Form Detection
      • Edit Tools
        • Changing Tool Map
        • Change Tool Segmentation
        • Editing Tool-mount Segments
        • Adding a Gap into the Tool
        • Use a Double-V Adapter
        • Tool Priority
        • Creating a Tool
      • Using Bend Deductions
      • Control Visibility
      • Comment Section in Bend Panel
      • Tools/Machine Tonnage Check
    • Settings
      • Application Settings
        • Bend CAM
          • Bend Outputs
          • Bend View
          • Bend Cell
      • Database Settings
        • Materials
        • Machines
        • Bend Tools
        • Bend Deductions
        • Bend grippers
        • Forms/Components
      • Bend Settings
      • Machine Defaults
  • Robotic Bending
    • Overview of Robotic Bending
    • Basic Steps of Robotic Bending
    • Workflow
      • Part Pickup
        • Pickup from a Pallet
        • Pickup from a Dispenser
      • Insertion Strategy
      • Bending Strategy
      • Regripping (RG) Stations
        • Re-Grip Stations
        • Methods of Regripping
        • Adding ReGrip
        • Modify ReGrip Position
        • Remove ReGripping
        • Regrip with a Jaw Gripper
        • Gripper Panel & Suction Panel
      • Extraction Strategy
      • Part Deposit
        • Adapt Part Deposit
        • Adding Parts & Stacks
          • Deposit Panel
          • Add Separator Sheets
          • Lock Part-Rest
          • Repeat Grid Field
          • Deposit Sequence
        • Deposit Pattern Types
      • Waypoints
        • Adapt WayPoints
        • Display Waypoints
        • Simulate Waypoints
        • Modify WayPoints
        • Properties of Waypoints
    • Advanced Topics
      • Cell Configuration
        • Track Setup
        • Gripper Inventory
        • BendCell settings
      • Gripper Configuration
        • Create/ Edit a Gripper
        • Import Gripper from DXF
    • Troubleshooting Bend Errors
      • Part Pickup Error
      • Collisions with Machine
      • Overtravel of Axis
      • Modifications of Waypoints
      • Collisions while Insertion and Extraction
  • Fold
    • Switching to Fold CAM
    • The Fold View
    • Editing Operations
      • Editing a Bend-Op
      • Editing a Side/Section
      • Changing the Sequence
      • Editing the Blank-holders
      • Editing the Gauging
      • Editing the Blades
      • Editing the Loading
      • Editing the Unloading
    • Tool Management
    • Fold CAM Summary
  • Generic Application Settings
    • Drawing
      • Layers
      • Dimensions
      • View
    • Environment
    • Import/Export
  • Flux Reports
    • Report Designer
    • Fields, Pictures and Tables
    • Bands (sub-reports)
    • Labels, Bitmaps and Shapes
  • Appendix
    • Supported 3D Formats
    • Separator Sheet DXF
Fold
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Editing Operations
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Editing the Blades

Editing the Blades

Blade Panel

The blade settings for each bend can edited by accessing the Blade Panel. To access the blade panel for a particular bend:

  • Switch to that bend by clicking on the number in the fold navigator, or by using PageUp / PageDn keys.

  • Click on the standard blade, the ZBW blade or the ZBW blade carrier to open the Blade panel

Edit-Blade

The blade panel is displayed as shown alongside. Here are the various settings you can control from this panel:

  • Use the Air-gap setting to adjust the air-gap. As the air-gap is adjusted from its default value, the Fold Navigator will display a non-standard air-gap warning. Collision checking will also be done immediately with the updated air-gap and you can tune the air-gap to prevent collisions. The bending force will also be computed, and if you set the air-gap so low that the maximum bending force is exceeded, the fold navigator will display this as an error.

  • The Use ZBW blade toggle can be used to turn on or off the use of ZBW blades for this bend. If the bend is too long, or no ZBW blades are available, this may be greyed out (moving the mouse over the check-box will tell you why it is greyed out).

ZBW Settings

  • Click on the ZBW Settings header to open that section, if it is closed.

  • Use the Mount list to select if this bend should use a blade mounted on the Left carrier, or the Right carrier. For bends that contain multiple segments, you can also choose Both, to indicate that some segments are processed with the left blade while others are processed with the right blade

  • Use the Blade selector to pick one of the ZBW blades available for this machine.

  • Use the Position selector to change the position of the blade along the machine’s bending axis. For both blades, this position indicates the location of the reference edge of the blade (the edge closer to the back-gauge) along the machine’s bending axis, with 0 being at the center. As you adjust this position, you can see the ZBW blade immediately move, and the navigator at the top displays the current status. These are the possible status indicators.[1]

    • It is possible the blade is slightly short of the bend span (5 to 10 mm short). This is indicated as a warning.

    • It is possible the blade is more than 10 mm short of the bending span (the bend overhangs the blade by more than 10 mm on one side or the other). This is indicated as an error.

    • It is possible the blade collides with the part during the bending cycle; this is indicated as an error.

  • Use the Length input to enter the length of the blade. It is possible to create a blade mount that has multiple spans, separated by gaps.

Clearance

  • Click on the Clearance header to open that section, if it is closed

  • Use the Insert clearance value to adjust the clearance between the ZBW blade and the part as the blade is inserted.

  • Use the Extract clearance value to adjust the clearance between the ZBW blade and the part while the blade is extracted (or moved to a different position for the next bend). The image below shows how the clearance is measured [Clearance](Img/zbw-clearance.png)

Mount Lengths and Gaps

Mount length

The image above shows Both mounts being used. There is now an additional section that allows you to enter the position and length of the second mount. The Length 2 setting has been set to 95,-55,95. This means that there is a 95 mm section of blade, a 55 mm gap, and an additional 95 mm section of blade. Positive numbers are used to indicate blade lengths, while negative numbers indicate gaps between blade segments. The measurements always start from the reference edge of the blade carrier (the edge closest to the back-gauges).

Using this length input, it is possible to compose a blade with any number os segments, separated by gaps. Note that the blade segment lengths are limited to being multiples of 5 mm, while the gaps can be set at any value.

Note 1: The same notation (of using positive number for spans, with negative numbers for gaps) is also seen in the tool-tip that is displayed for such a multi-segment bend.

Blade Tooltip

Note 2: The notation is also used to express the blade length in the NC code that is generated. The Notes section of the NC code shows this blade compsition thus:

Blade NC

1. As you adjust the blade position and length, these errors or warnings are immediately computed and updated, so it is quite simple to adjust these until the blade length and position are perfect.

Contents

  • Blade Panel
  • ZBW Settings
  • Clearance
  • Mount Lengths and Gaps
Editing the Gauging Editing the Loading

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