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Product category: Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls
News Release from: Bosch Rexroth - Electric Drives and Controls | Subject: Servomotors
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 08 August 2002

Servos drive all-electric tube bending
machine

Rexroth is supplying advanced servomotors, control units and drive components for the latest all-electric, absolute positioning EB76 tube bending machine from Eurobend.

The Electric Drives and Controls division of Rexroth is supplying advanced servomotors, control units and drive components for the latest all-electric, absolute positioning EB76 tube bending machine from Eurobend Featuring 10 different axes of servo motion and acknowledged as the fastest in its class, the first machine was exhibited in Hanover and has now been shipped to Caterpillar in the USA, where it will be employed for bending a variety of configurations including hydraulic systems, exhaust pipes and general tubular components

The first all-electric machine from Plymouth-based Eurobend, the new EB76 offers outstanding flexibility, reduced cycle times, enhanced accuracy and repeatability, programmable speed control on each axis and absolute encoding, which eliminates complex datum routines and ensures faster start-up.

Sized for bending 76mm diameter tube, even with heavy duty walls, this model is targeted primarily at the worldwide exhaust production market, although it is equally suitable for roll cages, suspension components, bull bars, aircraft parts, heat exchanger components and similar applications and represents a genuine breakthrough for volume manufacturers in this sector.

The Rexroth electric drive solution, featuring 2AD asynchronous motor, MKD synchronous motors and DKCO2 servo amplifiers, offers a number of key operational advantages for Eurobend and its customers, notably in-built absolute encoding, type IP65 water and dust protection, an industry-standard Sercos digital interface, comprehensive diagnostics facilities and global technical support.

Compared with hydraulic operation, the all-electronic system means quieter running, less heat dissipation, no fluid contamination, minimal maintenance, high precision accuracy and significant savings on build and ownership costs.

With more than a decade of systematic product development and manufacture in the field of tube manipulation, Eurobend has created a range of standard machines for bending and end-forming tube and pipe up to 220mm in diameter, which meet the exacting requirements of its customers worldwide.

The company recently relocated to a purpose-built head office and factory on the prestigious Langage Science Park in Plymouth, at the same time investing in new CNC machinery and upgrading to a solid modelling design system.

Its current models incorporate advanced EBV6 control software, which offers on-screen 3D simulation of an entire bend program, uploads data from CAD packages and outputs full design drawings.

Multi-direction bending is also an option for automatic changeovers in direction, adding to the machines' flexibility in use.

When Eurobend embarked on the development of its latest ultra efficient all-electric model, Managing Director Phil George invited the technical input of leading drives and controls specialist Rexroth, in the person of General Automation Manager, Mike Clarke.

"Mike rolled up his sleeves and got involved straight from the start", says George.

"He advised on the mechanisms required and proved that Rexroth servo motors would do the job.

We're delighted with the outcome and, of course, their global sales network means that spares and after-sales support are readily available to our customers worldwide".

The new EB76 mandrel-type tube-bending machine has a total of 10 axes of movement, each of which is powered by a Rexroth servomotor.

The main C or bending axis is driven by a powerful asynchronous motor, coupled to a low backlash Rossi helical-bevel gearbox, which runs at 26rev/min and delivers exceptionally high torque.

Rexroth offers the widest range of servomotors on the market and, whereas an asynchronous unit was selected for maximum power on the bending axis, MKD synchronous motors are used for precise positioning and holding torque on the remaining axes.

Thus, the y or collett axis, which pushes the tube through the bending process, features an MKD112 28Nm synchronous motor running at up to 130m/min and matched to a compact, high efficiency Alpha worm gearbox, which offers the advantage of a powerful collet boost and high speed indexing from one mechanism with ring rolling capability.

Other pressure-die and clamp-positioning/adjust axes are powered by similar arrangements, with smaller motors (12Nm/2.7Nm) and gearboxes of varying ratios.

The mandrel, powered follower and B or rotation axes are powered by MKD112 motors driving precision ballscrew mechanisms, while the collett rotate axis is directly driven by an MKD07 8Nm servo.

These ruggedised Rexroth motors incorporate absolute encoders, which provide precise positional information on power-up and eliminate time consuming and often complex datum routines.

This saves valuable machine time when starting shifts and means positions are not lost during power failures.

The motors are linked to compact Rexroth DKC servo amplifiers, containing the complete power supply, control and regulation electronics, which are housed in a separate enclosure.

The DKCO2 control units specified for this application incorporate a Sercos interface, the industry-standard serial real-time communications system.

This enables Eurobend to use all the benefits of digital technology and facilitates plug-and-play interconnection with the company's chosen Beckhoff controller, as well as providing extensive diagnostic facilities that are not available with analogue systems.

Data transfer between the DKC units and main controller is via fibre optic cables, providing maximum interference immunity.

It all adds up to a sophisticated, reliable, yet economical electronic drive and control solution that, added to Eurobend's own market-leading tube manipulation and software technology, makes for an impressive new machine, which has already drawn enquiries from as far afield as Australia.

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