TUBE NEWS TN December 2018 | Page 10

The tool technique is perfectly matched to the product. transfluid Reduces Set-Up Times Greater flexibility thanks to secure tool systems and setting-up procedures for all aspects of tube processing The demand for greater process flexibility in tube manufacturing keeps growing. That includes minimizing idle time, such as the set- up time, from the very start to the first finished component that meets the specifications. During the set-up time the chances of the operator making a mistake should be minimized or even completely eliminated. Therefore, the processes need to be secured and there shouldn’t be any possibility of a tool mix- up. The Japanese principle of “Poka Yoke” teaches us that it is possible to prevent errors by incorporating multiple elements with technical features, such as immediate detection and prevention of errors. This is particularly important in the case of complex machines and production units that have to meet exacting demands. 10 TUBE NEWS December 2018 Systems to get into the right position and geometry To achieve an even safer and more effective tube production, the solution-finders at machine manufacturers transfluid have further developed and improved their whole product range.  With the t bend bending machines it is no longer necessary to make any manual adjustments on electrically powered units. Bending tools can be mounted securely on the bending machine to reduce set-up time. In addition to that, all tool components can be assigned a code in a corresponding system. This coding ensures that the right tools are used for the product and that they are positioned correctly; it also ensures that the parameters for the required geometry are applied. Checking that the right equipment is being used can be done either with a manual scanner or automatically. Special crease smoothers can now