the machine or, import IGES and STEP files and
automatically convert those into a bending program.
Collision detection is also part of the system with
VGP3D checking the feasibility of a part program to
ensure that there is no risk of damage to the part,
machine or tools. Health and safety is also improved
as operators have no reason to manually interact
with the machine to make any adjustments and the
safety features of the light guards and fencing offer
further protection during production. Other areas
were the BLM machines have advantages are their
multi-stack tooling system which allows up to three
sets of bending tools to be on the machine at any one
time, further reducing set-up times. The Push Bend
capability also allows flexibility in production which
allows small and large radii to be bent on the same
piece of tube, something that wasn’t possible of JML
Engineering’s hydraulic machines.
The initial success of the BLM Elect 52 was such that
Alistair quickly followed it with a second machine,
this time the larger Elect 80 with its capability to
bend up to 80 mm diameter tube. “At the time we
had no requirement to bend tube at that diameter,
but the extra capacity has given us the potential to
open up new opportunities and expand our customer
base. With the state-of-the-art nature of these two
machines we are in a good place to meet existing
and future demands from customers. We know we
are now far more efficient, both in production and
the environment as the all-electric machines use
less power and the working environment is a nicer
place to be without the constant noise from hydraulic
pumps and the associated oil leaks that went with
them.”
These two All-Electric Elect bending machines
have replaced four older hydraulic machines and
the switch from the experience, highly-skilled
requirement of those machines to the CNC controlled
Elect system is also something that resonates with
Alistair Bailey. “Finding people with the experience
and knowledge to operate hydraulic benders
efficiently is extremely difficult. We had minimal
training on the BLM machines and with that I am
confident that just about anyone could operate
them and produce high quality parts, which is what
we have built our reputation on. The control and
software are identical on both machines so there is
no problem switching from one to the other.
.
www.blmgroup.com
TUBE NEWS
June 2019
19