An automated tube bending cell has been developed by Unison which provides a complete end-to-end loading/end-forming/bending and vision inspection process in the footprint typically required for a standalone tube-bending machine. Called Uni-vercell, its novel, all-electric machine architecture is centred on an articulated robot arm.
Two major innovations are at the heart of Uni-vercell. The first is the replacement of a tube bender's carriage with an articulated robotic arm. By adapting the arm with a simple collet for gripping and rotating the tubular part, the arm is able to hold and manipulate the part continuously from pick up, through end forming, tube bending and inspection stages, to final release. This eliminates the cost of the carriage and the large space required for the carriage bed, as well as numerous intervening reference points, jigs and handling equipment that might normally be required when building a cell from discrete components.
The second major innovation is the development of an all-electric end former, to provide software-controlled, two-stage end forming (flaring and compressing). Compared with conventional hydraulic end formers, this approach eliminates the pump and tubing -- and the associated heat, noise, energy consumption and environmental issues.
