The ELECT XL all-electric 12-axis tube bending machine from BLM GROUP USA brings new levels of productivity, flexibility and accuracy to the bending of large diameter (up to 150 mm/6 in.) tube, making it the ideal choice for many demanding automotive, machinery, motorcycle, hydraulic, railway and shipyard applications. Flexibility and productivity are both enhanced by the fact that the ELECT XL is a multi-stack bender capable of holding up to 8 tool sets permitting rapid processing of complex parts and faster changeover, benefits not generally associated with the bending of large diameter tubes. The machine can be converted into right-hand or left-hand configurations, and features both fixed or variable radius bending.
Changeover times are further reduced because all critical machine settings, such as clamping, pressure die, mandrel, etc., are automatically established by ELECT XL’s innovative VGP3D software and managed by the CNC control. The fact that there is no longer any need for time-consuming manual adjustments during set up, results in less scrap.
ELECT XL’s advanced all-electric design is central to its accuracy, efficiency and cost effectiveness. Electric drivers allow the production of very tight radii and of complex shapes with guaranteed repeatability. In addition, maintenance costs and downtime can be significantly reduced, thanks in part to the elimination of all hydraulic devices such as fittings, tubes, cylinders and valves. Importantly, the full-digital connections of the motors allow users to obtain diagnostic information about each machine component, also economical to operate, with power consumption reduced up to 80% compared to electro-hydraulic machines, and it is environmentally friendly since oil spills and costly oil disposal become things of the past.
Another key to ELECT XL’s superior performance is VGP3D, its easy to use, yet advanced 3D graphical programming software. By simply inputting the component’s bend coordinates the software can quickly provide real-time simulation of the bending operation and automatically correct for possible collision points. By automatically selecting optimum machine parameters for the cycle, thus decreasing setup and cycle times, VGP3D maximizes productivity, in some cases by as much as 200%, while simultaneously enhancing quality and minimizing operator involvement. The software system also permits off-line programming for high degrees of automation and production planning.
- bends large diameter (up to 150 mm/6 in.) tube
- capable of holding up to 8 tool sets
- all-electric design
