Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) has made a new productive link between metal fabrication and additive manufacturing. The American machine tool manufacturer will showcase this concept at FABTECH 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. A trio of 3D printed press brake process enhancements will be on display and demonstrated at Cincinnati booth B5543 in the Additive Pavilion.
The three 3D printed press brake enhancements to be showcased are printed upper and lower airbend tooling, printed backgage fingers and a printed inspection gauge.
3D printing of standard American style upper and lower airbend tooling is particularly useful for specialized jobs, prototyping, or short production runs, eliminating associated engineering and production times that cause delays in getting these types of jobs up and running in a timely manner.
While many parts have complex shapes and contours, there can be challenges and delays in gaging properly and securely. With specialized 3D printed fingers, these challenges are eliminated as difficult parts are gaged in a fast, simplified, easy way.
With 3D printed inspection fixtures, all facets of a formed part can be checked at once, dramatically reducing the time spent measuring. This is especially ideal for longer parts that require multiple check points, or for cross sections with shallow bends.
These innovations are 3D printed using PLA, a milk-based plastic, which offers a green, environmentally friendly benefit. Prototype fabricators working in 12-gauge or thinner materials are ideal for this new technology, as are fabricators forming smaller specialty parts.
“We have been working with additive and press brake tooling since 2014, improving the effectiveness of forming with 3D printed pieces,” said Mark Watson, Senior Product Specialist of Vertical Motion Products at Cincinnati. “We have heard for years that you can’t find the hook that connects additive and fabrication, so we’re excited to visit Atlanta and, hopefully, start to change some minds.”
“This is very much a design tool,” Watson added. “Perhaps what we’re most excited about are all the new fabrication possibilities this can unlock for our customers. It will be a light bulb moment at the show.”
For more information on this marriage of 3D printing and enhanced press brake operations, visit Cincinnati Incorporated at FABTECH Booth B8439 in Metal Fabrication or B5543 in the Additive Pavilion.
About Cincinnati Incorporated
Cincinnati Incorporated, headquartered in Harrison, OH, provides manufacturers with accurate and dependable laser cutting and automation systems, plasma cutting systems, press brakes, shears and conveyor systems, powder metal presses, and large and small scale additive manufacturing solutions. The company was founded in the late 19th century and is a 2018 “Best Place to Work” recipient.
For more information, visit www.e-ci.com
