TRUMPF to launch Flex Cell Bending Automation at FABTECH Canada

TRUMPF has announced that it will be introducing the Flex Cell mobile bending cell to North American market at FABTECH Canada, which takes place in Toronto from June 11 to 13, 2024.

The cell offers efficient bending in combination with the TruBend 7050 press brake. In just a few simple steps, operators can dock the mobile robot cell onto the bending machine and operate it automatically. The machine can run autonomously for several hours.

The combined footprint of the cell and the TruBend 7050 is under 10 square metres.

“The Flex Cell gives fabricators a quick and easy way to automate the TruBend 7050, which is TRUMPF’s fastest bending machine,” said Julian Schorpp, automated bending sales engineer, TRUMPF Inc. “This is another great example of how TRUMPF is focused on customer needs and feedback-driven solutions.”

The cell has a double-sized material buffer that ensures it has enough material to feed the TruBend 7050 throughout a night shift. A vacuum combination gripper on the robot arm enables fast and safe loading and unloading. Using the TRUMPF TecZone Bend software, a bending program can be created in just a few seconds. The operator is then able to program the robot by means of an app and the teach panel.

The automatic double-sheet detection enables the cell to recognize if unprocessed material has stuck together during loading and then eject it.

It is suitable for components with a format ranging from 600 by 400 mm to 70 by 50 mm. It can process sheet metal of between 0.7 and 6 mm in thickness.

Combined with the TruBend 7050, the Flex Cell is ideal for companies seeking a solution to problems caused by a shortage of labor and that would like to increase productivity through automation, according to the company.