Our New AFES-3DxT models are here! Unveiled at the Interwire 2019, AFES, is an updated five servo axis, turret tool changer machine with an ultra-fast servo cutter at a very attractive price!
The most flexible, versatile 3D machines in the market.
Multiple Mandrel Indexing Tool Head Option
All AFES-3D benders are available with the Turret Head indexing tool head option. Turret Head
machines feature not just one but TWO programmable bending pins. The hard bending pin is
used for short bend-to-bend requirements and producing parts with extremely complex bends.
The roller bearing bending pin is used for radius generation in making rings, spirals or large radius
bends.
The multi-mandrel tool cluster holds round pins, roller tools, and sharp bend dies…all of which are
user replaceable. The Servo Wire Cutter provides burr-free square cuts and is capable of
a “zero length” cut-off.
Expandability – Versatility
All 3D benders can be expanded by adding accesories. Adding modules for inline secondary operations such as chamfering, threading, undercutting and flattening can extend the versatility of your AccuForm AFES-3D machine. Stand-alone floor mounted units are available for chamfering, threading, ball-end radius and cold heading. Multiple axes pick and place units can automatically transfer formed parts to secondary machine operations. A second bending head can be added for extremely intricate bends.
Wire Bending Made Easy
The AccuForm modular line of 2D & 3D programmable CNC steel wire benders make virtually any kind of simple or complex parts from round and flat wire.
Using AIM’s SmartEditor program, a variety of different shapes can easily be designed.
SmartCode can be used for standard shapes such as rings, polygons and spirals by simply entering
the desired lengths, number of sides or diameters.
DXF files can be imported from your CAD system. Animation Simulation shows the part being formed before production begins allowing changes to be made prior to machine operation.
“Dial-a-Service” allows access to any machine worldwide via internet allowing diagnostics to be
performed within minutes.
AIM uses the world’s preeminent servo system. Accuracy and repeatability of AIM machines are exceptional, so the wireforms produced will only be limited by the quality and consistency of the wire supplied.
S-curve positioning profiles give smoother acceleration and deceleration, minimizing shape distortion while achieving higher speeds at minimum possible power usage. Furthermore, the exclusive AIM Ultra option can in most cases double or triple the production rates from the standard models and grants the AIM equipment the title of the highest working speeds in the market.
AIM “Four Wheel Drive” wire feeders are capable of operating at lower pressure, which means no wire marking. Using V-groove rollers, you can run more than one wire diameter per groove and by using two V-grooves per roller, wire capacity doubles. Power transmission is through a high torque, precision drive belts and in some cases, high precision planetary gearboxes; NO adjustments needed.
AccuForm machines come with “true wide-range straighteners”. A two-plane straightener with V-groove double row ball bearing rollers is standard on all AIM single head machines. Each plane contains two different roller sizes on two different center distances from each other. For the lower half of the machine wire range, you would typically use only the smaller rollers and for the top half of the wire range only the larger rollers are used. This design allows easy and efficient adjustments and eliminates many difficulties one could have for the lower or upper end of the wire range. It is like having two wire straighteners incorporated into one assembly.
A quick release adjustor bar on each straightener minimizes changeover time. By using these preset adjustor straightener bars, changeover time can be as short as ten minutes allowing for a quick and easy wire diameter change. Wire diameter change is even faster with the AIM optional Automated Indexing Turret System (AITS), which can hold and index up to six straighteners.
Servo cutter for strong and fast cuts: A powerful servo cut mechanism provides fast and precise motion for the extra heavy duties of the machines, such as the cutting of the wire.
AIM machines incorporate simple design and easy access plus worldwide available parts. Simplicity, robustness, functionality and speed are AIM’s basic engineering principals. Easy tool changeover makes the setup quick and efficient. AIM machines have an excellent reputation for customer support and spare parts delivery.
AIM uses robust engineering for long life and low maintenance. Using enclosed type brushless servomotors along with highest precision planetary gearboxes provides the best machine operation. All critical components have over-temperature, over-current, and over-voltage protection installed. All bearings used are oversized and double-sealed for longer life expectancy and lower maintenance. The design of the AccuForm machines provides for maximum safety standards and life expectancy factors. AFES machines are carrying a one year parts and labor limited warranty, optionally extendable. Excluded are the wear parts that ¡°touch¡± the wire (such us cutters, rollers, etc.), although all of these wear parts are made from the hardest tool steels and heat-treated to Rockwell scale 55°-65° degrees.
For the AFM line, the newest Windows® is standard. No extra fees, no contract needed!
The Software Animation utility allows the user to view an animated production simulation of a part before the machine even produces it! This way the user can easily verify the programs for mistakes and errors. A collision detection feature is available, so that the user can prevent program miscalculations and rearrange part flow for optimum production.
Another AIM pioneering feature: “Dial-A-Service™” allows access to any AIM machine worldwide. The customer simply connects the machine to a telephone line or an Internet gateway and the machine’s computer connects to AIM’s Technical Support department. Within minutes, diagnostics can be reviewed and initiated.
SmartEditor® has a standard DXF/XYZ import feature that can import your CAD files directly and convert them into part files on your screen. AIM also provides the original machine buyer Lifetime Free Upgrades on the machine software. Since AIM compiles its own software, all suggestions and program change requests are fulfilled regularly and free of charge, taken that the requested change or improvement is beneficial for the majority of the users and falls within AIM’s expertise.
Statistical analysis with the touch of a button – a standard SmartEditor® feature! Let the computer figure it out – production rates, time, shifts, days, wire needed, wire spools required, including spool changeover time. All the factors involved are parametric and are customizable to fit every need. Using the SmartEditor® Office version (available upon customer request), you can use the “EZ-Quote” analysis from your office PC. Production statistics can be saved automatically, locally on the machine or on a network computer for review and analysis frequently needed by ISO 9000 quality analysis programs or the customer’s lean manufacturing system.
AFM-3Dx-T Machine Description
The AFM in the model number stands for “AccuForm Modular” meaning the machine configuration is modular.
The basic version of the AFM-3Dx line has a feeder module and a bender module. Each module provides its own operation, yet all modules are controlled and synchronized from the same computer system. On the AFM-3Dx line, the computer system mounts with the bender module.
The feeder module feeds the wire through a straightener to the bender module. The bender mechanism bends the wire according to pre-programmed data and “shears” it with an integral hydraulic cutter. The turret option (-T) adds one servo axis to the bender module, for automatic and programmable bending tool-change along with a second bending pin. The turret option allows for on the fly programmable tool changes, making up to 8 different bend radii available without requiring physical tool exchange. Two bending pins are available with the turret option, where usually one is a roller for generated radii and the other is a hard pin for “tight” bends.
Additional modules are available to modify the machine configuration depending on the specific production requirements, e.g. in-line chamfering module (AL8) or in-line die module (AD15). Please contact your AIM representative for a comprehensive production analysis and review of all the modules available to help develop the best system configuration for your production needs. As AIM is on the cutting edge of wire shop work-cell design, AIM Engineering is always developing new methods to increase the production floor flexibility.
To get familiarized with the AIM wire bending concept and to better understand the principals used, following is brief description of a simple step by step right angle, 90-degree wire bend operation:
1) Feeder module feeds the first length of the wire sample
2) Bender positions at –30 degrees position, ready for bending operation
3) Turret positions to the pre-selected tool position
4) Bending pin engages
5) Bender moves to the required 90-degree position bending the wire in the process
6) Feeder feeds the second length of the sample part
7) Cutter cuts the wire
The above steps are simple and very familiar to anyone that has worked with wire bending. In conventional programming, a user would have to enter all of the above steps individually into the CNC controller unit.
How about speeding up the above production?
It would be preferred to perform the first four steps at the same time and not have to worry where to position the bender. Since we are only truly concerned with a part made of 90-degree bends, it would be advantageous not to enter every small machine movement to accomplish this task.
This simple task is indeed complicated machine logic, but AIM’s exclusive SmartEditor® software generates the algorithms needed by the machine controller automatically. AIM has created an algorithm that builds motion algorithms! All of the above steps can be represented with just three numbers and a bend radius (tool selection). The user only programs the actual part shape, not every machine movement!
The AIM user simply enters lengths and angles that comprise the desired part and SmartEditor® does all the rest. Advanced users can also control the exact steps of the equipment when an intricate part operation requires absolute coordinate programming.
In addition to programming simplicity, AIM machine construction is exceptional. AIM machine frames incorporate solid steel plates, minimizing vibrations and providing the greatest possible stability at extreme operating speeds. This design enables AIM machines to deliver the fastest production rates in the market!
Additional Features:
- Robust frame construction for fast and consistent production
- SmartEditor® Windows® programming, office version available for off-line programming
- Dual processors allow concurrent part production and new part programming
- Instant Production Statistics for estimating
- “Dial-A-Service” tech support via modem or Internet
- Optional extra I/O for auxiliary equipment
- Optional STEP File Import
- Tool changeover in 8 minutes. Highest overall forming speeds in the industry
- CAD import of DXF/XYZ files directly into SmartEditor® programming software
AFES-3Dx-T Machine Details
1.1 Two Plane Wire Straightener
Every AFES-3Dx machine is equipped with a two-plane wire straightener. Each plane consists of 11 “V” groove roller bearings. Two different diameters of rollers allow straightening a wider range of wire with just one straightener. Wire range: 2mm to 8mm (0.07” to 0.315”). Wire linearity: < 5:1000 at 6mm (0.236”) wire diameter. For wire diameters under 2mm (0.07”), an additional straightener is required.
1.2 Feeder
Used for the feeding and positioning of the wire. Consists of four driven rollers, one wire guide, sprocket-belt reduction unit, precision hi-torque drive (HTD) belts and one brushless servomotor.
Feed Speed: 152 meters/min (506 ft/min)
Repeatability: +0.1 mm (+0.004″)
1.3 Wire Length Measuring Device
Wire positioning feedback consists of a pair of rollers: one stationary and one with an adjustable pneumatic load. The stationary roller connects through a flexible coupler directly to an incremental rotary encoder providing accurate position feedback to the machine controller.
1.4 Machine Controller & Operator Panel Computer: Industrial Panel PC, integrated touch screen, 15” LCD color monitor, industrial sealed keyboard with integrated pointing device, high capacity storage hard drive (80 GB min), Fast Ethernet network ready and video camera for machine monitoring, videoconferencing or servicing available. The operating system is Windows® 10.
1.5 Z-Axis Arm:Bender mounts on an H-Beam base that rotates around the center of the wire. All electrical connections pass through a robust energy chain with a smart design that allows +/-190 degrees of motion.
1.6 Servo Cutter Unit
Strong Servo and Gearbox combination for fast cutting and long life.
1.7 Bending Head and 1.8 Cutting unit: Standard turret tooling consists of a cluster with four bending radii and both hard and roller bending pins.
Max. Bending angle Unlimited
Precision +0.05º
Drive AC brushless servo motor
Transmission Precision planetary gearbox
Cutter material D2 tool steel, hardened 58 HRC
Wire Payoff unit (Turntable): Model P270-5, fully automatic powered Payoff Unit, capable of handling coils weighing up to 2000 Kg (4400 Lbs), 5 Hp AC motor, electronic speed control with AC Vector Drive, adjustable tension for the dancer control arm. Speed range: 5-70 RPM, rotating base Ø: 1140mm (45″), heavy-duty construction with oversized tapered bearings assures maintenance-free operation, main electrical panel supplies all electrics – eliminating the need for a separate electrical connection box.
Utility Requirements:
480 VAC, 3 Phase 50/60 Hz, < 1 CFM air supply.
400VAC, 3 Phase & CE Certification available
- Concurrent Operations: Dual processor allows programming a part while running production
- Production Statistics for cost estimating & scheduling
- 2D DXF file transfer & optional 3D Step file import
- Animation / Bending simulation allows you to see programmed moves before running production
- Remote, off-line programming with stand-alone software or through installed network card
- Color touch screen monitor and industrial grade sealed keyboard for data entry
- Simple programming with Windows 10 based operating system
- Exceptional accuracy and repeatability
- Sealed, oversize bearings for low maintenance operation
- Wire fed directly from coil
- A variety of servo drive options for combinations of faster feed and bending speeds
- One keystroke transition between Metric and English units of measure
- Merge individual part programs for production of complete assemblies or program to make alternating parts
- Programmable delay or hold functions to match downstream operations in work cells
- Spiral software function allows user to define any spiral with just three numbers
- Easily accessible tooling for minimal setup and change over time
- Hardened and precision ground tool steel moving parts for exceptional wear and tool life
- Optional I/O’s for interconnection of auxiliary equipment such as robotics, threading units & inspection devices
- Highest overall production speeds in the industry
- Network ready for “Dial-A-Service”
- Serial, Ethernet & USB Ports
- Safety barrier with safety interlock door included
- Extended rotation of bending arm for efficiency and reliability
- Fully automated payoff unit included: 5Hp, 2000 Kgr (4500 Lbs) capacity
- Temperature controlled electronics cabinets with washable filters