Numerically Controlled Bending of Metal Beams

Summary

The paper deals with the introduction of numerical control to a roll-bending process by which steel beams of any cross sections can be bent into desired arbitrarely plane curves.

Due to difficulties in formulating a relevant control model of the bending process by analytical means an empirical approach is suggested and a feasibility study of this has benn implemented.

A numerically controlled roll-bending mechanism in experimental scale has been designed and constructed.

From a program defining the desired shape of the beam and based upon the state of the bending process a control computer derives the necessary inputdata to a two axis path control system controlling the bending mechanism.

With the inputdata stored, the computer generate the desired curve in section, each section being bent through an iterative method to compensate the springback found in most engineering materials.

A simple adaptive control algorithm make the supply of information about specific properties of material unnecessray.

The experimental results obtained so far are presented and plans for future work are formulated.