WAFIOS celebrates diversity – among people and machines. Its wire bending machines offer flexible bending solutions for round or profiled wire as well as for tubes. Modular tool solutions, an assisted setup procedure and a new insulation stripping device are just a few of the many new developments when it comes to wire bending.
Turbulent times bring uncertainty for manufacturers and consumers alike. Yet one thing is certain: WAFIOS machines are a safe investment in the future. The built-to-last machines unite the highest quality standards, innovative developments and increased productivity.
The WAFIOS product portfolio extends from wire straightening and cutting machines to chain manufacturing, spring and wire bending machines and is rooted in many years of experience. For manufacturers seeking maximum precision and performance, the High-Performance series are the perfect choice. While for economical production ranging from prototypes to high volumes, the Performance machines are ideal. Defined packages of supplementary equipment round out the optimized basic scope of equipment.
Increase speed with the HighSpeed machines
Providing a boost in terms of both speed and performance, the highly dynamic drives of the HighSpeed machines in the BM series raise production to a new level. The powerful machines epitomize flexible production of highly complex bent wire parts, focusing on large volumes and the highest quality standards. Thanks to iQsmartbend, which is already included in the basic price of the BM HS series as a 5-year license, the CNC high-end wire bending machines achieve up to 40 percent higher output, depending on the workpiece produced, compared with the predecessor machines. The iQ function optimizes bent parts fully automatically in terms of their vibrations in the bending process; the reduced vibrations accelerate the bending process and significantly increase the output achieved.
Yet when it comes to manufacturing various bent parts, it is more than simply speed that plays a role.
Straighten with ease
Each new wire coil involves a new setup process. The straightening devices are set manually, and the process mainly depends on the experience of the operating personnel. Straightening results and the time required therefore vary from operator to operator. Modern software such as iQplug&straight cancels out these variations. The AI-based iQplug&straight software guides the operator systematically through the optimum setup of the straightening devices.
The iQ function measures a straightened rod with the aid of a highly sensitive measuring assembly outside the machine. The software’s artificial intelligence suggests optimized settings for the straightening rollers, making time-consuming straightening settings a thing of the past.
Modular tool system: always the right bending radius
A straightened wire is not the end of the story. Until now, new, adapted bending tools have been needed to deal with new bending geometries or new wire dimensions. Designing and manufacturing these tools costs time and money. The new modular tool system for High-Performance machines solves this problem.
The patented system consists of a toolbox which can be used to put together a bending tool with two bending radii within just a few minutes for the entire operating range of the machine. There is no design or manufacturing stage. Developed specially for the MBS tool, the simplified tool input in the WAFIOS Programming System (WPS 3.2 EasyWay) enables the required process data and characteristics to be created quickly and automatically. The process is based on minimal inputs and can be completed in next to no time. As a result, a new bending tool can be created with ease, or the existing tool configuration can be adapted rapidly.
The bending system is available for wire diameters from 2 to 13 mm and is compatible with the BM and BMU machines. Depending on the wire material and quality requirements, the bending pins are available with or without coating or as a roller.
Improved insulation stripping device
Even the manufacture of bent parts made from coated wire is a simple task thanks to the optional solutions for WAFIOS machines. The new FSA 2.5 insulation stripping device offers new possibilities for production, such as the option to process enameled copper wire. Applications include electronic connectors, such as those used in electric motors or in power electronics. The insulation stripping device has a radially defined feed for the stripping knives, provided by a servomotor, and ensures that the coating is removed reliably and the copper material is removed as defined.
The user-friendly design enables the indexable inserts with PCD cutting edges to be changed quickly. The WAFIOS Programming System WPS 3.2 EasyWay provides a convenient and straightforward solution when it comes to programming and entering parameters. The clean and efficient stripping process ensures no additional processing is required.