CNC press brake fires-up production: building "one-of-a-kind" fire trucks, this operation demands the same of its fabricating equipment as its customers demand of its trucks, speed and flexibility.(Forming/Fabricating)

One-of-a-kind manufacturing challenges are the house specialty at Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corporation (Nesquehoning, PA). Kovatch (KME) builds custom-designed fire trucks, rescue trucks, industrial foam vehicles, and aircraft refuelers. What their customers want is what they deliver.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"Everything is interesting here because everything changes," said Ernest Smith, KME shop supervisor, who oversees the facility's fabricated part production. "Take the cab on a fire truck," he notes. "Even with a fairly standard design, fabrication becomes a never-before-seen challenge when the customer decides to raise the roof a good 13" (330mm)."

Flexibility

As the largest privately-held manufacturer of customized specialty vehicles in the United States, KME offers customers over 300 fire cab configurations. When shopping for a new press brake, the company needed a system that could handle short runs, complex parts, and unwieldy, over-sized materials. With its older press brakes needing 45-minutes to one-hour preparation to make one 90[degrees] bend, the company was understandably eager to reduce its set-up time.

Searching through a maze of equipment manufacturers, Smith states that performance was only part of the equation in KME's hunt for its perfect press brake. "We shopped around for weeks." Smith says. "We visited several press brake manufacturers throughout the country to see what they offered. More often than not, manufacturers were focused on their machinery ... We wanted a manufacturer that would first work to understand our business and our needs, and then recommend a system based upon their findings."

KME needed a system that was fast and flexible, however part accuracy, precision, and repeatability were extremely important criteria. The manufacturer purchased two Bystronic PR Series press brakes, each with a 6-axes backgauge. Following installation, the two systems were up and running at full capacity in two weeks. The new brakes process vehicle body parts out of 3/16" (4.76mm) aluminum with pieces running 153"-236" (389-599cm) in length.

Increased Productivity

Smith states that the increase in productivity at KME has been substantial. On its previous press brake, it would take on average six to eight people two hours to form one side sheet. Now, on the PR system, processing that same side panel takes two people--with some assistance from the CNC lifting aids on front of the machine--just 30-minutes. Where it used to take Smith's team two full days to form four individual truck bodies, it now takes just four hours.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

With such productivity gains, Smith shut down four of the older press brakes--machines that were running all day, six days a week. Six press brake operators were moved to different facilities in the company. "It is just incredible what these two press brakes have done for us in terms of reducing our part run-time, operating costs, and man-hour costs," observes Smith.

Set-up time reductions have been another significant advantage of the new systems.

Where typically it would take an operator up to one hour just to set up and pack the die with shims on the old machines, now it takes five minutes to do ten pieces. Smith adds, "The crowning system works just great for us. It saves us a tremendous amount of time and helps us get a dead-on, 90[degrees] bend quickly and easily."

Offline Advantages

Smith notes that the CNC controls and the easy-to-use offline programming software were tremendous time-saving features. "Not only was our set-up time reduced, but the part was done fast and done right the first time." Offline programming figures out the bend sequence so the user can see graphically how the part will be handled. It also demonstrates if there are any potential collision points. "We just punch in the material thickness into the program and then put the piece on the machine. After that, the piece is done," Smith explains.

The facility's downstream processes have also benefited.

It was not uncommon to get waves all along the finished part when forming a 90[degrees] bend in a 3/16" (4.76mm) sheet that is 170" (432cm) long. "Now, since installation of the new brakes," Smith says, "you can visit any of our other plants, and there is not a single issue concerning part straightness or consistency. Even on our large bodied trucks that carry extra long side panels, the sides are perfectly straight and uniform."

At KME, the high level of part accuracy generated by the new press brakes has allowed the company to rethink its manufacturing processes to streamline job flow and generate an even higher quality end-product.

Optimized Process

For the past three months, Smith's team has been forming parts that are longer and wider than ever before. In bending parts for the sides of trucks, traditionally there were four pieces that were individually formed and then welded together. Now, in place of theses four small parts, there is just one large panel. "This," Smith explains, "has minimized assembly time and increased product quality considerably." Bystronic

www.rsleads.com/408mn-204 or Circle 204 for more information

CNC press brake fires-up production: building "one-of-a-kind" fire trucks, this operation demands the same of its fabricating equipment as its customers demand of its trucks, speed and flexibility.(Forming/Fabricating)

One-of-a-kind manufacturing challenges are the house specialty at Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corporation (Nesquehoning, PA). Kovatch (KME) builds custom-designed fire trucks, rescue trucks, industrial foam vehicles, and aircraft refuelers. What their customers want is what they deliver.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"Everything is interesting here because everything changes," said Ernest Smith, KME shop supervisor, who oversees the facility's fabricated part production. "Take the cab on a fire truck," he notes. "Even with a fairly standard design, fabrication becomes a never-before-seen challenge when the customer decides to raise the roof a good 13" (330mm)."

Flexibility

As the largest privately-held manufacturer of customized specialty vehicles in the United States, KME offers customers over 300 fire cab configurations. When shopping for a new press brake, the company needed a system that could handle short runs, complex parts, and unwieldy, over-sized materials. With its older press brakes needing 45-minutes to one-hour preparation to make one 90[degrees] bend, the company was understandably eager to reduce its set-up time.

Searching through a maze of equipment manufacturers, Smith states that performance was only part of the equation in KME's hunt for its perfect press brake. "We shopped around for weeks." Smith says. "We visited several press brake manufacturers throughout the country to see what they offered. More often than not, manufacturers were focused on their machinery ... We wanted a manufacturer that would first work to understand our business and our needs, and then recommend a system based upon their findings."

KME needed a system that was fast and flexible, however part accuracy, precision, and repeatability were extremely important criteria. The manufacturer purchased two Bystronic PR Series press brakes, each with a 6-axes backgauge. Following installation, the two systems were up and running at full capacity in two weeks. The new brakes process vehicle body parts out of 3/16" (4.76mm) aluminum with pieces running 153"-236" (389-599cm) in length.

Increased Productivity

Smith states that the increase in productivity at KME has been substantial. On its previous press brake, it would take on average six to eight people two hours to form one side sheet. Now, on the PR system, processing that same side panel takes two people--with some assistance from the CNC lifting aids on front of the machine--just 30-minutes. Where it used to take Smith's team two full days to form four individual truck bodies, it now takes just four hours.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

With such productivity gains, Smith shut down four of the older press brakes--machines that were running all day, six days a week. Six press brake operators were moved to different facilities in the company. "It is just incredible what these two press brakes have done for us in terms of reducing our part run-time, operating costs, and man-hour costs," observes Smith.

Set-up time reductions have been another significant advantage of the new systems.

Where typically it would take an operator up to one hour just to set up and pack the die with shims on the old machines, now it takes five minutes to do ten pieces. Smith adds, "The crowning system works just great for us. It saves us a tremendous amount of time and helps us get a dead-on, 90[degrees] bend quickly and easily."

Offline Advantages

Smith notes that the CNC controls and the easy-to-use offline programming software were tremendous time-saving features. "Not only was our set-up time reduced, but the part was done fast and done right the first time." Offline programming figures out the bend sequence so the user can see graphically how the part will be handled. It also demonstrates if there are any potential collision points. "We just punch in the material thickness into the program and then put the piece on the machine. After that, the piece is done," Smith explains.

The facility's downstream processes have also benefited.

It was not uncommon to get waves all along the finished part when forming a 90[degrees] bend in a 3/16" (4.76mm) sheet that is 170" (432cm) long. "Now, since installation of the new brakes," Smith says, "you can visit any of our other plants, and there is not a single issue concerning part straightness or consistency. Even on our large bodied trucks that carry extra long side panels, the sides are perfectly straight and uniform."

At KME, the high level of part accuracy generated by the new press brakes has allowed the company to rethink its manufacturing processes to streamline job flow and generate an even higher quality end-product.

Optimized Process

For the past three months, Smith's team has been forming parts that are longer and wider than ever before. In bending parts for the sides of trucks, traditionally there were four pieces that were individually formed and then welded together. Now, in place of theses four small parts, there is just one large panel. "This," Smith explains, "has minimized assembly time and increased product quality considerably." Bystronic

www.rsleads.com/408mn-204 or Circle 204 for more information