10 THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A CROWNING SYSTEM
If you’re bending large parts on a press brake and are having difficulty producing consistent bends across the length of the part, you probably need a crowning system. With so many available options, choosing the best crowning system may not seem easy, but it is important. Choosing the best crowning system will ensure that you are able to reduce your set-up times, improve angle accuracy, and avoid costly test bends and scrapped materials. Consider the following features and characteristics when choosing your crowning system:
1. Crowning Design
Arguably the most important feature when choosing a crowning system is the design itself. Early designs for crowning systems, some iterations of which can still be found on the market today, include stacks of mechanical wedges that can be increased or decreased in height, particularly in the center of the machine. While this design can work, it can lead to a staircase effect. If one stack of wedges is increased in height, the stack of wedges next to it will need to be increased as well. Otherwise the large difference in height will cause inconsistencies in the bend angle. This design requires more time and a skilled operator to be effective.
Modern high end crowning systems feature a design that adds crowning in a continuous arc, rather than in isolation like the mechanical wedges. WILA calls its own design the WILA Wave, and it features two opposing waves that are higher in the center where it is needed most and lower toward the ends. This design supports the dies across the whole length of the press brake while gradually increasing the crown in the center.
It’s also important to note that an effective crowning solution is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Be wary of any manufacturer that doesn’t offer custom crowning solutions, as it is often necessary in order to meet specific press brake and press brake tooling requirements and achieve repeatable accuracy.
2. Manufacturer
It should go without saying that the company that manufacturers the crowning system can say a lot about its quality. Make sure to choose a crowning system from a company that has years of experience and expertise in manufacturing crowning systems. Some other factors to consider when evaluating manufacturer:
- Do some research to see how many (and which) press brake manufacturers offer the crowning system you’re looking at. A press brake manufacturer’s faith in a particular crowning system can speak volumes. You can also do the same for distributors to get an idea for the manufacturer’s overall reputation in the industry
- Consider the level of after market and installation service that the company is willing and able to provide, even if the service is offered through your distributor. It’s important to have a go-to contact for support for setting up and caring for your crowning system. A crowning system that is not set up properly can produce just as many inaccuracies and headaches as not having one at all.
- This data may be difficult to find, but try to gauge how many units the manufacturer has sold and are still in use. Sales volume can be another way to gauge overall reputation and quality.
- Consider the manufacturing process for the crowning system. Is it produced entirely in-house? Manufacturers that control their own manufacturing process have much more control over their product and can typically offer better accuracy and consistency.
1. Crowning Design
The KRRASS Pro® Adaptive CNC Crowning system enables theuser to offset deformations of the beam while bending. thus, the angle iskeeping constant along the entire plate length.
Advantage:
- Easy reversibility of tools because of symmetrical adaption
- Hand crank with digital readout or CNC electric drive connected direct to the machine
- Hardened to 28–32 HRC which makes it substantially tougher than the competition
- Micro crowning every 200mm
- T & Y adjustable 0–0.76mm (0–0.030″)