wiredInUSA Magazine

Wafios Machinery Corp

Booth 400

Wafios develops, designs and produces specialist machinery for the wire and tube processing industry and for cold-forging applications. The company has more than 130 years of experience, and the range of products includes more than 130 types of machine.

The company has developed new approaches to machines with assisted or automated functions help the user and make everyday processes faster. Particular aims were to make set-up processes easier; to allow inexperienced operators to be better supported; and to replace operator training with a software assistant.

The BM 36 HS high-speed wire-bending machine demonstrates the abilities of an operator level 3 machine, assisting the operator throughout the entire set-up process and supporting individual operations by means of automated functions. Only non-automated functions require the know-how of the machine's operator.

The fully assisted machine actively guides the operator through the set-up process. The software explains all settings step by step, and integrates iQ functions automatically. The adaptive iQplug&straight straightening process is the highlight of the machine. The iQ function measures a straightened wire rod using a sensitive laser, and the software's artificial intelligence suggests optimised settings for the straightening rollers.

Other fully assisted functions such as iQwire enable the graphical representation of the bending process. The system calculates the production output before and during the set-up of the workpiece, reducing rejects and collisions. A simplified input of tools helps inexperienced users in setting up or converting the BM 36 HS.

The individual functions iQsmartbend and iQinspect, integrated in the user-assistance system, optimise parts of the bending program automatically. iQsmartbend calculates oscillations of the bent part occurring during the bending process and automatically optimises the process accordingly. iQinspect uses an external measuring device to measure and correct the workpiece geometry independently.

The Wafios group of companies consists of parent company Wafios AG, based in Reutlingen, Germany, plus several locations throughout Germany, France, Portugal, the Americas and Asia.