Benefits of the Comco Series Tube and Pipe Bender

Windows Touch Screen Controller - Comco KB Series CNC Pipe Benders feature the user friendly Windows platform for program development and all other human – machine interface functions combined with PLC’s for all actual machine control functions. This combination has several important advantages over competitive designs that you need to consider when purchasing your CNC pipe bender:

• Comco uses only industrial grade PC’s designed for continuous operation in the shop floor environment where heat, dirt, and RF noise are common.
• All actual machine control functions are controlled by PLC’s for maximum stability and operator safety.
• Features:
  - Real-time Self-Diagnostics
  - Detailed Alarm History
  - Password Protection
  - Maximum Part Program Storage
  - Manually Operate with Pictures for Ease of Learning
  - Run up to five (5) separate parts at one time (alternating)
  - Add additional programming lines before and after bend (up to 60 line each)
  - Online Help Manual
  - USB Capability for Offsite Storage
  - Built-in Calculator
  - Production Management Screen
  - Automatically Calculates Arc Length in FPB Screen
  - Easily insert "Once-Stop" in Bend Sequence
  - Use ‘Teach Mode’ to obtain the perfect program and eliminate setup scrap
  - Ability to Resume from a Safety Mat Interruption without scrapping part

Drop Away Clamp Assembly - Designed to allow maximum clearance between the bend and clamp dies during loading and between bends, the drop away clamp assembly design provides the ability to bend more complex parts:

• Comco uses a toggle link assembly within the bend arm to retract the clamp die to a position out and below the bend die during tube loading and positioning between bends. This provides the maximum distance and clearance as the tube is maneuvered into position for the next bend.
• At the clamp close command, the toggle assembly moves the clamp die up and in with a simultaneous motion to reduce the chance of interference.
• The Advantages of the clamp toggle links are designed to help achieve machine stability and longevity:
  - Design reduces excess wear and tear of associated mechanical forces
  - Specially machined and heat treated to last
  - Only top quality materials are used
• Results in very stable and consistent clamp operation over the life of the machine and reduces scrap due to misalignment of clamp associated with mechanical wear.

Multi Radius Capability - Comco KB Series CNC pipe benders are available in one, two, or three radius designs allowing you the flexibility to bend multiple radius parts with ease or reduce set-up time between parts.

• The dual radius –ND pipe benders are the most popular designs, providing maximum flexibility with minimal increase in cost over single radius designs.
• Overhead tie bar assemblies are included as standard on triple radius pipe benders and above and available as options on dual radius. This assembly provides the additional support necessary to maintain the rigidity and accuracy of the bend stack when utilizing upper die positions.

Nema Style Electrical Cabinetry - One of the key features of the Comco design is the Nema style control cabinet. The cabinet is gasketed, filtered and ventilated to provide the cleanest possible environment. Air for cooling enters through fiberglass filters in the doors that are easily removable for cleaning as part of routine maintenance. All cable entrances are sealed to prevent air used for cooling hydraulics from entering this critical area. By keeping critical control components such as servo drives and PLC’s clean and cool, machine stability is improved and life expectancy improved.

Cable duct is utilized in this cabinet for effective wire management. All terminal points and cables are clearly labeled to facilitate service. Well designed component layout provides ample room and easy access for routine maintenance and troubleshooting. 120v convenience outlet is provided. Cabinet is lockable to prevent access by unauthorized personnel.

Most CNC pipe benders spend their lives in a production floor environment where cooling is critical to component survival. Traditionally, air is pulled into the machines and circulated over all the critical components to keep them cool. In a clean environment, this is a reasonably good method. Air in the shop floor environment however, is usually hot and laden with oil vapor, metallic dust, and dirt. Air used for cooling the hydraulic compartment where it picks up additional oil and heat is circulated into the control cabinet. Over time, critical components become thickly covered with this mix which leads to overheating and other problems. Maintenance and troubleshooting become more time consuming and overall machine life is shortened.

Tooling Capability - So, you like the features and quality of the Comco KB Series CNC pipe benders but have a storeroom full of tooling for your old pipe bender? Don’t let your inventory of expensive bender tooling prohibit you from enjoying the many benefits of the Comco pipe benders. We have a solution!

In most cases, Cambridge Machinery can design and fabricate new tool mounts that allow you to use your existing tooling on your new Comco pipe bender, eliminating the high costs associated with a complete re-tooling. All mounts are checked prior to shipment to insure proper alignment, fit and function on your new bender.

When new tooling is needed, a quick support tooling change allows you to use tooling specifically designed for the Comco KB Series, providing the highest quality bends possible to meet the strictest customer requirements. Cambridge Machinery can assist you with your tooling needs at competitive prices.

In either case, all Comco pipe benders provide quick and easy tooling changes with a minimum of adjustments.

Autoloader Compatible - All Comco KB Series pipe benders are designed to accept a wide variety of front and side autoloaders. Whether your application calls for a simple loader, high capacity hopper style with seam detection or a complex robot loader, you can be confident your Comco pipe bender will be up to the task.

Comco superior design, robust construction and premium quality components are designed to provide years of trouble free service under the most demanding production schedules. It’s all about providing machine stability over a very long period of time.

In addition to providing several styles of autoloaders as part of a complete bender package, Cambridge Machinery can provide integration of our Comco pipe benders with your existing autoloader or new work cell.

Remote Controller Station - Comco KB Series CNC pipe benders utilize a pedestal mounted controller station. Some of the key benefits of this design include:

Improved Safety – Controller can be located in the safest possible position for the operator during program development. Machine mounted controllers place the operator in close proximity to the bending area where greatest risk of injury exists.
Improved comfort – Controller height can be changed to suit operator.
Reduced interference during bending – Controller can be moved as necessary to eliminate interference during production bending. Machine mounted controllers offer little if any position adjustment which can affect part development and production.
Reduced RF interference – Control cables are routed directly from the controller to the control cabined via flexible conduit. Machine mounted controllers must route critical control cables through hydraulic compartments where servo motors and hydraulic pumps produce large amounts of RF noise greatly increasing the chance of interfere and machine instability.
Improved operating environment – By removing the controller from the machine, heat and vibration are reduced. All controllers feature forced air ventilation and fiberglass filters to keep critical components cool and clean.
Improved part development process– Controller can be positioned closer to the bend area for more effective part development.
Color touch screen interfaces – Large, easy to read screens standard on both Yaskawa controller and Windows versions.
Separate operator station – Operators station with all necessary production controls is mounted on a separate pedestal and can be positioned independently of the controller, allowing for the safest and most effective placement.

Wide OD Range - The compact design and fast bend speeds of the KB Series CNC pipe benders contributes to their ability to cost effectively bend a wide range of tube sizes with minimal interference issues and low cycle times.

Compact Design - Floor space is one of your most expensive assets and one you definitely need to consider as part of your capital equipment investment. Comco KB Series pipe benders save you valuable floor space by providing you some of the smallest footprints of any CNC pipe bender available without sacrificing accessibility or quality.

The Comco KB Series pipe bender designs make the most effective use of available space which provides a very small foot print and still allows ample room for access to critical components for routine service. Component layouts are designed for maximum access, effective cooling and cleanliness.

Features -

• Machine Footprint – The machine footprint is very compact, demonstrating a well thought-out design that saves you floor space. Saving you floor space allows you to have more room to make money doing other things.
• Designed for maximum clearance (see space below bend head), the Comco bend head design allows you the flexibility to bend symmetrical parts with minimum interference.
• The Positive-locking drop away clamp assembly provides additional clearance for complex parts and the positive lock reduces scrap by eliminating slipping during bending.
• The compact design of the hydraulic compartment features an easy to access hydraulic unit that vents to the outside of the cabinet, keeping the components cleaner and running cooler which leads to longer life. Servo motors are easy to access.
• Note how few electrical cables are visible and compare it to the abundance of cables located in our competitor’s hydraulic cabinets. By utilizing our remote mounted controller, control cables are routed directly to the control cabinet, eliminating the need to route these critical cables through this area where high RF noise can adversely affect performance and stability of the machine.
• Cable duct is utilized for effective management of all necessary control and power wiring. All terminal points and cables are clearly labeled to facilitate service. Note the individually fused outputs designed to protect critical CPU and I/O boards and facilitate troubleshooting.

One of the key features of the Comco design is the Nema style control cabinet. The cabinet is gasketed, filtered and ventilated to keep these critical components clean, critical to cooler operation and longer life. Cable duct is utilized for effective wire management. All terminal points and cables are clearly labeled to facilitate service. Well designed component layout provides ample room and easy access for routine maintenance and troubleshooting. 120v convenience outlet is provided. Cabinet is lockable to prevent access by unauthorized personnel.

Comco KB Series pipe benders feature an all-welded frame, along with a one-piece top-plate, machined to precision for the most level carriage platform possible. This type of attention to detail insures maximum rigidity and superior accuracy for the life of the bender.

Extreme Accuracy - Accuracy is critical in tube forming applications. Inaccurate and inconsistent bends result in lost production time, increased scrap material, missed deliveries and higher production costs and if not corrected, lost business and revenue.

Comco KB Series CNC pipe benders not only provide higher initial accuracy than many lower cost competitors, they hold that accuracy over the expected life of the machine. The superior design, rigid machine frame, premium quality components, and highest quality manufacturing craftsmanship coupled with proven stable control systems all contribute to the extremely high accuracy of the Comco KB series products. Comco machines have been field proven to sustain their superior accuracy in over 20 years of actual shop floor production.

THK Bearing and Rails - Comco KB Series CNC Pipe Benders utilize genuine THK bearings and rails exclusively on the feed, carriage, and pressure die assemblies for smooth operation, maximum rigidity, accuracy, and longevity. Some of the key benefits of the THK bearings and rails include:

• THK LM Guides can handle 13 times the work load and last 2,200 times longer than conventional linear guide ways (round shafts) of the same ball diameter.
• Designed for smooth movement, high running accuracy, high positioning accuracy, high rigidity in all directions, and high speed production operation. You’ll never again have to worry about whether or not your machine can produce the required tolerances to keep your customer happy.
• THK designs their bearings and LM guides to provide less friction than any competitor, thereby providing smooth operation and long maintenance-free operation.
• THK is an acronym that stands for Toughness, High-quality, and Know-how.
• The THK brand is a world leader in linear bearings and rails and you can be sure that you are not dealing with a cheap imitation that may or may not work effectively. These bearings have been operating under some of the most stringent bending conditions all over World and we have over 700 machines across North America alone.
• View the link below to see how THK helps Comco machines to meet the highest possible quality specifications in the industry.
  http://www.thk.com/technical/download/a.html