Modification Of An Existing Metal Sheet-bending Machine

The swing beam is a manually operated bending machine and it is extensively used in our community today by steel fabricators and production workshops. It is extensively used because it does not require electricity. The swing beam bending machine is easy to operate and it can bend a metal sheet of about 2.5mm.
DESIGN
The sheet metal bending machine that is designed and reported here is the swing beam type consisting of a clamping beam, bending beam, machine bed, supporting frame and the bend

1.3    Operation  Characteristic of the Bending Machine
The design is such that will carry out vee-shape angle bend on a sheet metal of maximum thickness of 2.5mm and maximum width of 8ft (2 1    . e. a standard sheet metal plate length. A sheet metal thickness above 2.5mm cannot be bend by this machine but can be bent by a press brake. Press brake may be of either mechanical or hydraulic operation i.e. the power to drive the press is by a flywheel or by hydraulic rams (khurmi and Gupta, 1979).
1.    The essential components of the bending machine are:
2.    Clamping beam with threaded shaft, it hold the sheet metal to the machine bed.
3.    Machine bed, it houses the sheet to be bent.
4.    Bending beam, this ensures the folding of the sheet metal.
5.    Pedestal, it supports the entire machine.
Turning the threaded shaft anti-clockwise, the bending beam lift up and an opening created, then, metal strip can be slotted into the machine for bending. Turning the shaft clockwise the bending beam comes or clamp down onto the machine bed, the sheet is clamped in between the clamping beam and the machine bed. By lifting the folding handle /bending lever up, the sheet metal bends into shape. The handle is released, the shaft (threaded) is turned anti-clockwise and the sheet is removed.
A back gauge is provided to control the length of sheet that enters into the machine for bedding in case where sheets to be cut are smaller in length between the back gauge and the bending zone. Metal sheets are measured and marked; the marked portion is placed alongside the edge of the folding blade.