News&Events

Electrical Servo CNC Panel Benders Maintenance Manual

Electrical servo CNC panel benders are advanced equipment that uses an electric servo system as the core power source and is precisely controlled by a CNC program for automated folding of sheet metal workpieces. The maintenance of the electrical servo CNC panel benders is extremely important, which not only affects the operating efficiency, processing accuracy and service life of the equipment, but also directly affects the production safety, cost control and delivery capabilities of the enterprise.

1. Basic composition of electrical servo CNC panel benders

The electrical cnc panel bender is an intelligent device specially used for multi-station, high-precision sheet metal processing such as flanging, folding, and forming of metal sheets. It is particularly suitable for the automated processing of complex bending processes such as 90°, reverse bending, Z folding, and curve folding on the product edge. It is an upgraded device for more complex sheet metal edge forming needs after the CNC bending machine. It is also commonly called:

Flexible bending center
Servo bending unit
Intelligent panel bender workstation

Equipment structure table:

Module	Functional description
Servo motor system	Provide power to drive the movement of each axis, replacing the traditional hydraulic system, with fast response, high precision and low energy consumption
Folding system	The folding knife moves forward and backward to complete bending at different angles, including positive folding, reverse folding, double folding, Z-shaped folding, etc.
Pressing system	Use servo-controlled clamps to clamp the plate stably to ensure that it does not move during processing
CNC control system	CNC interface programming and control, which can integrate automatic compensation, 3D simulation, fault diagnosis and other functions
Automatic feeding system (optional)	With a robotic arm or suction cup device, it can realize automatic loading and unloading and multi-station handling

The difference between the automatic electrical servo CNC panel bender and the traditional plate bending machine:

Comparison dimensions	Automatic panel bender	Traditional flanging machine
Mold dependence	Few or even no molds	Requires a large number of customized molds
Product switching	Quick switching, no need for long downtime	Time-consuming mold change, difficult to cope with multi-variety production
Control method	CNC+servo drive+parametric programming	Mechanical adjustment, poor repeatability
Degree of automation	High, can integrate robots and intelligent production lines	Low, usually manual loading and unloading

2. Core advantages

Electrical servo CNC panel benders are CNC device that is driven by a servo motor and controlled by a CNC system to automatically flanging sheet metal workpieces through multi-axis linkage. It is widely used in edge forming of sheet metal shells, chassis cabinets, electrical panels, automotive parts, etc.

Compared with traditional hydraulic bending equipment, it has comprehensive advantages in precision, efficiency, environmental protection and intelligence, and is one of the important equipment of intelligent sheet metal factories.

Advantages list of electrical servo CNC panel benders:

Advantages	Detailed description
High bending accuracy	Servo motor closed-loop control, repeatable positioning accuracy can reach ±0.05°, and the bending consistency is extremely high
Quick changeover	No need to change molds frequently, support program switching, automatic adjustment of paths and angles, suitable for small batches of multiple varieties
Energy saving and environmental protection	Compared with hydraulic presses, energy consumption is reduced by 30~50%, no hydraulic oil leakage, and low operating noise
High degree of intelligence	Integrated MES/ERP, 3D graphics simulation, bending database, remote diagnosis and pre-maintenance reminder functions
Safe and reliable operation	Equipped with grating protection, emergency stop system, and safety door interlocking mechanism to ensure operator safety
Strong scalability	Support supporting robots, AGV logistics, code scanning recognition, etc. to realize intelligent sheet metal production lines

Functional features of cnc panel bending centers:

Features	Description
High flexibility	Can adapt to various workpiece shapes without changing the mold
Multi-station combination processing	Panel bender + forming + trimming are completed in one go, reducing the transfer process
Excellent precision control	Electric servo control, angle error within ±0.1°
Automatic program scheduling	Supports importing CAD drawings to generate flanging paths
Intelligent detection and compensation function	The system can automatically identify plate thickness differences, material rebound and adjust parameters

Typical application industries:

Chassis and cabinet manufacturing (such as power and communication cabinets)
Sheet metal home appliance housing (such as air conditioners and refrigerator panels)
Elevator door panels, elevator sheet metal structural parts
New energy vehicle battery shells, pallet folding parts
Stainless steel kitchen equipment, medical equipment structural parts

Applicable industries and typical workpieces list

Industry fields	Application examples
Electrical sheet metal	Chassis panels, electric meter boxes, air conditioning ducts, washing machine back panels
Cabinet and casing	Power cabinets, communication cabinets, server housings
Automobile manufacturing	Battery pack housings, body structure reinforcements
Kitchen and bathroom equipment	Hood covers, stainless steel sinks, operating tables
Medical/environmental protection equipment	Stainless steel housings, medical racks, purification system panels, etc.

3. The importance of maintenance of electric servo CNC panel bending machines

The maintenance of electric servo CNC panel benders is crucial. It is not only related to the operating efficiency, processing accuracy and service life of the equipment, but also directly affects the production safety, cost control and delivery capabilities of the enterprise. The following is a specific analysis of the importance of its maintenance.

1) Ensure high-precision and stable operation of the equipment

The electric servo CNC panel benders rely on a high-precision servo control system. If problems such as improper lubrication, zero drift, and guide rail wear are not handled in time, it will lead to:

Increased folding angle error
Workpiece deformation and reduced yield rate
CNC program execution accuracy is affected

Regular maintenance can prevent processing accuracy drift and maintain a repeatability accuracy of ±0.1°.

2) Extend the service life of the equipment and avoid high maintenance costs

Key components such as servo motors, ball screws, and guide rails are expensive, such as:

Motor overload and failure to clean will cause burning
Lack of lubrication on the slide rail may cause irreversible wear.

Daily cleaning and lubrication can extend the service life of the equipment by more than 3 to 5 years.

3) Reduce the risk of sudden downtime and ensure production continuity

Sheet metal production usually has high requirements for delivery cycle. Once the equipment stops due to failure, the consequences include:

The whole line stops production
Cumulative order delays
Damage to brand reputation

Regular inspections and preventive maintenance can reduce more than 80% of unplanned downtime.

4) Improve operational safety and prevent human-machine accidents

CNC panel bending machines are high-power equipment. If safety functions such as safety photoelectric, emergency stop buttons, and limit sensors fail due to lack of testing, it will seriously threaten personnel safety.

Regular safety system self-inspection and functional testing are key means to ensure employee safety.

5) Maintain energy efficiency and save energy and reduce consumption

If the servo system accumulates dust and poor cooling for a long time, it will lead to:

Increased power consumption
System load temperature rises and efficiency decreases

Cleaning the heat dissipation channel and fan filter can ensure energy-saving operation of the system and reduce electricity expenses.

6) Improve intelligent management and data traceability capabilities

With the development of equipment networking, maintenance records have become an important data support in MES and equipment management systems (EMS):

Provide a basis for fault diagnosis
Optimize maintenance plans
Assist in production decision-making

Establishing standardized maintenance files will help enterprises achieve digital management of equipment.

4. How to maintain CNC electric servo panel bender machine?

1) Daily inspection and maintenance (before starting the machine every day)

Item	Contents
Power System	Check whether the power wiring is loose or ablated. Confirm that the voltage is normal (±10%).
Servo Drive Unit	Check whether there is an alarm indication. Check whether the fan is cooling smoothly.
Clip system	Check whether the clamping claws/suction cups are clean, without jamming or damage.
Folding knife components	Check whether the folding knife has cracks, wear, jamming and other abnormalities.
Clean	Wipe the outside of the equipment to prevent metal dust accumulation.

2) Weekly maintenance item sheet

Items	Method or standard description
Slide rail/guide rail lubrication	Use the manufacturer’s specified grease (such as lithium-based grease), clean and relubricate
Fixing bolt inspection	Check whether the main transmission structure, tool holder, bearings and other key parts are loose
Cable hose inspection	Check whether the cable drag chain and cable sleeve are worn, cracked, or detached
Operation panel button test	Confirm that the emergency stop, start, reset and other buttons function normally

3) Monthly maintenance items table

Item	Content Description
CNC System Backup	Back up the program and parameters to a USB/U disk or network server
Servo System Diagnosis	Read the servo drive alarm record, current, temperature and other indicators during operation to determine whether there is an abnormality
Check the gear/timing belt	Check whether the transmission device is loose, broken, or worn
Clean your cooling system	Clean the control cabinet fan filter and servo drive heat sink to prevent overheating

4) Quarterly/half-year maintenance items

Item	Content
software upgrades	Check whether the CNC system has an official upgrade package to improve stability and new functions
position calibration	Recalibrate the zero point of the XYZ axis or the main folding axis to maintain accuracy
Check safety system	Check whether the photoelectric protection, door lock, and emergency stop circuit functions are effective
Insulation and ground detection	Use a megohmmeter to check whether the ground insulation resistance value of the motor and driver is qualified

5) Annual inspection recommendations (recommended to be performed by the manufacturer or professional service provider)

Item	Description
Complete machine accuracy testing	Test and adjust the accuracy of repeated bending angles, tool centerlines, etc.
Comprehensive inspection of the electronic control system	Check whether the PLC, CNC controller, servo drive, and relays are aging or have hidden dangers
Servo motor status evaluation	Check whether there are abnormal temperature rise, abnormal torque, encoder drift, etc.
Machinery wear analysis	Measure the wear of key parts such as screws, ball guides, and bearings and provide replacement suggestions

6) Common faults and solutions

Fault phenomenon	Possible cause	Suggestions
Servo alarm (overload, overtemperature)	Motor stuck, overloaded, poor ventilation	Stop the machine to check the load/fan/cleaning status
Large folding angle error	Zero offset, workpiece slippage, insufficient clamping	Re-calibrate, check the clamping force and process parameters
Unable to start/run	Safety door is not closed and emergency stop is not reset.	Check all safety switches and release the emergency stop button
CNC unresponsive or frozen	Program errors, abnormal voltage	Restart the system or restore to factory settings

7) Maintenance material recommendation table

Material name	Recommended models/specifications
Grease	Japan THK lithium-based grease/AW-32 gear oil, etc.
Fan filter	General specifications can be purchased according to the control cabinet model
Cleaning cloth/vacuum cleaner	Anti-static, dust-free cloth, industrial small vacuum cleaner
Spare parts kit (provided by the manufacturer)	Folding knives, clamps, fuses, relays, fans, etc.

5. Summary of key points for panel bender machine maintenance

Maintenance items	Recommended frequency	Description
Servo system self-check	Weekly	Check whether the alarm is on and the response is abnormal
Slide rail lubrication	Weekly~Monthly	Use the specified grease
Tool cleaning and inspection	Per shift/week	Check for wear and cracks
Control cabinet ventilation system	Monthly	Clean the filter to prevent overheating
CNC system backup	Monthly~Quarterly	Prevent program loss or misoperation