Jürgen Bickel and his daughter Melanie have specialized in customized solutions for special productions with their company Bickel Blechtechnik. They took a long time searching for the ideal solution for panel bending because they wanted to bid farewell to low-margin series orders. They struck gold with TRUMPF: as the first customer worldwide at the time, they used the TruBend Center 5030 in 2014. The machine opened up new form and format varieties. The unique additional height axis on the part manipulator facilitated designs for Bickel Blechtechnik which had never been possible before.
Bickel GmbH Metallbau Blechtechnik, based in Oberderdingen, produces customized solutions from steel, stainless steel and aluminum for special productions in the area of apparatus construction and mechanical engineering, among others. Jürgen Bickel founded the company in 1983 with a TRUMPF copy nibbler, a used guillotine shear and a manual panel bender. Today, he and his daughter Melanie run an innovative company with a modern machine fleet and 40 employees.
Challenges
Low-margin series orders are a thing of the past for Bickel Blechtechnik. The company needed a panel bender with maximum flexibility to produce customized solutions for special productions and to implement them as prototypes and in series. Jürgen Bickel and his production manager tested everything the market had to offer for a good five years. But they could not find a machine that met their requirements along with the necessary service package.
Solutions
The first TruBend Center 5030 was sent to Oberderdingen in 2014. The total package was just right for Bickel Blechtechnik after TRUMPF took over Codatto. Jürgen Bickel says, "The flexibility of the machines from Lonigo in Italy has impressed us for a long time. Since TRUMPF has taken over the products and the technology, we are now sure of the service support that we need." But of course in the first place, the TruBend Center 5030 convinces all on its own with its unique machine concept. It has an additional height axis on the part manipulator which makes it extremely flexible: the part manipulator can secure the workpieces in different positions. It can be used to manufacture components with negative bends and even very narrow profiles without any problems at all. Even with standard tools, the TruBend Center facilitates a great variety of formats and forms: minimum flange lengths, high nesting, small profiles, components with formed sections, recesses and the most varied of radii are possible. Good solutions have also been found for any problems with processing of perforated sheets. Suction cups which can be positioned flexibly or optional magnet holders secure the sheets so that they cannot slip.
Implementation
"The panel bending technology of the TruBend Center 5030 offers new opportunities," says Jürgen Bickel. "This inspired our cooperation partners to create more modern designs as well." Bickel can now implement a curved front for many sheet metal components. The system combines panel bending technology and die bending as well: a housing component is initially given a curved front in the TruBend Center during radius bending. Then it receives dimensionally accurate flanges on the press brake. Any restrictions on part variety have been lifted.
Forecast
Bickel Blechtechnik has obtained a complete package for more flexibility in daily production with the TruBend Center 5030: even in the event of a malfunction, no machine is idle here for long. The team takes care of maintenance and repairs themselves and appreciates TRUMPF's prompt spare parts service and the competent manufacturer hotline.
