The Cuboid Sheet Metal Folding Machine is a unique design based on an entirely new principle. Multi-directional bends are formed whilst the material is kept flat on the table. Cuboid-forming achieves levels of production which far surpass those attained on the traditional press brake.
Rhodes Cuboid Model D3 has been awarded the coveted 'Best New Introduction for Metal Forming Machines' by the Machine Tool Industry. Cuboid is a machine designed to overcome the many long-standing production difficulties associated with conventional Press Brakes, in particular those problems created by the production sheet rising from the horizontal (into a 'V') each time a 90 degree fold is made. In addition to the fact that this can be dangerous, the sheer weight of the material often creates an undesirable secondary bend at the die edge if not adequately supported throughout the stroke by the operator. This effect, particularly evident on thin materials, is completely eliminated by the new Rhodes design.
In Cuboid-forming, the sheet is presented to the back gauge where probes check for sheet parallelism before initiating the folding operation. Full width clamps hold the work flat against the table allowing a beam, with a specifically generated blade nose, to rise past the clamps folding the material as it goes. The clearance between the clamps and the rising beam is adjustable to suit the material thickness. The shape of the beam nose (which is an important feature of the patent) ensures that a constant load is applied to the work throughout the folding process. This guarantees an action that is quick yet 'kind' to the material and avoids scuffing even on pre-coated stock.
