Flexibility is the key to providing customer solutions, and outperforming your competition is critical as the 21st century dawns. If your application requires complex, precision parts including boxes, pans, enclosures, panels or architectural components, and you must have high levels of productivity and throughput at an affordable price, then a RAS Folding Machine or System is your solution!

RAS folding machines impressively demonstrate their flexibility when it comes to closed profiles.  Usually they are able to create these shapes without any special tools.

GIGAbend – GIGANTICALLY POWERFUL! 10' x .250 " Capacity!

The 6mm GIGAbend rings in another round in the successful RAS product line. Never before in metal folding have two dynamic features been brought together: power and speed. With the GIGAbend folding system, RAS Reinhardt Maschinenbau GmbH not only reaches the heavier material market, but addresses stainless steel applications up to 4mm as well.

The maximum capacity of this RAS metal folding line is now 6mm mild steel or 4mm stainless on 3200mm working length. These characteristics alone would be enough to create interest in this new powerful package, but RAS designers are offering many more advantages with their multi-functional innovation. This is the first time that a folding system combines the characteristics of high clamping pressures and rapid speed. The additional clamping pressure holds the blanks safely and securely during bending. The 120tons of clamping pressure insures that the GIGAbend delivers more than adequate power to close hems. In addition there are no compromises in terms of speed. With 60mm/s the upper clamping beam closes and opens quickly and dynamically. The folding specialists from RAS have overcome the differences between mass and dynamics by using an all new upper beam drive system.

An innovative hybrid drive system moves the upper beam quickly and effectively under servo-control to close to the correct clamping position. The system has two PowerBoosters to create enormous clamping pressure. The three-axis drive system moves the upper beam accurately to any programmed clamping position, so open and closed hems are produced perfectly. The distance-based upper beam clamping also offers perfect parallel material clamping and allows a tool setup with multiple stations along the upper beam. With an upper beam open height of 500mm, the machine has a tremendous amount of flexibility to do deep boxes when the need arises.

The massive folding beam fits the husky appearance of the machine with its deep and rigid box design. This type of design powerfully resists bending forces. The bending quality comes to perfection with an all-new dynamic crowning system that has been integrated into this machine design for the first time. Much different than other crowning systems on the market today, the GIGAbend has sensors that measure the real beam deflection during folding beam movement and automatically compensates for any unevenness while the folding beam is on its way to position. This system will create perfect parts on thick and thin materials. Truly state-of-the-art technology.

Regulated drive motors on each side of the machine provide a superior power force and with folding beam speed at 80 degrees per second, you will produce more fin-ished parts per hour.

The GIGAbend folding machine also offers a new system for material thickness adjustment. While on previous models, the folding beam and lower beam changes planes in relation to the pivot point, RAS with their industry setting standards, pursues a different path with this new machine. The new pivot point adjustment system guarantees perfect bends. This system allows the machine to be set up for different material thicknesses within seconds or should radius tools need to be set up, the adjustment is done in a snap.

The backstop fingers automatically position the part to the bend line. The GIGAbend has a standard 1550 mm  backgauge and sheet support system with integrated ballcasters. The heavy material weight of large-sized blanks is fully supported by this system, to insure the operator can handle even large blanks effortlessly. The backgauge system is complete with individual stop finger units, which can be moved from side to side. This flexibility can be used to set up the backstop configuration for the most complicated parts. Each backstop finger unit comes with multiple hardened stop fingers and can reach any position within the standard backstop dimension from 10 to 1550mm in less than 2 seconds. For larger blanks a J-shape or U-shape backgauge can be added with a gauging depth of up to 3050mm. The CNC is integrated into a swivel arm, so that the machine can be operated from the rear without losing any valuable program information.

The machine is complete with RAS proven automatic tool clamping technology, the upper beam and folding beam tools are automatically locked in position. With this system, a tool change can be completed in a matter of seconds. With a free space in front of the tools as large as 68mm boxes with extremely large in-flanges can be folded. This front free space offers a maximum in versatility and design flexibility. The tools are available as sharp tools and goatsfoot tools with heights of 100mm, 200mm and 300mm. The segmented 40mm high lower beam tools complete the standard GIGAbend tooling configuration. All tools use high tensile steel with more than 1000 N/mm? and are plasma hardened.

The new Touch&More control is the perfect marriage with the GIGAbend. Never before has programming been so amazingly easy. With the large 15" flat screen control the operator can use his finger as a pencil. He simply draws the part with his finger and the control automatically creates and simulates the folding sequence. The setup menu shows the operator which tool segments are to be used for the correct part length. Text instructions guide the operator through the bend sequence, so a less experienced operator can create perfect parts. The control gives a command to the operator as to when the part needs to be flipped over or rotated, or if the stainless steel blank should be loaded with the protection film up or down. There is no guesswork and no unwanted scrap by operator error.

The new RAS GIGAbend folding systemwith its powerful and dynamic character along with its brilliant design will not only convince folding machine doubters that this is the easiest way to produce 6mm material, but with innovations such as the upper beam PowerBoosters and dynamic crowning system, RAS again sets a new standard and emphasizes its competence as the world's leading folding expert.

Imagine programming a complex part by simply performing a POINT & CLICK. All Ras models provide a simple, Icon-driven CNC Control.

TurboBend
Ideal for Roofing

The TURBObend metal folding system is the perfect machine for the roofing and architectural market. It bends mild steel blanks with a thickness of up to 1.5 mm.

TurboBend Plus
Precision system for light gauge parts

The TURBObend plus metal folding system is available in working lengths of 3200 mm and 2540 mm with a capacity of up to 2 mm mild steel material thickness. An extremely clever tooling system offers box production capabilities for up to 110 mm deep boxes.

FlexiBend

The FLEXIbend with its working length of 3200 mm and its capacity up to 3 mm material thickness, or with 4060 mm and a material thickness of up to 2,5 mm certainly is the most flexible folding system you can find today on the world market. RAS introduces this package machine that already includes the most common configurations. The FLEXIbend will convince you with its breathtaking speed, which allows the operator to produce more parts per hour for a quick return of the investment. For example: the folding beam moves at 90 degrees per second.

74 Series
For ultimate capabilities thru 7 gauge

Gigabend
New 1/4" Capacity

MultiBend Center
Imagine a bending cell that will literally program itself, and robotically set up your tooling…automatically. Then, it will load your blanks, square those blanks accurately while moving them to the bend line, manipulate the blank through the bending cycle, make incredibly accurate folds and automatically unload the complete part without human involvement. Unbelievable!

RAS Showroom & Technology Center
Conveniently located in Peachtree City, Georgia, schedule a trip to see their broad range of technology and gain hands-on experience.