Changes made for Pathfinder 5226 controllers.

Some folding machines have an automatic radius adjust that controls the air gap between the nose of the clamp and the bending beam. This allows users the ability to adjust the gap depending on the thickness of the material. In most cases to achieve this adjustment the radius adjust usually moves the position of the clamp nose. Double folder machines do this adjustment for both the lower and upper bending beams. Since this adjustment can be made for both that means that the clamp nose can be moved past the zero point to have the air gap for the upper beam. A rule was then made to make sure the machine does not damage itself. This was that the beam could not be past its zero point in reference to which bending beam it is being moved for. As in the clamp cannot be at a negative position for the lower bending beam and cannot be positive for the upper beam.

It turns out though that some double folders are actually fine with going past the zero point to get a tighter air gap to get more bend out of the material to make up for the mechanical gap that is always there for both beams. To adjust for this the generic parameter Mechanical Air Gap was created. This parameter can be set to move the clamp past its zero points. So if this parameter is non zero the controller will subtract this parameter from the target radius adjust position for the lower beam and add on when using the upper beam. This allows the user to get more bend out of the material.

As a disclaimer if this parameter is used then the user will have to adjust backgauge offsets to make up for the extra space that is now between the nose of the clamp and the backgauge. If this gets set up in the material table then the backgauge position will be adjusted for every step to account for this parameter.