A high production speed, remarkable flexibility and new production options are the highlights of the Transfer Bending Machine BQ 10 and the Straightening Machine R 36 that will be showcased at the wire 2026. From April 13 through 17, WAFIOS will once again present their wide range of machinery in Düsseldorf, Germany. A special highlight will be intelligent assistance systems. The new WAFIOS Assistant and myWAFIOS.ai offer trendsetting operator support for the wire and tube processing industry.
Short cycle times and high flexibility
In the Innovation Center, WAFIOS will exhibit the Transfer Bending Machine BQ 10 - a modular-structured CNC wire bending machine for wire diameters between 3 and 10 mm. With an output of up to 40 parts per minute, the BQ 10 achieves a cycle time of around 1.5 seconds. Its patent-pending transfer system transports cut-to-length wire rods with great accuracy from the straightening and cutting station to the individual processing modules. In a flexibly configurable intermediate station, a chamfer, a dome or a thread can be produced, for example, at the ends of the wire rods before they are transported further. Many more processing stations for bending, wire forming, trimming, punching, etc. can be integrated.
The freely programmable transfer system passes the workpieces from station to station. The transfer system operates independently at each point which makes adjustments within a station much easier for the operator. The machine's high flexibility enables the production of a family of parts with different geometries within a very short period of time. The BQ 10's fields of application are as versatile as the machine itself: It can be used for the production of short busbars, windshield wiper arms and vehicle door linkage rods.
Straightening machine for the production of embossed welding electrodes
The assisted straightening and cutting-off machine R 36 supports the operator actively in the production process. The machine provides the operator with detailed solutions that are displayed directly on the control panel whenever a problem occurs. It thus ensures safe and user-friendly operation.
At the wire show, the R 36 will be equipped specifically for the production of welding electrodes. A clock-pulse controlled transport of rods and the embossing of welding electrodes are new available options. The newly developed transport system allows a reliable separation of rods and works with an additional pneumatic gripper which guarantees a continuous and reproducible placement of workpieces and thus highest embossing quality. The exhibited machine has been designed for the production of welding electrodes of 1 to 5 mm diameter and cutting lengths of up to 1,000 mm with an embossing on one end.
A special software highlight is the new iQ function iQchamfer in combination with the end working device EBF. During the straightening process there are slight length variations caused by increases in temperature and subsequent cooling-off. These length variations may result in uneven chamfers on the rod ends. iQchamfer enables an in-process control of the chamfering units' advance feed movements. Thus, two identical chamfers can be produced on both rod ends - without the need for manual and time-consuming readjustments by the operator.
Super easy setup of new parts with the WAFIOS Assistant
The WAFIOS Assistant helps in the setup of the machine and supports users with instructions, images and videos. This makes it much easier to set up complex parts. In addition to the setup processes provided by WAFIOS, operators have the option to create their own, individual assistance processes and so help to ensure that the machines are set up consistently within the company. The company's internal know-how is easy to multiply with the WAFIOS Assistant and stays in-house. The WAFIOS Assistant can be used for all High-Performance Machines equipped with WPS 3.2 EasyWay.
We do not talk about AI – we use it: Operator support with myWAFIOS.ai
At the wire & Tube show 2026, the new AI function myWAFIOS.ai will celebrate its world premiere. For about four years now, WAFIOS has been developing intelligent systems for providing information from documents. Based on this, myWAFIOS.ai was developed. AI helps operators with know-how about the machines and answers questions regarding problems concerning e.g. setup, troubleshooting and retooling. AI can be used on any mobile end device while it is hosted by secure German servers. The machine, with its sensitive production data, does not need an internet connection.
The AI retrieves information from WAFIOS manuals, tutorials and machine plans as well as from experienced WAFIOS operators and service technicians. Also, frequently occurring problems and their solutions are available to AI. This guarantees that answers are only generated from trustworthy sources. A patent-pending communication system transmits data in a secure way via an optical QR code with offline link. Therefore, cyber-attacks on the machine are impossible. A great advantage is that myWAFIOS.ai can answer in different languages. This makes it a practical aid that is immediately available internationally.
