Introducing the Desktop Wire Bender

When you’re working on a project for prototyping or short-run production, bending wire to form can be tricky. Brooklyn-based design company Pensa has developed the DIWire PRO, a wire-bending machine that can map digitally drawn curves onto stiff wire and bend it, providing precision and customization greater than what is available from a 3D printer.

The DI Wire PRO, first launched Nov. 16 at FabTech, was originally developed to be used in-house for Pensa’s own design needs. They found a patented bend mechanism that can perform 180-degree bends with wires with diameters of 0.028 inches to 0.1875 inches.

Pensa says it could be used to produce parts for home appliances, engines in either the automotive or aerospace sectors, or medical-assistive devices like orthodontic retainers. It inhabits a middle ground between hand-bending and mass-production CNC wire bending. The software is controlled from a machine level up via a GUI or G-code, with a SVG file interpreter used to adjust the shape and scale of wire bends. The SVG file interpreter can be connected to a computer with a USB.

The machine measures 16.25 inches by 11.25 inches by 13 inches, and can bend wire in under a minute after the shape and resolution are set using the software.

“We learned a lot from users of our original machine and incorporated those lessons into the D.I.Wire PRO,” said Marco Perry, co-founder of Pensa Labs, in a press release. “Customers told us that they wanted to be able to perform smooth, 180-degree bends in a wider variety of materials and diameters. This machine satisfies this need and provides professional-level precision and accuracy in the process.”

“Now, our customers don’t have to stop and setup a full-fledged production machine to bend out a few parts,” said Perry.

DIWire PRO machines are expected to begin shipping in January 2017 and starts at $14,4000 with the software included.