What is a CNC Press Brake?

A press brake is a sheet metal machine that metal fabricators and engineering workshops use to bend sheet and plate material by means of pinching the metal between a matching ‘punch’ and ‘die’ ‘ to enable bending of small to large sheet metal sections. In essence, these are metal bending machines.

Press brakes come in a wide variety of specifications but are classified as either:

Mechanical press brakes

Pneumatic press brakes

Hydraulic press brakes

Servo electric press brakes

Our premium hydraulic systems come with an electronic connected screen and controller. Allowing the operator to control various aspects and set up the machine for bending the required sheet metal.

Simply put a press brake is used to bend angles out of sheet metal of varying thickness. You must look for the correct system rated in tonnes and the correct length for your application.

For example 3200 mm x 80 tonnes capacity. The tonnage will allow you to bend the material, the higher the thicker the material you can use.

When using a mechanical press brake uses a flywheel with an electric motor to create energy, then a clutch engages the flywheel to power a crank mechanism that would then move the ram in a vertical direction.

Hydraulic press brakes operate in a different way, by means of two hydraulic cylinders that are on C frames moving the upper beam. Our hydraulic press brakes also have a device called a back gauge that is used to accurately position the workpiece so that bends can be positioned repeatedly in the correct location. It can also be programmed to move between bends to make complex parts in repetition, giving the end-user full control over the bending process.

As mentioned the press brake system uses a series of punches and dies. to enable different types of forming of your metal sheets. Types of dies can include:

V-dies — these are the most common types of die and are made with various sized die openings to produce a variety of bend angles.

Rotary Bending — This type of die has an 88 deg V-notch that is cut along its axis is seated in the saddle of the punch.

90 deg dies — these types of die are largely used in bottoming operations, the die opening dimension is dependant upon the thickness of materials.

Acute angle dies — these are used in air bending and can be used to create acute, 90 deg and obtuse angles by varying the ‘deepness’ of entering the die by adjusting ram.

Gooseneck dies — The matching punch is designed to allow for the clearance of already formed flanges.

Offset dies — These produce a z shape formation.

Hemming dies — these combine an acute angle die with a flattening tool.

Seaming — used to produce seams in a variety of situations in sheet and tube materials.

Radius- a radiused bend can be achieved by using a rounded punch

Fourway die blocks — these may have a V machined into each of the four sides to enable ease of use when changing over of small jobs is required.

Beading — a bead or stopped rib can be used as a feature to stiffen the resulting part made.

Channel forming dies — a punch is pressed into a die to form 2 angles at the bottom of the sheet, thus forming an angular channel.

Curling dies — this can create a curled or coiled edge on your finished sheet.

Pipe forming/tube dies — the first operation will cause the sheet to roll up, then a die that is similar to a curling die will produce the full tube form.

U bend dies — this is a dies that is similar to channel-forming but with a rounded bottom.

Multi bend dies — this may be built in the shape of the desired profile and form more than one bend on a single stroke of the machine.

Corrugating dies — these types of die have a ‘wavy’ surface that may also involve spring-loaded elements into the punch.

More information on premium yet affordable press brakes