A stainless steel blank might be able to be formed on the same press brake as yesterday’s mild steel. That isn’t to say that the posting of yesterday should be on today’s job. The force requirement is different depending on the strength of the material. Springback is a change in the final angle following the …

Press Brake for Stainless Steel: Key Factors for Better Bending Read More »

Before you place an order for a custom press brake there is one simple question that you should ask: What is it about that standard machine that it doesn’t do? Changing the machine just because customization is possible without adding any constraint to the production process such as bending materials that a standard machine can, …

Custom Press Brake Solutions: When Standard Machines Are Not Enough Read More »

A sheet can come out of the laser completely cut and then end up as a poor finished part a mere 10 minutes later. The holes could be correct. The exterior shape might be accurate. However, following the bending, one flange is too short, a hole does not match the required shape anymore, or a …

Press Brake for Sheet Metal Fabrication: From Setup to Finished Part Read More »

Approach a press brake tooling rack and you’ll find there are a dozen, if not more, tools that look virtually identical. They are not. The bend radius, force required, clearance available and even whether the next bend is physically possible can vary with a slight variation in punch nose, a slight variation in V-opening and/or …

Press Brake Tooling Explained: How to Choose Punches and Dies Read More »

Consider using a press brake and a panel bender on the same purchasing list and the panel bender might seem the obvious automation upgrade. But that’s not necessarily the correct conclusion. The bending technique is different in the two machines and that is the reason given for what parts each machine bends efficiently. A press …

Press Brake vs Panel Bender: Which Fits Your Parts Better? Read More »

The position of an axis can be displayed to many decimal places with a CNC screen. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the end result is precise to the same number of decimal points. If metal has been introduced, the thickness of the material, springback, tooling, contact with the backgauge and machine deflection, even the way …

Precision Metal Bending Machine: How to Achieve Accurate Parts Read More »

Talk with a buyer about their concerns on a hydraulic press brake and tonnage will likely be the initial thing that comes up. When you ask an operator, you’re likely to get a different answer. They are interested in: Is the ram in the position required? Are they in sync on both sides? Does the …

Hydraulic Metal Bending Press Brake: How the Bending System Works Read More »

A press brake can have a great appearance when performing a 10 minute demonstration. The more useful test is started several hours later. At this point the machine has already gone through numerous strokes, hydraulic temperatures have fluctuated, and the operators have had time to load various parts and production has been ongoing to demonstrate …

Industrial CNC Press Brake Machine: Built for Stable Production Read More »

Very rarely, does a press brake operator get the luxury of running the same part week after week with custom metal fabrication. Twenty enclosure brackets can be in a morning batch. The next order might be four stainless covers, then an aluminum prototype order, which was made three months ago, and a repeat order. The …

Press Brake Machine for Custom Metal Parts: Flexible Bending for Complex Jobs Read More »

Aluminium is a metal that is seen as easy to bend. It may be able to use less forming force than many steel applications, but less forming force does not necessarily mean an easier production process. But, the actual issues in the aluminum fabrication are usually manifested as springback, cracking around the bend, visible tooling …

CNC Press Brake Machine for Aluminum Bending: Key Setup Factors Read More »