What is Press Brake?

Press brake is an important tool which is widely used in cutting metals in various shapes and sizes. It helps in forming predetermined bends in metal sheets by clamping the material between matching punch and a die. Thus, it uses some kind of force to bend or shape the metal in a particular form. The shapes formed in the metal with the help of it are extremely accurate but it also depends on the kind of die used and ability of the operator. It is a wonderful asset to any workshop, provided it is used correctly. If it is not operated in an effective manner, the result may be not accurate and the end product produced will be of low quality. The combination of the right kind of punch, die and knowledge of the operator can enable a press brake to give an accurate output.

Uses of Press Brake

Press brake is used in the manufacturing process of various housing products, automobiles, heavy equipments etc., where bending of metal sheet is required. The metal sheet once bended or shaped out of press brake is used in various manufacturing industries producing products used in our day to day life. The press brakes are available in various sizes to handle sheets of various sizes and thicknesses. Depending on the size and the thickness of the sheet metal, the type of press brake is used.

Types of Press Brake

There are various types of press brakes available like mechanical press brake and hydraulic press brake. Mechanical press brake enables easier overloading but doesn’t enable the operator to adjust the stroke level while the process is in continuation. One has to complete the process and then adjust the stroke length. A skilled operator is required to use mechanical press so that precision in the end product can be achieved. In 1970s, the hydraulic press brake started replacing mechanical press brake because of its affordable costs and safety advantages. However, using hydraulic press brake resulted to high quality products manufacturing which benefited many manufacturing units. Due to this, hydraulic press brake became popular amongst all the press brake machines available in the market.

  • The mechanical press brake is made of iron whereas, hydraulic press brake is made of steel. As the hydraulic press brake is made of 100% steel, its structure is much more firm than a mechanical press brake. This eliminates the built-in stress in a hydraulic press brake and so the machine can be used for the longer period of time.
  • Hydraulic press brake uses hydraulic system, which is much more superior than a mechanical system as its power output is stable and its repairing services can be found locally.
  • In hydraulic press brake, there are two cylinders controlling the beam’s vertical moving.
  • Hydraulic press brake under the CNC system can be controlled by the computer which results into accurate and fast production.
  • In hydraulic press brake, the gauge is controlled by the electric device with the digital panel in the front. So, you can enter the data or manually adjust according to the aiming point.

In Conclusion

So, now if you are planning to buy a press brake, make sure that you read the manual and go through its features and after that only you can decide the type of press brake to be purchased. Always go for a perfectly designed press brake which consumes less power and incurs low maintenance costs. For more information on durable and user friendly press brakes, visit https://www.bhavyamachinetools.com.

Written by Yash Shah

This blog written by Mr. Yash Shah is about machine tools including workshop machinery, wood working machines, sheet metal machinery provided by Bhavya Machine Tools, a leading distributors of machine tools in India.