A number of machines are used in the process of fabrication of sheet metal parts. Fabrication is the process of collective operations which are used to give a shape to the metal sheet. This involves a number of equipments like metal shears, laser cutting, press brakes, rollers, welding machines etc.
What are Press Breaks?
Press brake, also called break press, is a machine that is used to bend the metal sheets and plates. A considerable amount of force is applied using mechanical or hydraulic processes or both. In order to get perfect bends free from any defect, care must be taken to use proper methods. The commonly used metals for fabrication are carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
Types of Press Breaks
Press brakes are available in two categories:
Mechanical press brakes – A mechanical press is faster and more accurate as compared to other.
Hydraulic press brakes – These help to create goods of superior quality which use less power and are dependable. These are safe to use but are more expensive. For accurate bending of sheet metal and metal plates it is widely used in many industries.
Metal forming
The process of applying force on the metal to change its shape without cutting it is called metal forming. The sheets are bent or stretched into an array of complex shapes.
In the process of sheet metal fabrication, first the basic flat shape of the metal sheet is attained, the metal is then sent to machines to make the bends. The metal sheet is placed between a punch and a die. This process is called forming. According to the specifications on the prints, dies in a range of shapes and radius are used to make one or a number of bends to form the metal.
Applications of Press Breaks
In order to increase the inflexibility of a metal, and to shape the pieces of metal in shapes of one’s choice and design the metal is bent using it. Bending is a flexible process in precision sheet metal fabrication and it permits the formation of different shapes by using hammering and press brakes.To find the correct bend allowance for the compressionand stretching of the material, intricate mathematical formulas are required.
Press brake forming method is used for different functions like metal framing, metal housing for a definite part, brackets for tools and machines etc. It is also used for punching, bending, piercing etc. of the metal sheet.
Metal fabrication is done for a large array of industries and applications. Car parts, aircraft
components, boat propellers, holding tanks, shark cages, weapons, etc. are fabricated from metal. Different tools are used for different purpose during fabrication of metal, so a technician can shape the metal according to his desire.
In Conclusion
So, without the press brake machinery the work of a fabricator would be very difficult. To give shape to the metal sheet before it is cut, It play a very significant role. These are used in every metal industry and for almost every metal fabrication be it a piece of art or a part of a car.
