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Press Brake — Bending Metal With Ease

Press brakes are advanced fabrication machines that play a vital role in the custom metal fabrication industry. The press brake is essentially used to bend and shape metal into the desired two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape by applying external force. Without the press brake, shaping metal would be nearly impossible. It is the most common method used for industrial metal bending. Press brake forming is used to create metal fabrication pieces for various industries, including aircraft, automotive, construction, housing, and more. However, there are many different types of press brakes and today, we’ll discuss what those are.

Pneumatic Press Brake

A pneumatic press brake essentially bends metal with compressed air or gas. An electric charge kick starts the machine into motion which then feeds compressed air or gas into tubes that are attached to the press mechanism. The tonnage used on the metal piece depends on the air pressure used in the pneumatic press.

Advantages:

• High speed
• High precision
• Quiet
• One of the safest press brakes

Hydraulics Pressers

Hydraulic pressers are named after their hydraulic cylinders and work under the principle of Pascal’s Law. It utilizes two hydraulic cylinders that perform in a synchronized manner and rely on gear pumps to push oil side to side. This allows more control and consistent strokes when you are working on metal. It’s extremely powerful and reliable but isn’t as energy-efficient and can be expensive to maintain.

Advantages:

• Low initial cost
• Extensive versatility
• Easily maintainable
• Easy to use

Mechanical Press Brake

Mechanical press brakes are the oldest type on the market. Typically, an electric motor provides energy to a flywheel. The operator controls the clutch which manipulates the flywheel putting the crank mechanism into action providing the necessary force to bend metal. It’s much more straightforward to use making maintenance and operations easier.

Advantages:

• Top speed
• Powerful
• Low maintenance cost
• Accurate precision

Servo Electric Pressers

Judging from the name, you can assume that this type of press brake uses a servo-electric motor that powers a belt drive to exert pressure on pieces of metal. It’s also been referred to as an electric hydraulic press brake. Although it’s super-fast and efficient, it is limited to work that uses low tonnage. It also provides the highest accuracy compared to most press brakes.

Advantages:

• Significant energy saving
• Low maintenance cost
• High production efficiency
• High bending accuracy

Need Metal Bending Done? Contact VeriForm

When it comes to bending metal and other metal fabrication capabilities, VeriForm is the expert. They have 5 CNC brake presses along with bending and brake forming capabilities of up to 20 feet long. Not only do they have the latest technology but VeriForm also has a great team of professionals with at least 24 years of experience who can consult with you on your next metal fabrication project. Contact VeriForm today to get started!