| There are several reasons why the press brake is a | | | | Making offset bends is another possibility. Anything |
| powerful tool - things like repeatability, precision and | | | | from very shallow bends, resulting in a vague offset; to |
| power come to mind. Let's not forget CNC control | | | | much deeper angles making for z-shaped offsets is |
| either, which turns a piece of valuable sheet metal | | | | available. Hemming, double flange standing seams, |
| fabrication equipment - like a press brake - into a | | | | standing ribs, return flanges, teardrops, you name it - |
| veritable monster. | | | | they can all be done. |
| But the one main reason why press brakes are so | | | | With all this variety then, the question arises: What |
| flexible lies in the tooling. | | | | exactly do you need in terms of tooling? |
| Sure - often we're simply dealing with a 90 degree | | | | Before you go out and buy one of each, try to list the |
| punch/die combination, but there are so many more | | | | number of different forming operations you will be |
| variations out there, which press brake-owners new | | | | doing in your daily work. Often, a single punch/die |
| and old need to be aware of. | | | | combo can do more than one type of bend or shaping, |
| The press brake isn't just a souped-up sheet metal | | | | so be sure to talk to your tooling supplier about your |
| brake; we need to remember that it is, in fact, a form | | | | needs. When you have that conversation, don't just |
| of hydraulic press. Obviously then, there is no good | | | | purchase anything suggested to you - insist on getting |
| reason why it couldn't shape sheet metal in a way | | | | the most possible flexibility from the least number of |
| most often associated with stampers and punch | | | | tools. On the other hand, you do want the right tools |
| presses. Press brake tooling manufacturers have that | | | | for the job, so don't omit important tools from your |
| figured out too, and can deliver punches and dies for a | | | | arsenal and miss out on essential functionality, or force |
| variety of tasks, such as rib forming, flattening, | | | | your operators to kludge a solution together, when the |
| offsetting, radius forming and many more. Thus, a | | | | right tool would have made setting up and producing |
| press brake could assume the role of a roll former and | | | | the part a breeze. |
| easily be used to make something like half- and | | | | Remember, the right tool for the job saves you time |
| quarter-round profiles, like rain gutters and the like. | | | | and money in the end, so it is important to strike a |
| Curling can be done too, so combine that with radius | | | | balance between using what you have and having |
| forming tools of the right kind, and you're set to make | | | | what you need. |
| rain gutters. | | | | |