What is Press Brake Machine?
Technology has blessed us, humans, with plenty of tools and aids that have helped us advance in multiple fields. One major field to get the benefits of technology is the manufacturing field. With advanced technology, it has been able to produce more and more complicated and intricate structures that otherwise would have been impossible.
One such tool is the press brake machine. With the help of this type of machine, the manufacturing field has been able to proceed years ahead into development. Therefore, in reference to that, today we will be discussing this machine — what it is, various press brake types, and the different kinds of bending methods it uses to get the desired effect. If you are ready, let us get right into the matter.
What Is A Press Brake Machine And How It Works
Let us first start by understanding what Press brake machines are and how they work. Press Brake machines are active apparatuses used in the manufacturing industry to primarily make sheets of metal.
However, with different add ons and aids, these machines can also be used for making highly sophisticated patterns and bending in the metal. For example, Accurl machines come with different shaped dies that can help you get bends of different angles and types. That is essentially what a press brake machine is.
Next, coming to how it works. Press brake machines are fueled by energy which acts on the following parts:
- A ram fitted with a V-shaped punch
- A die of the shape of the required angles and bends
The desired metal is put between the ram and the die. With energy, the ram is pushed against the material and into the die, thus giving it the desired angles and bends. Hence, that is how press brakes operate and provide the world with desired shapes.
You may also like – How to Operate CNC Press Brake Machine
Various types of Press Brakes
Now that we have an understanding of what press brakes are and how they work, we shall now move on to the various types of press brakes. Press brakes can be categorized based on the kind of energy they use to operate. Therefore, namely, there are the following types of press brakes that Accurl manufactures and provides:
Mechanical Press Brakes
These types of press brake machines are fitted with a motor. This motor powers a huge flywheel through a clutch and spins it at high speeds. The flywheel, in return, powers the rest of the machine for bending.
These are straightforward machines that are easy to operate and maintain. However, they are a little difficult when it comes to precision and can be a little inflexible.
Hydraulic Press Brakes
Hydraulic press brake machines use, as you might have guessed, hydraulics to operate the rams. The more cylinders you have, the better control you will have over bending.
They are fast machines and operate efficiently. If you are looking for customizable bending, hydraulic press brake machines are more than enough for your needs.
Electric Press Brakes
Last but not least, electric press brake machines are the latest machines for the newest generation. These machines are powered through electricity and come loaded with features. They are very easy to use and are flexible and efficient. Accurl has a range of electric press brake machines that excel and are the best in their field.
Combined Press Brake Machines
Given our current technology, there are press brake machines that combine the above following types to get a super-efficient and productive machine. These machines combine the best of each type and provide you with the ultimate tool for manufacturing.
Another boon from technology is CNC control which allows you to input your requirements through a computer, and the machine does your work for you. The work is far more precise than manually controlled machines. Different Kinds Of Bending Methods
Next up, we shall take a look at the different bending methods. Bending methods are simply the procedures and formats that these press brake machines use to bend the metals or desired materials. Depending on the methods, the machines might require different press brake tooling. Let us take a look:
Coining method
This method got its name from the process of pressing coins. Because coins have intricate designs on them, the machine needs to use more pressure — almost 10-15% more than the average pressure — to bring out the details. In that way, this method uses the maximum pressure, at least three to four times the tonnage, of the other methods we are going to talk about.
Air bending
Air bending is the most commonly used method as it is economical and does not require too many tools and aids. It has the most minimum contact with the material and applies just the right amount of pressure to prevent any spring back.
Among all the methods mentioned here, this method uses the least amount of tonnage. However, you need to be very precise with the position to get your desired results.
Bottom bending
Lastly, the bottom bending method is what you would call the middle field — it does not apply as much pressure as the coining method, yet its pressure is not as less as the air bending method.
It is generally used in mechanical press brake machines and has a good chance of the material springing back. Similar to air bending, this method too requires an accurate position for the best results.
Press Brake Machines — Wrapping up
If you are in the field of manufacturing, it will be a great advantage for you to know about the various press brake machines and press brake bending methods. It will also help you to understand the work and what a particular type of press brake machine would do.
