Types of Press Brakes

1. Hydraulic Press Brake

Mechanism: Utilizes a system of hydraulic cylinders to move the punch.

Capabilities: High bending capacities, with a bending length of up to 8 meters and a force of up to 1,200 tonnes.

Operation: Operates continuously, even when not bending, resulting in higher electricity costs.

Maintenance: Requires regular and significant maintenance.

Strength: Stronger compared to electric press brakes.

Cost: Generally cheaper than electric press brakes.

Applications: Suitable for simple bending operations.

2. Electric Press Brake

Mechanism: Equipped with servomotors instead of hydraulic cylinders.

Productivity: Achieves greater productivity gains due to faster and more precise operations.

Energy Efficiency: Servomotors only use energy during bending operations, leading to lower energy consumption.

Maintenance: Requires less maintenance compared to hydraulic press brakes.

Flexibility: Offers more flexibility in bending operations.

Cost: More expensive initially than hydraulic press brakes, but has lower operating costs over time.

Applications: Suitable for operations requiring high precision and energy efficiency.

3. Hybrid Press Brake

Mechanism: Combines features of both hydraulic and electric press brakes, with hydraulic cylinders supplemented by electric motors.

Energy Efficiency: Reduced use of the hydraulic system thanks to the incorporation of electric motors.

Advantages: Merges the strengths of both electric and hydraulic press brakes, offering high bending capacity and energy efficiency.

Applications: Ideal for complex bending operations that require both high force and precision.

Press Brake Applications:

Press brake machines, equipped with a wide range of punches and dies, are versatile tools suitable for various sheet or plate metal shaping applications. The most common applications include:

Automotive Panels: Used to create body panels, frames, and other components in the automotive industry.

Airframes: Essential in the aerospace industry for forming parts of aircraft structures.

Metal Artwork: Used by artists and designers to shape metal into decorative and functional pieces.

Furniture: Employed in the manufacturing of metal furniture, including frames, legs, and supports.

Metal Containers: Utilized to form containers and enclosures for various purposes.

Other Sheet Metal Forming Applications: Suitable for a wide array of other applications in different industries, wherever precise and efficient metal bending is required.

Press brakes provide the flexibility and precision needed for diverse metalworking tasks, making them indispensable in many manufacturing and fabrication processes. Almost any sheet or plate metal bending application can be accomplished using a press brake. Press brakes are most often used to produce multiple pieces of the same workpiece for further processing.