In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics of press brakes for metal and steel bending. Some of the most common pieces of equipment used for this process, press brakes utilize a die and punch system to bend ductile metals into a variety of required shapes.

At Wasatch Steel, we’re happy to offer numerous steel services to accompany our steel products, including steel bending as needed. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over a couple other common types of press brakes out there today, plus a few important metal type considerations and the common industrial applications that often utilize the press brake for bending processes.

Hydraulic Press Brake

The primary differences between hydraulic press brakes and manual press brakes are found in force created and synchronization. For starters, hydraulic press brakes, which utilize mechanical force through hydraulics, are generally used in applications where higher amounts of force are needed.

In addition, they provide the ability to synchronize torsion and create perfectly standardized pieces. There are both up-moving and down-moving press brakes, each with differing eventual products produced.

CNC Press Brake

The CNC press brake refers to something of a combination style, the electro-hydraulic servo press brake. This item, which comes with a hydraulic servo system but also a CNC controller and electrical control system, is the most accurate available – it involves a slider stroke and back gauge for specific accuracy.

When using the CNC press brake, all that’s required is to input the number of pieces for bending and the bending angle at each step. The machine will handle everything else from here per your preset steps in the controller. These are the most efficient and low-labor press brakes.

Metal Type and Other Considerations

While the metal type being used for bending will be a vital consideration when considering a press brake, there are others as well: The die being used, the punch, and the bending force involved.

These will vary between press brakes, but the metal type is important to know about separately. Most metals have a recommended minimum bend radius – this is the degree to which the metal can be bent without damaging it. Speak to our team about the types of steel that will have the most or least ductility and whether the press brake is recommended for them.

Common Applications

Because of the combination of strength and accuracy that can be achieved by a press brake, you’ll see it used in a variety of different common applications. It’s regularly used in high-strength areas like air frames, automotive panels and metal containers, but will also be used in metal artwork, furniture pieces and others where detail is required.

For more on the press brake and metal bending equipment, or to learn about any of our steel products or services, speak to the staff at Wasatch Steel today.