By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-10-11 18:15:13 | Word Count: 664
Simply put, press brakes are used to bend metal. Hydraulic press brakes contain mechanisms that use hydraulic pressure, a slow process that is more precise and more easily managed by the operator of the machine. The press brake shapes metal forcefully, pushing cold metal into specified shapes into dies, then machine-fed and aligned over specialized molds. It is noted for its versatility, ideal for a multitude of metal forming needs. Any malleable metal that can be bent can be bent by a press brake, including aluminum, pewter, copper, brass, and tin.
There are a huge variety of options offered by hydraulic press brake manufacturers, including different tonnages, sizes available, drive systems, lengths of beds and control systems. The equipment is usually one of two basic machines: mechanical or hydraulic. A mechanical drive system offers fixed tonnage and more force at the bottom of its stroke than halfway through. They used to provide more strokes per minute than hydraulic press brakes and were the press of choice for high production shops where output is a major factor. However, recent advances in hydraulic press brake manufacturing has seen adjusted ram speeds that allows the new capability of achieving higher output rates on long production runs than mechanical brakes.
When purchasing a press brake, note the major components: Frames, beds, rams drives, brakes, bolsters plates, and gibs. The housing provides the outer stability to the machine. The bed is where the metal is mounted. The drive provides the vertical motion, either mechanically or hydraulically. The brake is the mechanism that carries the metal the entire length of the ram in a smooth fashion, with no disruptions. The bolster plate is attached to the bed; it adjusts to hold the die assemblies. The gibs are for a moving surface for the ram.
Hydraulic press brake manufacturers are now able to offer brakes with pressing capabilities up to 8000 tons. Mechanically driven press brakes of the same size are not able to deliver the same pressure that a hydraulic brake can, and a hydraulic press brake can be adjusted all the way up to the machines limitations, throughout the length of the stroke. Additionally, the hydraulic brake cannot be overloaded if a die or a press brake becomes damaged. It can be stopped at any point in a job, and the operator has control at all steps of a job, being able to check tolerances with a micrometer (to within one thousandth of an inch) and making adjustments which enable it to perform long runs with no variations.
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Because of the more complicated workings of hydraulic press brakes versus mechanical press brakes, they are more apt to have the occasional breakdown. Like your car, the more intricate the machinery, the more moving parts, the more likely it can be that there will be a problem. However, the slower action of the hydraulic press brake, more precise strikes, and greater flexibility for operators adjustments during a high production run, make the hydraulic option an attractive alternative to mechanical.
