Press brakes are a necessity to almost any metal fabrication shop. Here are four things to keep in mind when shopping for press brakes online.
Find the Right Hydraulics Count
Firstly, make sure to select a press brake with appropriate strength to bend the material you’ll be working with. Currently, the most powerful press brakes rely on hydraulic processes to bend thick materials like steel. Although slightly more expensive than other models, a hydraulic press brake will yield faster response times and minimize production time and expenses. To see some of our new or used press brakes for sale, click here.
Get the Right Software
When selecting a press brake, make sure you obtain the right software to go with it. Press brake software enables you to simulate the bending process from an offline programming workstation. This semi-automation can help eliminate expensive mistakes and speed up the machining process.
Get the Right Operator
There are several different types of press brake machines on the market today, and each one has its own capabilities and limitations to consider, and maintenance requirements. Press brake operators must fully understand the differences of each machine, the forming times for each machine, and concentrated load limits associated with each tool. In many cases, operators are only fully trained on one machine type and not the others. Operators who exceed load limitations could cause significant damage to the machine and deform the products being made.
Consistently Train and Re-train
A good press brake operator should always be honing his craft through additional training and adaptation of new technologies. Make sure that whoever is operating the press brake, whether it be you or your employees, has a well-rounded understanding of the entire fabrication process, from start to finish. This includes machine set-up, necessary fabrication times to meet job specifications, and machine capabilities.
Need a New or Used Press Brake?
If you’re in the market for a press brake or other new or used fabricating equipment, contact Active Machinery, and our associates will be happy to assist you.