There is a wide choice of a Press Brake manufacturer's / supplier's,  model, style of controller, choice of tooling etc.

These pages offer some information to that might help your selection of the correct Press Brake for your company.

When selecting a Press Brake you might firstly consider the type of work your company undertakes, is it Sheet Metal, or  Fabrication work.

Sheet metal work : generally requires precision bending, possibly with multiple bends per component, so accuracy and speed of movement of a Press Brake axis is important.  The complexity of bends required to produce a component  might require a Press Brake that has multiple axis, a Press Brake with controller that has graphic display, [ so that you can simulate the bending order as you programm the Press Brake software ], the ability to have differing tooling setups along the bending length of the Press Brake.

So If this broad description meets with your  requirements, then this points to a CNC Controlled Synchronised Press Brake.

Fabrication work : The heavier plates used in fabrication generally dont require the exacting accuracy of Sheet Metal Press Brake folding, possible multiple bends per component might not be required.  The physical dimensions and weight of a fabrication component to be folded on a Press Brake might make manipulating the material between bends a slowish process.  Accuracy and speed of movement of the Press Brake axis may not be considered to be important.  The simplicity of bends required to produce a component might indicate a Press Brake with limited axis, a controller without the need for  graphic display etc, so a simplfied CNC control, or possible a NC only control offering one tooling setup per programme might be considered.

So If this broad description meets with your  requirements, then this points to a Torsion Bar  Press Brake, with simplified CNC control or possibly a NC control. You might also consider  the option of a synchronised Press Brake with limited axis,  a reduced specification controller.

What tonnage Press Brake is required, again here is some information for consideration :

A Basic Press Brake tonnage calculation is ( for carbon steels ) that with a 'V' opening ratio 8:1, ie  the Vee opening is 8 times the material thickness, then to bend a sheet of 1.00mm thick material you require 7/8 tonne per metre.

A Basic Press Brake tonnage calculation is ( for stainless steel ) that with a 'V' opening ratio 8:1, ie  the 'V' opening is 8 times the material thickness, then  to bend a sheet of 1.00mm thick material you require 10/12 tonne per metre.

We point out an area of caution : This being that the the max tonnage available to a Press Brake can only be used pro rata to the length of material to be folded, example : a Press Brake of 300 tons with a bed length 3200mm over the bed with the Y1 and Y2 axis hydraulic cylinders mounted on the end frames, so distance between Y1 and Y2 axis hydraulic cylinders is 3000mm, known as bending length,  if the component to be folded on the Press Brake is 1000mm long, then pro rata you are using 33.3% of bending length, therefore you can only apply 33.3% of the Press Brakes available tonnage, ie 100 tons.                                      

Reduce the material bending length to 500m, this now 16.6% of the Press Brakes bending length, max tonnage you can apply is 16,6% ie 50 ton.

Whats the significance of this information : simple if you apply an incorrect width /   tonnage ratio to the Press Brake top bending beam, the force applied will cause one or other of these outcomes, the Press Brake top beam will deflect, causing 'bowing' of the Press Brake top beam, or the pressure on intermediary tooling holders will create damage to the machined tooling locations at the bottom of the Press Brake top beam.

Please Note* Damage to the Press Brake from  incorrect width / tonnage ratio usage, may not be immediately evident, but a Press Brake given constant misuse in this way will ultimately require remedial attention to the top beam.

So if your intentions are to use the Press Brake to fold materials of narrow widths but from thick material requiring highly concentrated tonnage pressure, then please consider these options :
 

• Specify a Press Brake with a short bed length that is appropriate to the material widths to be folded.
  
• Or seek out a Press Brake manufacturer whose Press Brakes have a shorter distance between the Y1 and Y2 axis cylinders ( as the press brake in the photo ) 

This is achieved by not mounting Y1 and Y2 axis hydraulic cylinders onto the Press Brake end frames, but by constructing a heavy box section beam between the end frames, the Y1 and Y2 axis hydraulic cylinders are then attached here, changing the width /  tonnage ratio considerably, so now consider the examples above, a machine constructed in this manner will be 3200mm over bed , but bending length will be 2100mm, now when using width / tonnage ratio this style of construction gives an advantage, example 1000mm long component, is 47% of bending length, 47% of 300 tonne is 141 Tonnes

Control systems, where do you start, well by possibly considering the complexity of the Press Brake folding operation, how many Press Brake axis are thought to be required, what is the ability of workforce to attend Press Brake control system software training days, the ability of the workforce to absorb the Press Brake control system knowledge, how many Press Brake operators do you need to train, do you require off line programming ( one advantage of offline software is at the design stage of a product, you can determine the feasability of production on a Press Brake ). who will train your workforce, is tele assistance available from the press Brake manufacturer or the Press Brake manufacturers UK agent, can you consider a basic system that simply offers a digital readout position of Y and X axis ?

There are several CNC & NC control systems in the market place.

Synchronised CNC Press Brake : Cybelec & Delem, are the established independant market leaders, ESA (Italy) are an emerging as viable lower cost option

NC Press Brakes :  ELGA are the established independant market leader.  As NC technology is within the capability of most Press Brake manufacturers,  they  produce their own NC controller, badging it with an assortment of names.

What is a crowning or deflection system : Simple, its a method of counter acting the deformation of a Press Brake structure during a bending / folding cycle. The elastic structure of a 3000mm Press Brake causes 0.15mm variation of the Y axis  in the middle of the Press Brake top beam. 

Look at the drawing to the RH side, this shows the effects on a folded sheet of material with uncontrolled deformation of the Press Brake structure.

How is this problem solved, in one of these manners :

• Electronic sensors placed along the length of the Press Brake top beam, when deflection in the Press Brake top beam is detected, an electronic signel is passed through the CNC controller to activate hydraulic pistons located along the length of the Press Brake lower bed, to create a compensating deformation in the lower bed.
  
  
• Design of the Press Brake structure, placing the Y1 & Y2 hydraulic cylinders inside the Press Brake structure end frames greatly reduces Press Brake structure deflection.
  
  
• Optional Extra equipment, being a Manually or CNC controlled deflection / crowning table that is fitted onto the lower bed.  These systems can be manually operated, a mechanical number counter shows which setting you have used, or the deflection / crowning table is electrically operated and is controlled as an auxillary function of the Press Brake controller.
  
  
• Manually adjustable intermmediate Press Brake tooling clamps, fitted with wedges that allow a mechanical crowning of the Press Brake top beam tooling. However this system settings requires changing for differing material thickness. 

New methods of operator guarding are continuously in development, here we discuss the current options for hydraulic Press brakes

As the operator(s) approach the Press Brake from the front of the machine, there needs to be a method of ensuring that the operator cannot be harmed by the desending top beam of the Press Brake.

Current methods to achieve this are :

• Set the Press Brake top knife tool point to stop 6mm obove the material to be folded by the Press Brake, ensure that the the working speed complies with current HE regulations.
   
• With Infra Red sensor Press Brake guarding. Mounted to the front of the Press Brake. On one side of the Press Brake is the Infra red transmitter, on the other side of the Press Brake is a reflector, break the Infra Red beam and the press brake stops.  Technical issues to consider, a man,s arm is considered to move at circa 1000mm / sec, so once the beam is broken by  the  operators hand, arm, fingers etc  the Press Brake hydraulics must react quickly to the Infra red guard signal to stop the Press Brake top beam descent. A guide to the quality of hydraulics & electrics used in the build of a Press brake is the distance the Press Brake Infra Red guards are positioned away from the Press Brake front beam, the closer they are the positioned to the Press Brake front beam, then more is the indication of quality components.
  
  
• Laser Beam Press Brake Guarding sends a Laser Beam along the underside  of the Press Brake top beam tooling, the beam is positioned directly under the Press Brake tool point. again the operator breaking this beam with a hand, arm, finger etc will stop the descent of the Press Brake top beam.  To use this Laser guarding technology indicates the quality of hydraulic / electrical components used in the Press Brake manufacture.
  

Installed, commissioned, training, warranty cover, all by Jackson Production Services Ltd technicians, supported by the manufacturer.

Annual maintenance service contracts available