11164 Bradley Avenue, Pacoima, CA 91331
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Press Brake Forming

Press Brake Forming is commonly thought of as a "simple" process in the metal stamping industry; at least to those who are only mildly familiar with it. Contrary to popular belief, press brake forming is anything but a simple, non-complex operation. The complexity associated with press brake forming comes from the proper selection of tooling and procedural steps are necessary to attain a desired result. Because press brake forming applies to such a wide variety of materials and needed shapes, expertise in the principles of press brake forming are essential for setting up and monitoring consistent, repeatable, and cost effective production.

With press brake forming, the main factors to consider are the bend angle, inside and outside radius, and the material being formed. Logic suggests that if these factors are known and a CNC press brake is utilized, all that would remain is the programming. However, in the day to day operations of a metal stamping facility, constant attention must be paid to changing conditions.

A major factor in maintaining press brake forming quality and repeatability is tool integrity. Tooling essentially consists of two parts: a punch (upper tool) and a die (lower tool). Due to constant pressure on every cycle, it's only a matter of time before tooling begins to wear and parts begin to deviate. Because tooling wear happens gradually, the possibility for parts to be formed incorrectly (out of tolerance) exist. Wear on the upper tool may affect the inside radius while the bend and outside radius are maintained; attention to detail is important. Apt Metal Fabricators takes the necessary steps to ensure consistent quality is maintained.