ISMR July/August 2022 | Page 52

FOCUS ON BENDING

A selection of the latest global press brake bending systems , tooling and technology innovations come under the spotlight .

MVD ’ s iBend press brake .

PRECISION ANGLES

The art of bending metal calls for precision . Energy efficiency ; Industry 4.0 networking ; safety ; sustainability and ease of operation are also key design elements .

Press brakes are widely used for the precision bending of sheet metals , which are then treated and used in a variety of industries . Press brakes form pre-programmed bends between the die and the punch . The press brake ’ s bending force , known as tonnage , determines how much pressure can be applied by the punch during a bend . Higher tonnage allows for bending thicker and harder metals , and lower tonnage is most appropriate for thinner metals .

There are several types of press brake ( such as pneumatic , servo electric , hydraulic and mechanical ). The workpiece is clamped between matching punch and die to form a pre-set bend . The characterisation of capacity of a press brake machine is based on parameters such as working length ; working height ; amplitude ; stroke ; tonnage and distance between side housings or frame uprights .
According to analyst Technavio , press brakes ’ global market share is expected to increase to US $ 474.76 million from 2021 to 2026 , and the market ’ s growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.11 %. Increasing demand for fabricated metal products is one of the key press brake market trends that is expected to positively impact the industry over the forecast period .
“ Around 39 % of the market ’ s growth will originate from the APAC region during the forecast period . China , Japan and India are key markets for press brakes in APAC . Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in North America . Press brake market share growth by the hydraulic segment will be significant during the forecast period . These [ types of ] press brakes are driven by two synchronised hydraulic cylinders and offer benefits such as quick retraction ; variable speed control as well as the capability to reverse the stroke at any time ,” commented the analyst .
New bending innovations
Precision ; energy efficiency ; automation ; safety ; sustainability ; Industry 4.0 networking and ease of operation are key elements in today ’ s press brake designs . In this article , we highlight a selection of the latest new press brake systems , tooling and technology developments in the global market .
ADIRA Metal Forming Solutions SA specialises in the production of hydraulic , electric and hybrid press brakes , shears and robotised cells and conducts intensive research and development in large-scale additive manufacturing . Headquartered in Portugal , it offers hydraulic and servo-electric press brakes such as PA / PA Plus ; PF Fast ; PH Heavy Duty ; PE Press Fast ( hybrid electrichydraulic ); GreenBender ; Bluebender ( BB ) and PA Hexa C ( hydraulic press brake ).
The AMADA range of bending products covers stand-alone bending machines to
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