EN
In the metal processing industry, the press brake is a crucial piece of equipment that is widely used in many fields such as machinery manufacturing, automotive industry, aerospace, building decoration and so on. It provides a key processing link for the production of various products by applying pressure to the metal sheet, causing it to undergo plastic deformation, thus achieving various angles and shapes of bending. However, as with any mechanical device, the press brake has significant advantages, but there are also some disadvantages that cannot be ignored. In-depth understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the press brake, for enterprises to reasonably select and use the equipment, improve production efficiency and product quality, reduce production costs is of great significance.
The basic working principle of the press brake is to use the mould to exert pressure on the metal plate, so that it is constrained in the mould plastic deformation, so as to achieve a predetermined bending angle and shape. In the bending process, the upper die downward movement, and fixed in the table with the lower die, the plate placed between the extrusion, the plate under pressure gradually bending, until the desired bending state.
Precise control of the numerical control system
Modern press brake equipped with CNC system using advanced digital control technology, can accurately control the movement trajectory of the slider and positioning accuracy. Through the programming settings, you can achieve precise control of the bending angle, bending depth, bending position and other parameters, the error can be controlled within a very small range. For example, some high-end CNC press brake angle control accuracy of up to ± 0.1 °, the repetition of positioning accuracy is up to ± 0.01mm, which makes the production of bending parts of very high dimensional accuracy, to meet the processing needs of a variety of high-precision products.
The mould of the press brake is one of the key factors to ensure processing accuracy. High-precision moulds are made of high-quality materials and undergo precision machining and heat treatment processes, with good wear resistance, strength and dimensional accuracy. The surface roughness of the mould is low, which can ensure the surface quality of the bending parts, and at the same time, the gap and shape accuracy of the mould can also meet the requirements of high-precision bending.
Automated operation process
The automated operation process of the press brake greatly improves the production efficiency. CNC press brake can be pre-written procedures to achieve automatic feeding, positioning, bending, unloading and a series of operations, without manual intervention, reducing the time and labour intensity of manual operation. In the mass production of small electrical enclosures, press brakes can complete multiple bending operations per minute, while manual bending takes a lot of time, the efficiency difference of several times or even tens of times.
In order to meet the diversified product processing needs, press brakes are usually equipped with rapid die change devices. Through the rapid die change technology, the operator can complete the replacement of the mould in a short period of time, reducing the downtime of the equipment and improving production efficiency. Some advanced press brakes use hydraulic or pneumatic quick die change system, the die change time can be reduced to a few minutes or even shorter.
Multi-shape bending processing
The press brake can achieve a variety of shapes of bending processing, such as V-shaped, U-shaped, Z-shaped, L-shaped, etc., by replacing different moulds. This diversified processing capability allows it to adapt to the design requirements of different products, providing great convenience for the manufacturing industry. Whether it is a simple metal frame, or complex automotive parts, the press brake is able to complete a variety of shapes according to the design requirements of the bending process.
Different materials and thickness of plate processing
press brake can adapt to different materials and thicknesses of sheet metal processing. From ordinary mild steel, stainless steel to high-strength alloy steel, as well as from thin to thick plate, the press brake can be adjusted through the pressure, speed and mould parameters, to achieve good bending results. For example, for the thickness of 0.5mm – 20mm between the plate, the press brake can be effective bending process to meet the production needs of different industries.
Mould protection of the plate surface
As the bending process is carried out under the constraint of the mould, the surface quality and structural design of the mould can effectively protect the surface of the plate, so that it is not easy to produce scratches, abrasions and other defects. The surface of high-quality moulds is polished and has low roughness, which reduces the friction between the mould and the plate during the bending process and reduces the damage to the surface of the plate. At the same time, the structure of the mould is reasonably designed to apply pressure evenly, avoiding the adverse effect of local stress concentration on the plate surface.
Reduce the subsequent surface treatment workload
Good surface quality makes the bending parts reduce the workload of surface treatment during subsequent processing. Compared with traditional manual bending or other processing methods, the surface quality of the workpiece after press brake processing is higher, without the need to carry out a large number of grinding, polishing and other surface treatment processes, saving time and costs, and improving production efficiency.
Higher equipment costs
The price of high-end press brake
High-precision, high-performance press brake is relatively expensive, especially some imported CNC press brake, its price may be as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars. For example, a high configuration of imported CNC hydraulic press brake, the price may be in the 500,000 yuan – 1.5 million yuan, which for some small enterprises, the cost of equipment purchases is a greater burden.
Investment in ancillary equipment and facilities
In addition to the price of the press brake itself, enterprises also need to invest a certain amount of money for the purchase of ancillary equipment and construction of appropriate facilities. For example, in order to ensure the normal operation of the press brake, you need to be equipped with a suitable hydraulic oil cooling system, lubrication system, electrical control system, etc.; at the same time, it is also necessary to build a solid foundation and a good working environment, which all increase the initial investment costs of enterprises.
Mould making and purchasing cost
press brakes need to be equipped with different specifications and shapes of moulds to meet the diverse processing needs, and the production and procurement costs of moulds are not low. The price of a set of ordinary V-bending moulds may range from thousands of yuan to tens of thousands of yuan; for some special shapes or high-precision requirements of the mould, the production cost is even higher. In addition, the procurement of moulds also need to consider the matching and compatibility with the press brake, increasing the difficulty and cost of procurement.
