Press Brake Dies and Tooling

A press brake is a specific machine tool to bend sheet or plate material. Press brake tooling can come in all different shapes and sizes. Each machine has different ways of applying force. Some use a hydraulic force, servo-electric, pneumatic, or mechanical force. Depending on which force is used, will also determine the speed or impact that is pushed into the metal creating the right angle or shape. Computers have increased the technology of today; the mechanical press is the most commonly used. It is the most accurate, as well as creates the most power. The mechanical press along with the backgauge can accurately position the material so the press brake will bend at the right place, and the right angle.

Press brake dies are all different allowing different jobs to be performed. There are 90 degree dies that are often used for bottoming operations. Depending on the angle will depend on the best die to use. Air bending dies will help you to get the obtuse angles, 90 degree angles, and even the acute angles. Air bending will just depend on how you adjust the ram on what kind of angle you will get.

Different Dies Used in Press Brake Tooling

There is a large range of dies that can be used with the machine to create the right design that is needed. Some of the common tooling dies are: v-dies, rotary bending, 90 degree, acute angle, gooseneck, offset, hemming, seaming, radius, beading, curling, tube and pipe-forming, four-way die blocks, channel-forming, U-bend, Box forming, Corrugating, multiple-bend, and rocker-type dies.

There are press brake dies called hemming dies. These are two stages in the process which will use an acute angle die, and it is followed by a flattening process. Curling dies are perfect for things that need to have a coiled edge. This could be similar to a tube and pipe forming dies but it is different. Larger tubes are formed wrapped around a mandrel.

A box can be made through press brake tooling. In this case, you will use the punch in different sections to get the right angles that will make a rectangular box. The punch that is used during this process will need to be high enough that will accommodate the height of the sides you would like the box to have.

Although there are so many different dies, the V-dies are the die that is most often used. They come in all different sizes and openings. This will give you the right angle and shape depending on the metal you will be using to bend.

Press brake tooling is used often in metal working. It is one of the tools that most people cannot be without if they are in the metalworking industry. Having the proper machine to get the outcome you are looking is extremely important. It is also crucial to make sure that the machine you use is designed for the type of metal you will be using it on. Not all machines are made the same way, and you need to make sure that what you are looking to accomplish is using the right tool. The proper machine is crucial to get the right one you need.