WHAT PROBLEMS CAN A PRESS BRAKE HAVE?

When we talk about problems in engineering production and, more specifically, of a press brake, we are tackling an issue that represents a huge source of waste.

In fact, a given problem can affect several parts of a machine tool and generate others within the entire production flow.

In the field of press brakes, we can make two major distinctions, between:

• • problems when purchasing
  • problems arising over time

The former are mainly linked to a lack of attention when it comes to its design and construction. In particular, the aspects that inevitably turn into problems are:

Lack of structural precision

There is no denying that machines offered at cheap prices and which come from countries where quantity is preferred over production quality, cannot boast an acceptable constructive attention.

So, among the issues we can immediately encounter on a press brake, there are the poor alignment of the beam and the bed, and the perfect parallelism between the frames.

But there’s more: also the perpendicularity of the assembled elements and their respect for dimensional tolerances. All this translates into lack of bending precision.

Quality of the moving parts and their management

We refer to cylinders and optical lines, but also and above all about the backgauge.

In particular, in the latter element you can immediately see the construction quality of the press brake, the speed of the movements, their precision and the speed with which the matching parts are positioned, as well as how they stop.

Robustness.

It might seem self-evident, but it’s not.

Always be wary of press brakes with structures that are too thin.

Regardless of whether our core business is focused on making thin gauge parts, it is not acceptable for a single different process to irreparably damage our press brake.

Deflections must be compensated for by special systems, such as camber, but they must not be excessive due to an undersized structure.

The distortions of the machine, in fact, do not affect only the beam, but also the frames with the opening, the so-called “yawn".

Instead, the problems encountered over time are often linked to poor build quality, which comes in the form of:

Irreversible distortion of the machine or components

It is not acceptable that the structure of a bending press undergoes irreversible distortions, nor that fundamental accessories such as, for example, intermediaries undergo it.

When the structures are thin sheets or of unsuitable material, they can yield under not too excessive tensions.

Overall unreliability

A press brake is only apparently a simple machine.

In reality it is an orchestra of components that must be chosen and manufactured to perfection, and which must also last over time.

Cylinders, fittings, recirculating ball rails, motors, bearings, encoders: every single part, even the smallest, if it stops working creates a much bigger problem.

Scarce availability of spare parts subject to wear or failures

The reliability of the components, as well as the availability of spare parts are closely linked to the price of the press brake.

What is the point of spending a low sum if the press brake not only breaks down continuously, but is also difficult to repair?

The problems of a press brake, even if we refer strictly to the machine and not the supplier or after-sales service, turn out to be the biggest causes of all the waste of money that a company is forced to face.

A press brake that does not function correctly could still manufacture parts, but the time spent in constant adjustments and fine-tuning is a bleed of money that no business can afford.

Choose your next press carefully: find out what you need to know in the bending manual, which you can find for free below.