Bending metals with a press brake is a crucial process in the metalworking industry. It shapes sheet metal into the required forms using specialised machinery, preserving the nature of the metal and producing versatile semi-finished parts for many applications.
The machine used is the press brake, designed to bend sheet metal quickly and automatically, producing permanent or temporary bends as required.
Types of press braking
Press braking falls into two main categories: U-bending, which produces right angles, and V-bending, which creates acute angles. These techniques are mainly applied to iron and aluminium, but can be adapted to other alloys as long as the material remains sufficiently ductile.
Materials must be ductile and malleable because press braking is a cold process that involves the metal’s elastic recovery. During bending, the outer fibres of the metal are stretched while the inner fibres are compressed, generating internal stresses that cause what is known as “springback”.
Metal press braking is very important because it turns material into new, functional shapes. It is used to make parts for household appliances, platforms, roof structures and various furniture elements, giving the material a new life.