A sheet metal brake is a tool used to bend sheet metal. There are different types of brakes, from small tabletop models to large hydraulic ones. They can be used for various applications, such as bending ducts or guttering.
A sheet metal brake is a tool used to create folds or creases in a piece of sheet metal. They range from small units used by hobbyists or DIY (Do It Yourself) homeowners, to very large and powerful units used by builders and machine shops. Each sheet metal brake must be carefully selected to meet the needs of a particular metalworking project. This includes choosing a brake that is large enough to hold a given piece of metal and strong enough to create clean, sharp curves or creases.
The standard sheet metal brake consists of three basic components. Users place sheet metal on a flat surface known as a bed. A second plate sits parallel to the bed and is used to lock the metal in place during the bending process. A folding plate or bar sits along the edge of the bed and is attached to the bed using a series of hinges. When the user operates the press, the bending plate lifts and bends the sheet metal which is clamped between the base plate and the clamping plate.
Metalworkers and manufacturing plants have a choice of three basic types of sheet metal brake designs. Rod brakes are the most basic of these units and consist of a simplified mechanism that clamps and bends the entire sheet metal in one motion. Bezel models are equipped to make only a single straight bend and can only be used to bend a full length of material at once. The box and pan units allow users to make multiple folds or creases in a single sheet of metal. They include a variety of plates and blocks that allow operators to bend only a portion of each plate as needed, leaving other sections unaffected.
Hobbyists and home users can choose a simple tabletop model. These smaller units feature manual operation and are designed to bend light steel, copper or aluminum. Floor models sit on the floor in a shop or factory and can be used to bend heavier materials. For more demanding applications, a hydraulic sheet metal brake or press brake relies on hydraulics to quickly and easily bend large pieces of metal.
A sheet metal brake can be used for a variety of different bending applications. In a sheet metal shop, it is often used to bend heating and cooling ducts or machine casing components. On the jobsite or in the field, the sheet metal brake serves as an effective method for bending metal flashing or guttering for a home repair project.
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