A toggle press uses a toggle action to exert force and change the shape of metal. The mechanism is simple, with a toggle connected to a secondary toggle and ram. Pneumatic toggle presses are powered by compressed air and require minimal operator force. The technology allows for easy shaping of thick sheet metal.
A toggle press is a device used in many metal fabrication shops as a means of bending or indenting flat or sheet metal material. The toggle press is different from other power presses in that it uses a toggle action as a means of exerting force. It uses the movement of specially placed levers to create an amount of force far greater than the amount produced by methods such as hammer blows. The toggle press, just like any other metal forming press, has only one goal: to change the shape of the part being processed by the press.
The mechanism inside a toggle press is quite simple, with the toggle acting as a trigger lever in the mechanical function of the machine. The toggle is connected to a secondary toggle via a rivet, which allows for the necessary movement between two pieces. The secondary toggle is then connected at its other end to the ram, or piston, of the press, which compresses downward towards the press bed or table. This action actually multiplies the force of the toggle being pulled substantially, allowing the work piece to exert exponential force on it.
Newer toggle presses used in machine shops or metalworking shops are actually powered through the use of compressed air, rather than requiring manual force to operate. These presses are called pneumatic presses or pneumatic toggle presses. The function of the toggle press remains the same as if it were manually operated, with the exception of requiring the operator to apply force.
Instead, compressed air is shot into the initial switching chamber. This pushes the toggle down in a pressurized action. This downward movement engages the secondary toggle at the end of the initial toggle, which in turn lowers the piston as it would in a manual device. Operation in a pneumatic toggle press is literally as easy as pushing a button.
With the amount of pressure that can be exerted through the use of a manual or pneumatic toggle press, sheet metal that is too thick to be manually changed can be changed with relative ease. This is the case with almost all processing presses. Such technology depends on the use of several simple mechanisms such as levers and pulleys, which are often used to do the job much easier than what can be done manually.
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