When working with metal sheets, plates, or pipes, it’s critical that you have the right type of equipment to generate the best results for your project. Understanding the advantages of different types of Bending machines is important because it will ensure that you choose the best option for your production and efficiency needs. 

Keep reading to learn about bend machine options and the advantages and disadvantages of different types of bending machines for specific applications. But first, what is used to bend metal?

What is a Bending Machine?

A bending machine is a piece of equipment designed to bend and shape certain work materials. They are typically used to bend metal sheets, pipes, slabs, or plates and are designed to withstand the force and pressure required for heavy types of bending. 

There are various applications for bending machines including bending machine pipeline creation, curved metal pipes, creating angular shapes out of metal sheets, and much more. Depending on the type of metal, application, and other requirements, one type of bending machine might be better for your purposes than another. 

Additionally, different types of bending machines will bend, roll, or shape metal in different ways. There are also other subtypes based on power (hydraulic, pneumatic, and electronic), material (aluminum bend machine vs. steel bending machine), efficiency, energy consumption, and other varieties. 

However, the first step to choosing the best bending machine for your project is to narrow it down based on the main types. Then, you can choose a specific machine from that type based on your specific materials and other expectations. 

Advantages of Bending Machines

Using a bending machine has several benefits for production, metalworking, and other applications including efficiency, precision, cost-effectiveness, and safety. 

Efficiency

A high-performance metal bending machine can increase your output with complete control over speed. That means high turnover no matter what you’re bending, but they are essential for any bulk operations. 

Precision

Metal bending machines can be incredibly accurate, which results in uniform pieces. In fact, some metal bending machines by leading companies can produce bends within a fraction of a millimeter. 

Cost-Effectiveness

A metal bending machine is a cost-effective way to bend metal. Not only are they efficient and precise, but they can also save you resources and free up manpower to work on other necessary tasks. 

Safety

Metal bending machines are not only designed for accurate and powerful bending but have safety features built in that are compliant with most jurisdictions. That means you will remain compliant, protect operators, and develop a safe metalworking environment. 

Types of Bending Machines

The main types of bending machine equipment include press brakes, metal pipe bending machines, plate rolling machines, and sheet bending machines. 

Press Brake Bending Machine

Press brakes, like the high-performance ACCURL New eB Ultra, are some of the most accurate and efficient bending machines you can get. That’s because they have at least three shafts on the rear gauge, which means the operator maintains complete control over accuracy, speed, and stroke. 

Furthermore, they are very easy to operate and are designed for high-turnover operation, which means they are perfect for bulk metal bending. 

There are some different types of press brakes including nut-stop hydraulic, synchro hydraulic, electric, and hybrid. Electric press brakes offer the advantage of quiet operation, faster performance, and safety features for faster, safer, and more precise bending power. 

Metal Pipe Bending Machine

A metal pipe bending machine is a type of profile bending machine used for bending metal pipes into a variety of different shapes by generating friction. Depending on the type of metal pipe bending machine, it can work for a variety of metals including steel, iron, copper, aluminum, titanium, and carbon steel. 

Additionally, similar to a press brake, a pipe bending machine can be powered by hydraulic, electro-servo, pneumatic, or manual operations. All types will clamp the pipe in place and rotate it while bending it carefully. In some cases, a mandrel will prevent wrinkling or collapsing. 

Plate Rolling Machine

A plate rolling machine is a pyramid-type plate bending machine that helps to shape, form, and, of course, bend metal plates. They can roll a straight sheet of aluminum, steel, copper, zinc, or other materials into a round or cone shape and are also known as a roll bending machine. 

Sheet Bending Machine 

A sheet or section bender machine will shape sheet metals, panels, and plates. By positioning a metal sheet or panel on the lower die, the slider will carefully, and precisely bend the sheet into any angle. Many of these types can also bend pipes and they are typically designed for high workloads. 

Some sheet bending machines like the ACCURL Automatic Panel Bender are versatile, customizable, and able to bend incredibly complex shapes with ease. Other types may only be able to bend up to a certain precision that will work for some applications, but not those that require fraction-of-millimeter accuracy. 

How to Choose the Best Bending Machine

To choose the best bending machine for your industrial manufacturing or metal shaping project you need to consider the size of the parts you want to produce, the shape of the structure, the material, and other factors. 

For example, you need to consider the maximum thickness of the machine as well as the precision of bends. Furthermore, you want to consider the output efficiency, required workload, and other factors that might influence cost and profitability like energy consumption and ease of operation. 

ACCURL has a wide variety of bending machines and add-on accessories to customize for your specific metal bending needs. With unmatched performance, precision, and productivity, our products have been trusted since 1988 as a leader in the press brake and cutting machinery industry. Click here to learn more about our machines and choose the perfect bending machine for your needs. 

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