History of the Press Brake
It was sometime after the industrial revolution began, shops from eastern Europe to the United States realized that they needed a better way to bend thin sheet metal to various shapes. Basic machining principles were just beginning to be formed, as innovations were being introduced at a rapid pace. The “birth of metalworking” was just about to explode on the scene. The first recognizable press brake (sometimes referred to as a “brake press”) was conceived by a company out of Kentucky in the late 1870’s. This crude machine was the first working production press brake as we know it today. Press brakes underwent constant improvement in design through-out the years, and by World War II the mechanical press brake reached its pinnacle of production. That did not stop the evolution of the modern press brake. Fast forward to today, the very notion that one is going to buy their first press brake may be quite daunting. Let’s for a moment look at today’s selection of production press brakes. As for the type of function of the machine you have the choice of either mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and all electric. How smart do you want your new press brake to be? Your choices there include, manual, automatic, basic CNC, advanced CNC. You have to figure all this stuff out before you even think about how long is the bending length going to be? How thick of material do I want to bend.? What sort and size of back gauge am I going to need, and how much automation do I need there? Buying a used press brake can be a daunting task. Luckily, we are here to help.
Used Mechanical Press Brakes for Sale
Used mechanical press brakes are an economical solution for metal bending. If you have to repeatedly produce metal parts, a used mechanical brake might be ideal for you. Before acquiring one for your shop, however, there are several things to consider. Investing in used machinery can save you money and greatly improve your rate of production, saving you time. When it comes to metal bending, mechanical type brakes are often preferred over their hydraulic and pneumatic counterparts for accurate results in a short amount of time. Whether you need to form angles, flatten metal, create pipes or produce seams, a used mechanical press brake is a good option. Depending on your production needs, you can choose from different press brakes that feature varying working lengths and heights, amplitudes, speeds and tonnage. You gain greater control with mechanical brakes, so it is easy to form accurate bends in an assortment of metals. These machines also offer extended die life to save you money on tooling. With varying ram speed, the operator can select the desired speed and let the machine cycle automatically. Used mechanical press brakes are easy to learn how to operate, so minimal training is needed.
Why Not Go with the Simplicity of a Used Mechanical Press Brake?
In a used mechanical press brake, energy is added to a flywheel with via an electric motor of varying designs. A clutch then engages the flywheel to move a crank mechanism that raises the ram vertically. Accuracy and speed are two benefits of the mechanical press. Until the 1950s, mechanical press brakes dominated the world market. With the invention of better hydraulics and computer controls, innovations have led to hydraulic machines being the most popular. However, mechanical press brakes are well known to be the least injurious to their tooling because of the accuracy of the ram being consistent over the use time of the set up. Currently mechanical press brakes still have a place in manufacturing. Because of their simple layout and operation mechanical press brakes are both, less expensive and easier to operate. You can find reliable brands in metal bending like Cincinnati, Excelsior and Pacific at Bud's, so you know mechanical support is always available. The greatest benefit of these machines is the increased output that you will gain. Mechanical press brakes are ideal for high-production shops that need to turn out a large amount of parts per hour. You will also be impressed with their accuracy. Request a quote to start improving efficiency and increasing the productivity of your operation.
Need More Capacity? A Used Hydraulic Press Brake Won’t Bend Your Budget
Maybe you’re just starting your new company, and just don’t have the budget to buy a new hydraulic press brake. One option is to job out your bend requirements and split your profits with the guy who does your bending. The second option is to look into purchasing a used hydraulic press brake. This is when Bud's Machine Tools becomes an invaluable resource, providing our 50 plus years of experience and knowledge directed right at your need. With a myriad of decisions to make when considering a 'new' used hydraulic press brake, if your company has never bent sheet metal before you’re going to need some help. Some of the main criteria when considering addition of a used press brake to your operation is how wide a sheet will you be working with? (A press brake has two dimensions it is capable of bending, one from the front of the machine and one from the back or back gauge side). The next most important question to be answered is how thick a sheet/plate would you like to be able to bend? And at what width? Will you build in a little: “fudge factor” into your new-used hydraulic press brake? Only after these questions are answered can we even begin to size the proper used hydraulic press brake.
Bud's Knows Press Brakes Better than Most
Bud's Machine Tools has the experience to assist your company all the way to approved production parts. We can recommend proper tooling to get your production parts done correctly the first time. Trust our experience, trust our knowledge — we are a leading seller of new and used press brakes in the Intermountain West (and quite a ways beyond). Let Bud's Machine Tools be your partner in production. Bryan "Bud" Jorgenson has bought and sold every kind of press brake known to man. Press brakes are our “meat and potatoes” here at Bud's — Bryan cut his teeth on press brakes when he first started in the industry, learning the trade by the side of his father, Roger Jorgenson. Over the years, Bryan and his team has learned everything there is to know about brakes — we know how to fix them, tool them up, and show you how to best set them up on your shop floor to make the parts you need. We offer a wide variety of used press brakes including, mechanical, hydro-mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and servo-electric. With our knowledge and expertise of press brakes we can help you find a product that is a fit for all of your metal forming needs. All of our used press brakes have been thoroughly gone through and are guaranteed to make your part to specification. Bud's Machine Tools maintains a constant availability of on-hand used press brakes. Very often we take these machines in on trade when our customers are looking to upgrade their capacity. Frequently — in fact most of the time — the press brakes we take in on trade are pulled directly from the production line and replaced by the new machine. Our used press brakes are in good operating condition because more often than not, the used machine has been serviced by us while it was in production in the field.
Supporting Your Used Press Brake
Bryan Jorgenson's family has been conducting business in the Intermountain West selling metalworking equipment for decades — who else would you trust your production to? We have the parts, tooling, and experience to support any need. Our knowledgeable service engineering staff have the experience — if ever needed — to get your machine up and running quickly and correctly. We have a formidable parts organization with personnel experienced in machinery parts replacements. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to give the “nickel” tour around our facilities. We think you will be impressed with what you see, and more importantly, know Bud's Machine Tools is here for the long haul.
