Generally, in press brake operations, as part-material thickness increases, bend complexity lessens. Where thin-gauge parts may require numerous bends and incorporate intricate geometries, as material thickness reaches 1⁄4 in. and above, more-straightforward angle bends tend to become the norm. For fabricators using these thicker materials on a variety of jobs, the concept of adjustable V dies requires exploration, as the ever-evolving technology offers significantly reduced changeover times while saving operators from potentially injurious movement of heavy and awkward tooling. Payoffs include greater press brake uptime and healthier, more productive associates on the shop floor.
To dig deeper into adjustable V dies, MetalForming discussed the technology with Steve Brown, press brake tooling product manager for Wilson Tool Intl.
“Thicker material may have a lot of 90-deg. bends and some overbend, but in general, part configuration simplifies as does the tooling,” he says. “You can look at many parts made from thicker material and probably perform the bend sequence in your head.”
And, as part material grows thicker, tools become larger.
“Unless fabricators want to use fork trucks or multiple operators to start moving these tools around, at higher risk of injury, they’ll want to find a better option,” says Brown.
Read the full article in MetalForming Magazine to learn how technology eases adjustment, how rapid ROI is possible and using inserts to add to economic gains.
November 04, 2021