4 steps to better press brake management

At a time when workshop productivity has significantly increased with the advent of high-speed laser cutting machines, work on press brakes is increasingly considered a limiting factor for overall efficiency. Many manufacturers are investing in new press brakes with fast setup capabilities. If your production is not yet ready for such investments, it is still necessary to achieve maximum efficiency from your existing bending equipment. We offer four tips on how to get the most out of your equipment.

If you see that you are not getting maximum performance from your press brake, make sure you follow these recommendations:

1. Measure how much time you spend on setup and how much on bending.

The simplest step is at least to know exactly where most of the setup time is spent and how long bending itself takes.

For those who say that press brake setup takes 45 minutes, I would recommend determining exactly what this time is spent on. Are operators searching for tooling, programming the press, or making test bends? Each of these issues has solutions, so it is very important to understand where the bottlenecks in the workshop are. Only then can the right solution be selected.

2. Apply the 5S approach to bending operations.

For those who follow lean manufacturing principles, applying them to press brakes is an easy way to improve operations. These principles are sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. You can read more about this approach here.

Efficient workshops use perforated boards for all measuring tools (angle gauges, feeler gauges) directly next to the press control panel. This way, they are always at hand and no extra time is wasted searching for them.

3. Organize tool storage conveniently.

Most workshops group tooling either by material thickness or by type of operation. Experts recommend choosing one approach and sticking to it. They also believe it is advisable to have a separate set of tooling for each press brake.

Many believe that using one set of tooling on several presses helps save money. Yes, but this saving is short-term. Over a longer period, it becomes a disadvantage—unless we are talking about special tooling with unique radii and lengths.

Step bending is a process that can be the best way to speed up production while maintaining quality. It has two advantages. First, it reduces part setup time and lowers the risk of operator error. Second, it often happens that for some parts the blank size is not perfectly accurate. This means that bend allowances have to be adjusted so that the part meets expectations or fits with another part. If the part is not bent step by step, this cannot be achieved.

Experienced operators working with relatively simple parts may suggest a setup that allows them to bend several parts at the same time, and most operators will follow their recommendation. However, this method does not always guarantee proper planning. Today, it is increasingly common for 1–2 experienced operators to prepare press setups for the entire workshop. But this is not always the best idea: other operators may be standing idle, waiting their turn. This is why many manufacturers plan investments in more advanced technologies: they usually simplify setup and do not require a highly experienced operator.

4. Program outside the workshop.

One inexpensive way to manage setup time is to program all press brakes offline.

Offline programming is the most significant low-cost improvement you can make. If it is organized properly, even a new job will feel like a repeat one: all information is already available for the operator. In addition to offline programming, we recommend using a database or logbook that records tooling preferences, back gauges, and other special conditions. By using both methods, the operator can quickly reproduce all settings without reinventing the wheel each time.

Even if your press brake is not designed to receive data via a network, you can still create setup sheets with all the data. Select the tooling and create an offline program that can later be entered into the press. The program will already specify the tooling, flange lengths, and bend allowances. There will be no need to calculate allowances and heights directly during the process.

If the press is not network-connected, we recommend installing a computer monitor on or near it to display tooling setups. This allows the operator to replicate them easily. It is within your power to do everything possible to provide the operator with everything needed to prepare the press brake for work.

IMA information:

Italian Machinery Association offers modern press brakes whose performance can be effectively improved and optimized as described above.

• If you are interested in other materials on bending, we recommend the following articles:

Step bending increases press brake productivity

Automation to improve bending processes

How to successfully work with an old press brake and set it up

• If it is time to expand or upgrade your production capacity, you can always contact IMA to purchase a new press brake from a reliable Italian manufacturer. The range of press brakes from association members in our catalog can meet the needs of any manufacturer—from small subcontractors or individual producers to large-scale automated plants.
• In some cases, the productivity of installed machines can be significantly increased by equipping them with new, high-quality tooling of one of the popular styles. Explore the press brake tooling offered by Italian Machinery Association.
• Do you need services for repair, installation, recommissioning of machines, or operator training? The IMA service team has extensive experience and expertise to solve any problem.
• Do you have other questions or needs? Contact us immediately by phone or email, or visit any of our offices.