How does a bending machine work?

We are a professional bending machine manufacturer with over 10 years of industry experience. Today, we would like to introduce you how bending machine works.

Bending machine is a kind of equipment used for sheet metal processing, which is widely used in construction, machinery manufacturing, automobile, home appliances, electrical equipment and other industries. Its working principle mainly includes four aspects: the body, hydraulic system, electrical control system and worktable. It is mainly used to bend and form metal sheets through pressure and tools to make them reach the shape required by design. There are different types of bending machines, including mechanical, hydraulic and electric, etc. Among them, the hydraulic bending machine has become one of the most common equipments in industrial production due to its simple structure, easy operation and wide range of application.

The working principle of the bending machine is to press the metal sheet into the required bending shape by using pressure through the relative movement between the lower and upper molds. Specifically, the working process of the bending machine includes the following major steps:

1. Material preparation and positioning

Before bending, the operator needs to lay the metal plate to be processed flat on the worktable, to ensure that the position is accurate and the edges are aligned, to avoid processing errors caused by improper operation. In this process, the thickness, width, material and other factors of the metal plate need to be considered to determine the working parameters of the bending machine.

2. Mold installation and selection

mold is to determine the bending angle, radius and forming effect of the key factors. Common molds are “V-shaped die” and “R-shaped die”, the opening width, depth and shape will directly affect the bending effect. Operators should be based on the thickness of the plate, material and product design requirements, select the appropriate upper and lower mold, and ensure that their installation is solid, accurate position.

3. Start the equipment and apply pressure

In the control system to set the bending angle, stroke and pressure parameters, the equipment into the working state on. Hydraulic drive system drives the upper die downward, in contact with the plate and gradually pressurized. The metal is squeezed between the molds and starts to undergo plastic deformation, bending along the contour of the mold's “V-groove” or “R-groove” until it reaches the preset angle - during this process, the pressure needs to be dynamically adjusted according to the hardness of the plate. During this process, the pressure should be dynamically adjusted according to the hardness of the plate to prevent cracks or excessive deformation.

4. Control of bending angle and depth

In practice, bending machines are usually equipped with a digital control system that can be programmed to preset the bending angle and depth. These data will be transmitted to the hydraulic system or mechanical drive through the control system, so as to precisely control the downward process of the upper mold. The control system will automatically stop when the sheet metal is bent to the set angle.

5. Pressure Release and Workpiece Removal

After the forming requirements are met, the hydraulic system or mechanical system will stop driving the upper die and then release the pressure. At this point, the bent sheet metal has been formed, completed the processing step. The operator can use the appropriate tools to remove the bent sheet - for large sheets, some bending machines are also equipped with automatic feeding and retrieval devices to enhance operational safety and efficiency.

6. Finished Product Inspection and Dimension Inspection

Visual Inspection: Remove the finished sheet metal and conduct an appearance check to ensure that there are no obvious defects or deformations on the surface. And the use of measuring tools, the processed products for accurate measurement, to verify that the product size is in line with the design requirements.

Above is the workflow of the bending machine, from material preparation to finished product inspection.

Bending machine has become an essential key equipment in modern manufacturing industry. It meets the demand for customized, automated, and high-standard processing for all kinds of industrial parts production with its high efficiency and high-precision metal forming capability.

If you are looking for suitable bending processing equipment, please feel free to contact us, we will provide you with professional technical support and customized solutions.