Understanding the Art of Bending
Heavy plate bending is performed on a press brake. The principle of bending is to shape workpieces of different angles and sizes through the compression of upper and lower dies, primarily composed of a bottom die with a V-groove and an upper die (known as the “punch”) and lower die (simply referred to as the “die”). Besides one-shot forming dies, the bottom die is usually a V-groove type, chosen based on the thickness of the material to be bent.
The bending angle is controlled by the depth at which the punch forces the plate into the die. The most common type of plate bending is called V-bending, where the punch and die used are V-shaped.
The Difference Between Thin and Heavy Plate Bending
The Contrast in Bending Equipment
Thin plate bending (sheet metal bending)often requires more delicate control and smaller bending radii. Due to the limited stretch and compression capabilities of thin plate materials, excessive bending angles can easily lead to cracks or breaks. Therefore, thin plate bending machines are designed with higher precision and smaller bending radii to accommodate the processing needs of thin plates. These machines typically range from 30 to 100 tons and can bend steel plates up to 10mm thick.
Shown below is our TruBend 1150 CNC bending machine, with a pressing force of 150 tons, a processing length of 3.2 meters, and a 6+1 axis back gauge, capable of bending a maximum thickness of 4mm stainless steel.
Heavy plate bending, on the other hand, requires more robust machinery and greater bending force. Due to the greater force required to bend heavy plates, the machines used are relatively more sturdy and stable. In addition, equipment used for heavy plate bending typically can handle larger sizes and thicknesses, making it more suitable for large-scale industrial production needs. Tonnage is generally over 100 tons, with heavy plate bending machines potentially reaching 400 tons, 500 tons, or even over 1000 tons.
Material Properties Differences Between Heavy and Thin Plates
Thin plate materials, due to their smaller thickness, have higher ductility and malleability but also signify lower tensile strength, making them more prone to cracking under stress.
Heavy plate materials, while less ductile, have higher tensile strength, allowing them to withstand greater deformation forces without cracking. This characteristic makes heavy plates more reliable for significant deformation.
Process Differences Between Heavy and Thin Plate Bending
Thin plates: Deformation risks can be mitigated by increasing the strength of the plate.
Heavy plates: Rapid shaping through bending methods is achievable, suitable for large-size processing needs.
Relationship Between Bending Radius and Plate Thickness
Common bending radii include 2mm, 3mm, 5mm, etc. The size of the bending radius has a certain relationship with plate thickness. Generally, the thinner the plate, the broader the range of bending radii that can be chosen. The bending radius is typically proportional to the plate thickness; the thicker the plate, the larger the minimum bending radius required.
Thin plates: The minimum bending radius is smaller, prone to cracking.
Heavy plates: The minimum bending radius is larger, with higher bending strength.
Press Braking Process Optimization Suggestions
For thin plate bending: Care should be taken to avoid too small bending radii to prevent cracks and breaks.
For heavy plate bending: Ensure section quality, reduce burrs at the outer R, and make sure the inner R is greater than the minimum bending radius to avoid cracking.
Why Choose Atimei for Your Heavy Plate Bending Needs?
Heavy Plate Bending for Extra-Long Parts
Our heavy plate bending capabilities include machines with capacities of 1000 tons, 1500 tons, 2000 tons, 3000 tons, etc., with bed lengths of up to 12 meters. For special length parts over 12 meters, we can meet bending needs with operations combining two press brakes and customized dies. This allows us to shape steel materials of various grades into diverse forms for numerous applications.
Heavy Plate Bending for Thick Part
We possess one of the largest 1000-ton press brakes, which typically can bend steel plate thicknesses within 25mm. However, specific thicknesses and bending capacities depend on die dimensions, material parameters, and other factors.
Bending of Special Shapes
There are often demands in the market for cylinder rolling that cannot be achieved by rolling machines, such as when the required radius of the rolled plate is smaller than the radius of the rolling machine’s rollers. In these cases, we can consider using multi-cut bending with a press brake, like the segments for wind turbine towers, which we achieve through our bending machines.
Our engineers have extensive experience in controlling and calculating the number of bending cuts and the distance of each advancement, ensuring that the bending effect closely matches the appearance of rolling, without affecting usability. Additionally, we can bend into conical shapes, multi-angle bends, and more, according to specific customer needs.
Precision in Our Heavy Plate Bending
Our heavy-duty bending machines are constructed with an all-steel welded structure, stress-relieved to maintain accuracy over time. The machines employ dual hydraulic cylinders for the control of the slider’s up and down movement and use a mechanical torsion axis for synchronization.
Generally speaking, our 1000T bending machine has a measuring accuracy of about 0.1°, with a system precision of ±0.3°.
Bending of Special Materials
For specific product needs requiring special materials, such as wear-resistant steel, high-strength steel, and corrosion-resistant steel plates, our heavy-duty bending machines can meet your bending requirements.
