building a 40 ton hydraulic press brake machine

instructables

Building a 40 Ton Hydraulic Press Brake Machine

by Customfabricated

There is no way around it. If you're looking to makeclean bends in steel plate, you're going to need agood press brake.

There are a lot of press brake varieties out there.Depending on features, these machines can getpricey (upwards of tens of thousands!). If you're in themarket for one, but don't want to shell out the bucks

for it, why not make it yourself!? Sounds intimidatingright? Where should you start? How big of a pressbrake do you really need?

To help answer those questions and more, here arethe steps I took to build my own hydraulic pressbrake.

Building a 40 Ton Hydraulic Press Brake Machine:

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Step 1: Understanding Press Brake Basics

Before you begin, it's good to have a basic understanding of how these machines operate.

W ha t do e s a Pre s s Bra ke do ?W ha t do e s a Pre s s Bra ke do ? It allows you to make bends in sheet metal and in thicker steel plate.

There is nothing overly scienti c about how a press brake works. Attached is a sketch showing the maincomponents along with some details below:

M a in f ra m eM a in f ra m e - the core of your machine. In essence, this is nothing more than a rectangle madefrom some beefy materials. Due to the size of mine, I added some legs and wheels. If yours is smallenough, you can leave it as a table top version.Lo w e r be nding dieLo w e r be nding die - also referred to as the "v die." The work piece will get pressed into the "v die"to create a bendUppe r be nding dieUppe r be nding die - also referred to as the bending blade. The bending blade will press downacross the top of the work piece and force the material into the "v die."B e nding bla de a s s e m blyB e nding bla de a s s e m bly (as I call it) - this is simply the assembly that holds your upper bendingdie. It needs to be pretty beefy to resist deformation when making a bendHy dra ulic ja cksHy dra ulic ja cks - the muscle behind your machine. These generate the force required to make thebends. I have two jacks on my machine but based on your required machine capacity, you might onlyneed one.Re t urn s pring sRe t urn s pring s - these springs will pull the bending blade assembly back upwards after a bend iscompleted. The springs need to have enough force to lift the weight of your bending bladeassembly.

Keep in mind, there are other versions out there that operate di erently. This particular style was best suited to myneeds.


Step 2: Where Should You Start?

Step 3: Determining How Much Force Your Press Brake Needs

First, ask yourself this: Wh a t i s t h e ma x i mumWh a t i s t h e ma x i mumt h i c k n e ss a n d wi d t h o f st e e l y o u e n vi si o nt h i c k n e ss a n d wi d t h o f st e e l y o u e n vi si o ny o urse l f n e e d i n g t o b e n d ?y o urse l f n e e d i n g t o b e n d ?

The answer to that question will help drive the rest ofyour build.

For me, I needed to bend 3/16 inch thick steel in a 4

foot wide section. This resulted in a pretty largemachine.

No matter how large or small of a machine you need,you can apply these same process steps to build yourown press brake.

Attached is a press brake capacity chart for plain steel.If you'll be working with other materials like stainlessor aluminum, you can easily nd charts for thoseonline. The left hand side of the chart has options forsteel thickness. The top of the chart has options for "vdie opening" size (refer to the illustration shown onthe chart for a better understanding). The middle ofthe chart shows force in tons per linear foot.

Ho w do y o u us e t his cha rt ?Ho w do y o u us e t his cha rt ? Lets say for examplethat the max thickness and width you anticipateneeding to bend is 10 gauge steel that is 2 feet wide.Take a look at the left hand side of the chart and nd'10 gauge.' Now take a look at the top of the chart and

select a 'v die opening' size (a typical v die size for 10gauge steel is 1.25 inches). Now look at the centerportion of the chart and see where those twoselections intersect. The chart shows that 7.3 tons perlinear foot is required to make this bend. Since youneed to bend a 2 foot width, you will need 14.6 tons offorce.

Ho w big o f a pre s s bra ke do y o u ne e d?Ho w big o f a pre s s bra ke do y o u ne e d? In thisexample, you would need a 2 foot wide press brakecapable of generating at least 14.6 tons of pressure.With this information, you can now start designingyour own machine.


Step 4: Designing Your Press Brake

This is the most important part of the entire process - plan the work, and work the plan.

First, consider what tools and equipment you have available to help you with this build. I have a wide variety offabrication machinery in my personal shop. Don't worry, you don't need this level of machinery to build your ownpress brake. However, the equipment you have at your disposal may impact your design. For example, I have amilling machine that I used to mill my upper bending dies. If you don't have one, you can make a bending die outof angle iron and at bar or even buy a commercially available bending die and adapt it to your design.

Attached are some sketches showing my press brake design. Autocad and Fusion 360 are great options for CADmodeling. If you're more comfortable with hand sketches, those work just ne as well. The important part is toensure you consider and plan all details big and small.

A f e w no t a ble f e a t ure s o f m y de s ig n:A f e w no t a ble f e a t ure s o f m y de s ig n:


40 ton and 63 inch capacity - this was driven by my need to bend 4 feet of 3/16 inch thick steelAdjustable hydraulic jack locations - jacks slide side-to-side for optimal positioning dependent onwork piece thickness and width - if your press is 2 feet wide or less and you're using a single jack, thisadjust-ability isn't necessarySpring compensated and adjustable gauge rods on both sides allow for consistent and accuraterepeat bends. The compression springs prevent damage to the gauge system in the event that thestop point is accidentally exceeded - you can also use two rulers mounted on either side of the machineas an alternativeBending blade, main bending bar, and bottom die assemblies built from cold rolled 1018 for atypically higher material hardness than the work piece - I've seen several folks build their presses withplain carbon steel dies with no issuesAdjustable width bottom die assembly using two 1.5 inch diameter cold rolled solid round rods -using two round rods is a good way to have an adjustable width bottom dieBending blade will be cut into ngers to allow for box and pan bending operations - a nice feature tohave but not necessary for everyoneHydraulic jacks plumbed together for simultaneous operation but can also be operated individuallyfor level adjustment - this is a must when using two jacks on your machineAdaptable, adjustable, modular, and easily repairable design utilizing minimal welding ofcomponents onto the main frame - facilitates easier modi cations and repairs going forward

W ha t s iz e o f m a t e ria ls do y o u ne e d t o us e ?W ha t s iz e o f m a t e ria ls do y o u ne e d t o us e ? Without getting too deep into engineering calculations, youcan simply look up similar size machines online and see what materials other folks used to make theirs. General ruleof thumb: if you think it might bend, throw more steel at it!


Step 5: Procuring Your Materials

With your design set, it's a good idea to generate a full list of all materials you'll need. The more detail the better -even breaking it down into the speci c material types and lengths that you'll need to cut out. You can then procureall of your materials and parts at one time - I like to have all parts on hand before I start a build.

He re a re t he m a t e ria ls a nd pa rt s I us e d f o r m y m a chine :He re a re t he m a t e ria ls a nd pa rt s I us e d f o r m y m a chine :

4 x 6 x 1/4 inch re ct a ng ula r t ube4 x 6 x 1/4 inch re ct a ng ula r t ube - for the main frame2 x 3 x 3/16 inch re ct a ng ula r t ube2 x 3 x 3/16 inch re ct a ng ula r t ube - for trusses and bracing5 inch x 6 . 7lb/f t c- cha nne l 5 inch x 6 . 7lb/f t c- cha nne l - for the upper horizontal beam of the main frame and the lowerbending die3 x 3 x 1/8 inch s qua re t ube3 x 3 x 1/8 inch s qua re t ube - for lower bracing2 x 2 x 1/8 inch s qua re t ube 2 x 2 x 1/8 inch s qua re t ube - for lower bracing2 x 6 x 3/16 re ct a ng ula r t ube2 x 6 x 3/16 re ct a ng ula r t ube - for the base of the machine4 x 1/2 inch a t ba r 4 x 1/2 inch a t ba r - for the main frame5 x 1/2 inch a t ba r5 x 1/2 inch a t ba r - for the bending blade assembly4 x 3/4 inch co ld dra w n 10 18 a t ba r4 x 3/4 inch co ld dra w n 10 18 a t ba r - for the upper bending die1. 5 inch co ld ro lle d 10 18 s o lid ro und ro d1. 5 inch co ld ro lle d 10 18 s o lid ro und ro d - for the lower bending dieVa rio us pa rt s cut f ro m 1/8 inch a nd 1/4 inch s t e e l pla t eVa rio us pa rt s cut f ro m 1/8 inch a nd 1/4 inch s t e e l pla t eVa rio us le ng t hs o f 1/2 inch t hre a de d ro d a nd bo lt s + nut sVa rio us le ng t hs o f 1/2 inch t hre a de d ro d a nd bo lt s + nut s18 6 po und ca pa cit y e xt e ns io n s pring s18 6 po und ca pa cit y e xt e ns io n s pring s20 t o n a ir o v e r hy dra ulic ja cks20 t o n a ir o v e r hy dra ulic ja cks - I chose air over hydraulic jacks for the convenience ofoperation. These are hydraulic jacks that function on air pressure as opposed to pumping a handle.4 inch s t e e l ca s t e rs4 inch s t e e l ca s t e rs


Step 6: Cutting Parts for the Main Frame

This is the classic measure twice cut once stage.

Using your detailed design and parts list, work yourway through all the parts necessary for the mainframe. At this stage, I suggest cutting out parts forthe main frame only. All other parts can be cut outlater just in case you encounter issues with the mainframe that drive changes to the overall design.

In the photos shown here, I'm cutting out therequired lengths of rectangular tube and c-channelusing my abrasive chop saw. I also started weldingtogether some of the sub-assemblies for the mainframe.


Step 7: Assembling the Main Frame - Establish a Work Surface

Step 8: Assembling the Main Frame - Start With a Datum

After cutting out all parts for your main frame, you'll want to ensure you have a at and level surface available forassembly. If you have a welding xture table, even better. I used a sheet of 1/4 inch steel plate with somerectangular tubes and shims to create a level surface.

Once you've established your work surface, the best place to start is the area of the main frame where your lowerbending die will sit. Once this part is square and true, you can use it as a datum to build the rest of your frame.


Step 9: Assembling the Main Frame - Adding Bracing and Trusses

S o m e t ips f o r t his s t a g e :S o m e t ips f o r t his s t a g e :

Take your time and ensure your parts are positioned properly and securely fastened before you weldBe conscious of where you place your welds to avoid the need for grinding or cutting later down thelineWatch for material deformation due to heat from welding - symmetrically applied welds will help tokeep things straightNo need for full welds at this stage. Just tack things together but ensure the tacks are substantialenough to keep your parts stable.

M y w e lding m a chine :M y w e lding m a chine :

I'm using a 210 amp welder with 75/25 Argon/CO2 shielding gas and .035 solid MIG wire for all welds

Once the core of your frame is securely tackedtogether, you can begin adding the bracing andtrusses. If you're making a smaller capacity press, thislevel of bracing and truss work might not benecessary.

Once all of your braces and trusses are tacked in placeand you've con rmed that everything is true andsquare, you can begin fully welding your seems. Keepin mind, symmetrically placed and evenly spacedwelds will help to minimize heat distortion.


Step 10: Assembling the Main Frame - Final Welding

At this stage, your partially welded frame should be rigid enough to pick up o the work surface so you can fullyweld all remaining seems. Due to the size of my machine, a forklift was a must. Smaller presses can easily behandled by an engine hoist or even by hand for tabletop versions.

Continue to use symmetrical and evenly spaced welds to reduce heat distortion.


Step 11: Inspecting the Completed Frame

Now that your main frame is complete, take some time to measure and check it against your original design. You'llwant to ensure that the frame is straight and square throughout. If any adjustment or modi cations are needed,now is the time to make them.


Step 12: Fabricating the Remaining Parts

You can now set your main frame aside and concentrate on the remaining parts and pieces.

I used 1/4 inch thick plate for most of my parts but your material will vary dependent on the capacity of your press.

My CNC plasma cutter allowed me to e ciently incorporate unique shapes and features. However, fabricating partsthat serve the exact same function is easy to do with standard fabrication tools (chop saws / drill presses / grinders),you'll just have to account for this during the design phase as previously mentioned.

He re is a bre a kdo w n o f t he v a rio us pa rt s f o r m y m a chine :He re is a bre a kdo w n o f t he v a rio us pa rt s f o r m y m a chine :

Ve rt ica l g uide s f o r t he be nding bla de a s s e m blyVe rt ica l g uide s f o r t he be nding bla de a s s e m bly - qty 2 of these keep the bending bladevertical and stable while it is forced down by the hydraulic jacks. I designed mine to clamp aroundthe main frame.Spring s uppo rt sSpring s uppo rt s - qty 4 upper and 4 lower supports help secure the extension springs to the mainframe and to the bending blade assemblyLo a d s pre a de r pla t e sLo a d s pre a de r pla t e s - qty 4 of these cut from 1/2 inch thick material help to distribute the loadat the top and bottom of my hydraulic jacks.Ja ck re t a ining pla t e sJa ck re t a ining pla t e s - qty 4 of these interlock around the top pad of my hydraulic jacks. Theseplates, along with some additional hardware, help to "hang" my jacks from the top I-beam on themain frame. My jacks can slide side-to-side for optimal positioning dependent on work piecethickness and width.


Step 13: Fabricating the Lower Die

I built my dies out of cold rolled 1018 which has aslightly higher material hardness than plain steel.However, I've seen several folks build their own diesusing plain steel with no issues.

My lower die is made out of 5 inch c-channel and 1.5inch diameter solid round rod. The rods sit inside the

c-channel and shims are used to adjust the distancebetween the rods. Other common options are to makea bottom die out of angle iron, machine one out ofsolid stock, or buy a commercially available die andadapt it to your machine.


Step 14: Fabricating the Bending Blade Assembly

This is the component that holds my upper die. I builtthis assembly out of .75 x 4 inch cold rolled at barand .5 x 5 inch hot rolled at bar. Evenly spaced 1/2inch bolts tie all three pieces together. Holes weredrilled using my milling machine. This bending bladeassembly alone weighs approximately 300 pounds

I designed this assembly for easy and e cientinstallation and removal of the bending blade dies. Isimply loosen the bolts with an electric wrench andthe bending blade sections will drop out


Step 15: Machining the Bending Blade

My upper die (aka bending blade) is made out of .75inch thick by 4 inch wide at bar. I used my millingmachine to create the angle on the blade. You couldalso make your blade out of angle iron if you don'thave access to a mill. A third option is to buy acommercially available die and adapt your machine toaccept it.

Ho w I de t e rm ine d m y bla de a ng le :Ho w I de t e rm ine d m y bla de a ng le : See theattached cross sectional sketch. Based on geometry,

the minimum achievable blade angle is 47.26 degreesat which point the work piece would start to clashwith the bending blade assembly. Thus, I set my millto machine a 24 degree angle on both sides of theblade.

I will subsequently cut the blade into smaller " ngers"which will allow me to perform box and pan bendingoperations.


Step 16: Inspecting All Components Prior to Final Assembly

https://youtu.be/fktinEcl0Ww

I now have a main frame, all loose parts, and both lower and upper die assemblies fully complete. Prior toassembling everything together, it is prudent to do a quick inspection of all components to ensure everything issu ciently welded and built per your design speci cations.


Step 17: Final Assembly

The best part of any build - nal assembly.

S o m e t ips f o r t his s t a g e :S o m e t ips f o r t his s t a g e :

Safety precautions, especially if you're building a machine as large as mine, are critical. These areheavy components that can cause serious injuryThink through each stage of assembly and ensure you are progressing in a safe mannerUse wooden blocks or other means of support to keep gravity on your side

M y a s s e m bly pro ce s s :M y a s s e m bly pro ce s s :

1. bo t t o m diebo t t o m die - this simply lays over the frame2. be nding bla de v e rt ica l g uide sbe nding bla de v e rt ica l g uide s - these clamp around the frame (one on each side of the

machine)3. be nding bla de a s s e m blybe nding bla de a s s e m bly - this is suspended using four extension springs. I used wooden blocks

to help support the assembly before getting the springs attached4. hy dra ulic ja cks a nd s pre a de r pla t e shy dra ulic ja cks a nd s pre a de r pla t e s - these jacks hang from the upper I-beam. They also have

lower mounting plates that slide on the bending blade assembly for side-to-side adjustment5. be nding bla de ( AK A uppe r die s ) be nding bla de ( AK A uppe r die s ) - these simply slide up into a retaining slot and are cinched in

place by tightening the bolts along the bending blade assembly


Step 18: Adding a Gauge System

Co m m e rcia lly a v a ila ble pre s s bra ke s t y pica lly ha v e a co uple ke y f e a t ure s :Co m m e rcia lly a v a ila ble pre s s bra ke s t y pica lly ha v e a co uple ke y f e a t ure s :

You can set the machine to stop at a speci c bend angle or xed angle dies are used to generaterepeatable speci c bendsThe bending blade will remain level as it lowers during a bend - this is usually accomplished throughelectronic feedback control systems that monitor levelness of the blade or through the use of atorsion tube that mechanically keeps the blade level

M y pa rt icula r m a chine ha s ne it he r o f t ho s e f e a t ure s . Ins t e a d, I inco rpo ra t e d t he f o llo w ing :M y pa rt icula r m a chine ha s ne it he r o f t ho s e f e a t ure s . Ins t e a d, I inco rpo ra t e d t he f o llo w ing :


In order to generate consistent repeat bends, I designed a spring compensated gauge rod system.This is a mechanical system that allows me to set a stop point for the blade assembly. Compressionsprings prevent damage in case the stop point is accidentally exceeded. See attached photos formore information. The adjustable nut on the lowest portion of the threaded rod serves as my stoppoint.I use a bubble level mounted on the bending blade to monitor levelness. It is also quite easy tocheck the levelness of the blade against the bottom die with your eyes only.

Check out the video above to see the gauge system in action!

https://youtu.be/TGYaQeq2rGk


Step 19: The Completed Machine

Here are a few photos of the completed machine. I have plans to add a material support bar for the front and anadjustable back gauge on the rear but that will have to wait until later.

Check out the next step for pics and videos of the machine operating


Step 20: Test Bends

Control wise, I have both hydraulic jacks plumbed together with identical couplers and hose lengths. There is asingle 1/4 turn valve located upstream of the factory triggers for both jacks.

I ca n o pe ra t e t he m a chine in t w o w a y s :I ca n o pe ra t e t he m a chine in t w o w a y s :

Lock the factory air supply triggers open and use the 1/4 turn valve to operate both jackssimultaneouslyOpen the 1/4 turn valve and operate both jacks individually using their factory air supply triggers

Check out the video above to see the machine in action!


Step 21: Summary

https://youtu.be/ryauBbXhaaE

I spent approximately 2 weeks designing and 1.5 weeks physically building my press brake. Total cost was around


Very impressive! I'm envious of your skills and knowledge (and especially your shop!).

Thanks for the compliments! I’ve amassed a few too many tools and machines over the years..haha

Awesome build! But there's one component missing... paint!

But seriously, I'm curious, what sorts of things are you fabricating in your shop?

Haha I like to leave most of my custom built machines in raw steel to facilitate future modificationsor repairs. I build anything I need/want from custom truck bumpers to furniture and interior fixturesto smoker pits.. I do stainless, aluminum, and carbon steel mig and tig welding. Just anythingreally. Basically if I can build something myself, I build it myself and try to make it better than what Ican buy.

Great instructable with so much helpful information and useful tips. Thanks for writing this up andposting. Really enjoyed the read and the pictures/video. Will use the ideas when I get to makingmy own. Thanks again �

Thanks! Much appreciated

Excelente construccion. Felicitaciones.

Thanks!

I....,I...think I love you.

Haha! I’ll take that as a compliment haha

Excellent build! Holy smokes.....never the brake, your shop has got everything to build multiples ofthat brake, you could easily recoup your investment in materials plus, plus, plus+ lol. Greatjob......luvvit.

Thanks!

$1,000 for all of the materials and parts (purchasing a commercially available machine of the same capacity wouldcost me upwards of $10,000!). Total machine weight is around 1200 pounds.

Thanks for checking out my build and I hope this provided useful information for your own press brake project!


how about a copy of your dxf file for the plazma cut fittings

That is an intense build! Very nice job :)

Thanks! Much appreciated. The machine is working great so far!


building a 40 ton hydraulic press brake machine

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