When building a custom metal project, there will be times that the material needs to be shaped instead of just flat. Those instances call for a shop that provides metal brake services. While welding can be an option for creating different shapes with metal, bending the material can have significant advantages.
This article defines metal brake services, the benefits, and the limitations.
A metal brake is a large tool used to bend sheet and plate metal to specific angles. Different from welding, which melts two pieces together, a metal braking service is able to bend an entire sheet or plate of metal quickly and efficiently.
A metal brake clamps the piece and bends it against a die to a predetermined angle. The machine can be manual, hydraulic, or CNC.
Here is a quick video that shows how the brake works
Bending metal is faster and more efficient than welding. When welding, the worker must clamp the pieces correctly and then weld them together. Quality of the weld can vary from person to person. This can be tedious and time consuming when working on larger projects that are repetitive.
But metal braking services allow workers to repeat the bending process with ease because there is no need to change the initial setup for multiple bends at the same angle. This allows many pieces to be made quickly.
Our brake at FYP Metal Design can handle up to 10 gauge mild steel or 12 gauge stainless.. The material must be between 1/32” and ¼” in thickness. We can bend angles up to 120 degrees.
FYP Metal Design can handle any job large or small. If you’re ready for your next custom metal bending project, give us a call today at (469) 431-4366 or Click here to request a quote.
FYP Custom Metal Design is here to supply solutions to your metal fabrication needs by providing the highest quality custom metal fabrication and products.