Austin Bosse

English 321
Julie Sandland

The Cincinnati Proform Hydraulic Press Brake Defined

The Cincinnati Proform Press Brake is a versatile forming machine primarily used in factories
that produce parts with bends or brakes. A press brake can be broken down into five main
components:
1. A hydraulically driven ram which applies tonnages in the vertical direction.
2. A bed which supports the applied forces from the ram.
3. Press brake tooling dies offset, channel, radius, and hemming dies - the type, shape,
and material of the dies are the main factors in determining the shape of the newly
formed part.
4. A control center which consists of a touchscreen display computer and a key on/off
switch in addition to the main drive start and stop buttons.
5. Backgauges to rest or slide a desired part against for accurate and consistent brake
lines.
In essence, a press brake exerts high forces between the ram and bed where the tooling dies are
located. Two linear transducers located at each end of the ram continually feed the control center
the current ram-to-bed position. The control center has internal memory space for storing built
programs. Programs stored in the control center keep record of radii, bend lengths, tooling dies,
tonnages, and the placement of the backgauges for the desired output. When a program is
selected and entered to run, the control center sends the stored data to the press brake which then
automatically adjusts the ram height, tonnage, and backgauges to the correct positions. The press
brake can be operated by either a skilled technician or an automated robot. The operator is
determined by the size and weight of the parts in addition to the run quantity or production
volume required. In conclusion, the Cincinnati Proform Press Brake is a production machine
widely utilized in different corporations due to its ability to deform different materials in an
accurate and consistent fashion.

The Cincinnati Proform Hydraulic Press Brake Described

The purpose of this description is to familiarize college students with the basic parts and
operating principles of a standard hydraulic press brake.
The press brake is a large piece of machinery designed for applying loads to materials
which results in deformation. A standard factory press brake is roughly eight feet in length and
twelve feet in height, with variable weight depending upon the desired applied tonnage force.
The press brake is constructed from five main parts: a hydraulically operated ram, a bed,
various tooling dies, backgauges, and a control center.
1 Hydraulic Ram
2 Bed
3 Tooling Dies
4 Backgauges
5 Control Center
5

4
2

Figure 1 Cincinnati Proform Hydraulic Press Brake

Figure 2 Press Brake Backgauges

The forces applied to the material via the tooling dies causes the material to form, bend,
and take the shape of the dies. The press brake has a control center where constructed programs
can be stored. Each program controls the movement of the ram and the backgauges. When a
program is entered into the control center, the press brake can then be run by an operator or an
automated robot. With each cycle of the ram, the program will send the control center the next
location for the backgauges. This will cause the backgauges to automatically travel to the next
indicated location.
Press brakes produce high volume, precise, and accurate parts in a manufacturing setting.
With the variety of tooling dies, ram tonnages, and bed lengths available, press brakes are
capable of bending a wide range of materials with different thicknesses, lengths, and strengths.
Having the capability to deform such a large range of material types with different specifications
makes the press brake a valuable machine for different manufacturing companies around the
globe.

References
Cincinnati Press Brake. Digital image. Fabricating and Metalworking. Alliance
Communications, Inc., 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2015.
Ofria, Jim. Press Brake Backgauges. Digital image. The Fabricator.com. Fabricators &
Manufacturing Association, Intl., 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 22 Sept. 2015.