A sheet metal brake system bends metal to a desired shape. Because there are different brake types on the market, assess what is available to help you determine which system will work best for your needs. 

Press Brake Or Folder

A few simple bends can be performed by feeding sheet metal through a press brake system. This type of machine is powerful and versatile and may allow you to complete a batch of metal products that need to be shaped in a specific manner. Another type of brake system is a sheet metal folder. This type of system will allow you to make more concise bends and may be suitable for an application that requires a custom shape or one that will contain many grooves or rounded parts in its design.

Unlike the bending process that a press brake performs, a folder will require the front edge of the metal to rest behind the machine, on a table-like apparatus. This type of setup will allow an operator to maintain control of the part of the metal that is being bent. A clamp is used to hold the section of metal that will be shaped and the rest of the metal will not be affected.

Safety Measures

After purchasing a new brake system for your warehouse, your workers will not be ready to use the equipment until you have broken down the safety procedures and proper installation of metal items. Demonstrate how to use either type of brake system. Afterward, ask for a volunteer and instruct them to put on some safety gear, prior to handling the sheet metal that is being transformed into an end product.

The machine may streamline processes inside of your plant that once were rather tedious and difficult to complete. Assign someone to oversee the brake system, to ensure that your employees continue to utilize it properly. If you become aware of the benefits of owning this type of equipment and have several different metal pieces that each possess a unique shape, invest in a secondary machine and have it installed in another part of the warehouse.

Assign one group of people to use each type of machine, to avoid confusion. Having two machines to perform the daily tasks may allow your workers to reach each quota that you have set for them. In addition to the proper operation of the equipment, request that each machine is inspected and cleaned on a fairly consistent basis.