Box and pan brake

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The box and pan brake is a metalworking machine that allows the bending of sheet metal to form box and pan shapes, and to form bends and creases in sheet metal. It is also known as a bending machine or bending brake.

[edit] Description

The brake consists of a flat surface onto which the material is placed, and a clamping bar which will come down and hold the material firmly during the bend. This clamping action may be manual, automatic or operated using a foot pedal. The front, gate-like, plate of the machine is hinged and may be lifted, forcing the material extended over a straight edge to bend to follow the plate.

Different shapes may be fitted to the clamping bar to permit bending of restricted areas of a piece of sheet metal or of already partially formed pieces.

The bends can be to any angle up to a practical limit of about 120 degrees.

After bending, a box or pan form is then completed by screw, solder, weld, or other metal fixing process.

Brakes come in sizes suitable for light aluminum or brass for small boxes and operated by hand, up to industrial sized and counterwighted hand operated or hydraulic machines suitable for large sheets of steel.