If you regularly work with sheet metal as part of your job, you likely already know that sometimes it is necessary to bend the sheet metal to the exact specifications or dimensions required for the project. A sheet metal expert working on ductwork for a heating system or sheet metal for a metal roof are two good examples of this. But if you are still doing your bending through manual labor, there may be a better way. Here's why you might want to look into an autobrake for your sheet metal operation.

An Autobrake Bends the Metal for You

An autobrake is a metalworking machine that can be set up to use pressure to bend the sheet metal at exact points in the production process. It forms bends using a set of dies and can come close to automating the bending or shaping process.

An Autobrake Bends With Accuracy and Precision

The benefits of moving to a machine like an autobrake that uses a computer to bend the sheet metal include the overall accuracy and consistency that such a machine can provide. Each sheet of metal will be bent into the exact same shape at the exact same spot every time. This ensures higher quality sheet metal in the final product, leading to happier customers. It could also save your business money due to fewer quality control issues due to a bad bend.

An Autobrake Can Be Adjusted Quickly

When you are bending sheet metal by hand, you might need to stop what you are doing whenever it's time to bend at a new angle or at a new spot. But with an autobrake machine, you can enter the information you need into a control panel and the computer will do the rest. Using an autobrake to bend, shape, or form your metal will remove considerable downtime from the bending process and allow you to make updates or changes on the fly without shutting the whole operation down. This should mean a higher yield of finished products when all is said and done, leading to more revenue for your company.

An Autobrake is Versatile and Durable

An autobrake bending machine can also handle sheet metal of varying thicknesses. You'll likely find that these machines are adept at handling any kind of sheet metal you put into it, with limited adjustments needed to be completed by the human operator.

These machines are also known for being quite durable and standing the test of time with proper maintenance. The investment you make in a new autobrake today could pay dividends for many years to come. For more information on autobrakes like Roper Whitney autobrakes, contact a company near you.