Machine tools bend pieces of metal for use in a shop or at a construction site. It is possible to bend some types of metal without using machine tools; however, using them increases productivity, produces precise, quality products and lower rates of injury. As with any large piece of equipment, employ appropriate safety measures when using machine tools.
Box and Pan Folders
Box and pan folders are used for bending sheet metal into different shapes based on thickness and gauge of the original piece of metal. This strong machine can produce perfect, tight bends in mild steel, aluminum and stainless steel. Many of these box and pan folding machines are large and can weigh up to 1 ton, so ample space is necessary to house them.
Steelworkers / Iron Workers
A Steelworker, more commonly known as an Ironworker, is a large, heavy duty machine tool used to bend, puncture, rib or twist heavy-duty pieces of steel or iron. This machine tool works with vertical movement can do a number of things to metal if the operator uses proper techniques. These machines create little metal waste and use nearly all the metal they bend. These machine tools range from 44-ton to 75-ton capacity and are usually found in large industrial shops or factories.
Roll Benders
These machine tools manipulate metal using heavy duty steel rollers that mechanically bend softer, thinner pieces of metal into desired shapes, from gradual bends to extreme, 360-degree bends. Roll benders are often used to form pipes that will fit into a specific area of a larger machine or automobile. Verify the types of metal that can be used in the roll bender; certain types of metal may damage the machine.