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Machine selection

Choose the right sheet metal machine

Compare machines by the parts you make, the process they need and your production volume.

Find Your Machine Discuss Your Application

01 / Choose a process

What do you need to make?

Match the operation to your workpiece. One finished product may need both cutting and forming equipment.

WAD electro-hydraulic CNC press brake

Bend varied parts

Press brakes

For brackets, profiles and folded parts. Start with the bend shape, tooling access and required force.

How to choose a press brake
ULF single-table fiber laser cutting machine

Cut outlines and holes

Fiber laser cutting

For sheet, tube and profile features. Choose the workpiece format first, then the process and handling setup.

How to choose a laser
PB-A automatic tool-change panel bender

Form multi-sided panels

Panel benders

For compatible doors, trays and panels. Check flanges, clamping and part clearance before comparing tool changes.

How to choose a panel bender
QC12K/E hydraulic swing-beam shear

Cut straight-edged blanks

Shearing machines

For straight cuts and repeated strips. Material strength, cut length and sheet support guide the choice.

How to choose a shear

02 / Compare the process

Which production route fits?

Choose by the work that must be completed. Compare geometry first, then the complete cycle and changeover.

Press brake or panel bender?

Compare

Press brake

Panel bender

Start here

Press brake

Varied brackets, profiles and folded parts where the selected punch, die and bend sequence can reach every feature.

Panel bender

Compatible doors, trays and multi-sided panels where clamping and programmed panel movement fit the geometry.

Check first

Press brake

Force, bend length, tool clearance, backgauge references and support through the complete bend sequence.

Panel bender

Material range, panel size, flange heights, return bends, clamping zones and finished-part removal.

Compare the job

Press brake

Include programming, tool setup, part turning and loading. Check regular work and difficult exceptions.

Panel bender

Include setup and loading. PB-M changes segmented tooling manually; PB-A selects upper-tool length automatically.

Both processes can serve different parts in the same assembly. A high-mix workload alone does not determine the machine.

Laser cutting or shearing?

Compare

Fiber laser

Hydraulic shear

Required features

Fiber laser

Outlines, holes and profiled features in compatible sheet, tube or profile workpieces.

Hydraulic shear

Straight-edged sheet or plate blanks and repeated strips.

Check the result

Fiber laser

Material, thickness, small features, gas, edge condition and preparation for the next operation.

Hydraulic shear

Material shear strength, cut length, squareness, burr, distortion and support for narrow strips.

Compare the job

Fiber laser

Include nesting, cutting, loading, part removal and any edge finishing.

Hydraulic shear

Include positioning, cut sequence, collection and any separate work needed to create holes or contours.

Compare the whole route to the finished blank, including any downstream operations.

Standalone machine or an automated cell?

Find the delay

If programming or tool setup causes the delay, first review software, tooling and changeover. Faster machine motion may leave the bottleneck unchanged.

Define the repeated task

For loading, unloading or regripping, identify part weights, pickup points, transfer positions and exceptions. These determine the handling equipment.

Prove the complete cell

Check the regular batch and the next job, including recovery from an interruption. Define the host, handling, guarding and operator responsibilities together.

03 / Narrow your shortlist

Narrow your machine shortlist

Open your process checklist, then compare models and specifications on the product pages.

Press brake: force, geometry and workflow
Press brake punch, V-die and upper-tool clamping interface
Punch and V-die: check die opening, tool access and clamping.

1. Estimate the force

Use material grade, thickness, bend length and the intended die opening for an air-bending estimate. Check the machine and tooling load limits together.

2. Check the complete shape

Review flange lengths, returns, tool access and the space needed to form and remove the part. Working length, opening height, stroke and support must fit the whole sequence.

3. Compare the production route

Review NC for defined, straightforward work; CNC for programmed sequences; electric for a suitable force and duty profile. Long parts or repeated handling may need tandem, large-machine or cell assessment.

Fiber laser: workpiece, cutting process and handling
Laser cutting head above a sheet with cut contours and circular holes
Sheet cutting example: match contours, holes and edge requirements.

1. Choose the workpiece format

Separate sheet, tube and structural-profile work. Stock dimensions, weight, chuck or fixture access and loading determine the platform.

2. Define the cutting result

List usual materials and thicknesses as well as occasional maxima. Compare power, gas and the cutting head using representative contours, holes and required edge quality.

3. Match the material flow

Compare single and exchange tables for sheet preparation. For mixed sheet-and-tube jobs, examine shared-machine scheduling; for dedicated tube work, check chucks, support and remnants.

Panel bender: compatible panels and tool changes
Segmented upper-tool assembly of a PB-A panel bender
PB-A tooling example: compare upper-tool lengths and changeovers.

1. Check the working envelope

Provide the flat pattern and finished panel. Review material, thickness, panel size, flange height and returns against one exact model.

2. Check every bend

Look for tool interference, usable clamping areas, rotation clearance and a way to remove the finished part. Include visible surfaces and protective film in the sample check.

3. Compare PB-M and PB-A

PB-M uses manual segmented-tool changes. PB-A selects upper-tool length automatically. Compare the tool lengths and setup tasks across two representative jobs; loading and other preparation still need a plan.

Hydraulic shear: material, straight cuts and support
Guillotine shear feed opening, hold-downs, front support and guard rails
Guillotine shear feed area: review front support, hold-downs and sheet access.

1. Define the cut list

Provide grade, material strength, thickness, cut length and repeated widths. A thickness rating for one material does not apply automatically to another.

2. Check edge and handling needs

Agree squareness, straightness, burr and distortion requirements. Include front support, backgauge positioning, narrow strips and offcut collection.

3. Compare the beam and setup

Compare swing-beam and guillotine model data, blade clearance and the supplied adjustment functions. Select one applicable model row, then check the cut on your material.

Illustration of a folded electrical enclosure door with return flanges and a latch opening.
Door · returns and latch opening
Illustration of two enclosure panels with long return flanges and mounting holes.
Panels · long bends and width changes
Illustration of a shallow mounting tray with folded walls and corner reliefs.
Tray · corners and removal clearance
Illustration of L, U and Z mounting brackets with round holes and slots.
Brackets · tool access and bend order

Selection example / Electrical enclosures

One cabinet, several production tasks

Use a door, a tray and a bracket from the same assembly to build a shortlist. This example illustrates a selection method; it is not a verified customer project.

  • Door openings and outlines: compare sheet laser cutting with the material and edge finish required.
  • Door and tray flanges: compare press-brake and panel-bender routes across every bend, including returns.
  • Small brackets and difficult corners: check the press-brake tooling, bend order and removal clearance.
  • Changing panel widths: compare PB-M manual tooling with PB-A automatic upper-tool length selection.
Explore the enclosure application

04 / Use the right reference

Put useful numbers behind the shortlist

Use each tool for the question it answers. Record its assumptions alongside the result.

Bending force

Estimate air-bending force from material, thickness, bend length and die opening. The result does not select a machine or prove tool clearance.

Open bending force calculator

Laser running costs

Estimate hourly electricity, entered gas and consumable costs. Add material, labor, setup, maintenance and ownership costs separately.

Open laser cost calculator

Part weight and handling

Estimate weight from material density and dimensions to start a handling discussion. Check the actual part and equipment load limits.

Open sheet weight calculator

05 / Compare proposals

Compare the same complete job

Use the same drawings, batch pattern and quality targets for every proposal. Include regular work and difficult exceptions.

Fit

Prove that the part fits

Agree a representative sample and check the entire sequence: forming or cutting, handling and removal. Record dimensional, angle, edge and surface requirements.

Workflow

Measure the full cycle

Include programming, setup, tool changes, loading, processing and unloading. Compare output over your normal job mix and shifts.

Ownership

Compare cost and scope

List machine, tooling, software, utilities, installation, training and service. Add labor, maintenance and ownership costs to process-cost estimates.

06 / Prepare your brief

Four questions to guide machine selection

01

What part?

Send a finished drawing or sketch, dimensions and the feature that is difficult today. Add a flat pattern when available.

02

Which material?

Give the grade, usual thicknesses and maximum thickness. Identify visible surfaces, protective film and required finish.

03

How much work?

Describe parts per batch, jobs per shift, changeovers and the current bottleneck. Include typical work as well as outliers.

04

Where will it run?

Start with country and project timing. Add floor space, loading access and available utilities when known.

Start with your name, email and a short description. Drawings and technical details can follow. ADH will help you shortlist equipment and define the proposal.

Discuss Your Application Email Your Drawings