Press Braking & Sheet Folding Services
What Is Press Braking and Sheet Metal Folding?
Press braking is a metal forming process used to bend and shape sheet metal into specific angles and profiles. Using advanced CNC press brake machines, flat metal components are positioned between a punch and die where controlled force is applied to create accurate bends. This allows manufacturers to transform laser cut parts into formed components with tight tolerances and consistent results.
Unlike manual bending or traditional forming methods, modern press brakes use computer controlled positioning to ensure every bend is produced with high accuracy and repeatability. Complex parts with multiple bends can be formed in a single setup, reducing production time and ensuring components meet precise design specifications.
Press braking is widely used across industries including structural steelwork, machinery manufacturing, architectural metalwork and engineering fabrication. By combining press braking with laser cutting, manufacturers can produce complex fabricated parts efficiently while maintaining high levels of quality and dimensional consistency across production runs.
Precision Bending
Modern CNC press brakes deliver highly accurate bends and consistent angles across every component. Computer controlled positioning ensures each fold meets the required specification, allowing complex parts to be produced with tight tolerances and excellent dimensional accuracy.
Design Flexibility
Press braking allows flat sheet metal to be formed into a wide variety of shapes including brackets, channels, enclosures and structural components. Multiple bends can be produced in sequence, enabling complex designs to be manufactured efficiently from a single piece of material.
Efficient Manufacturing
By forming parts directly from laser cut blanks, press braking can reduce the need for additional fabrication, welding, and assembly. This helps manufacturers save time, reduce handling, and improve production efficiency.
Repeatability
CNC controlled press brakes ensure every part is formed with the same level of standard. Once a program is established, components can be reproduced reliably across prototypes, small batches and large production runs.
CNC Press Braking and Sheet Metal Folding Capabilities
Our CNC press brakes enable us to transform flat laser cut components into fully formed parts with accuracy and consistency.
Our most advanced machine is a 170 tonne 7-axis CNC press brake, capable of performing complex folds within rapid timeframes. Alongside this, our other press brakes provide the flexibility to handle a wide range of materials, part sizes and production volumes, ensuring we can meet the requirements of our customers.
Before production begins, our team carefully analyses your technical design to ensure the bending sequence, tooling and tolerances are correct, guaranteeing the final product meets your specifications.
Our press braking capabilities include:
- Single and multiple bend components
- Complex folded parts and assemblies
- High accuracy CNC controlled bending
- Consistent repeatability across production runs
Why Choose SSC Laser For Press Braking?
Accurate CNC Folding
Our press braking capability allows us to produce accurate, repeatable bends across a wide range of folded sheet metal components. From single bends to more complex multi-fold parts, we focus on achieving clean, consistent results. This helps ensure your components fit, assemble, and perform as intended in the next stage of your process.
Reliable Supply
We understand that inaccurate or delayed parts can quickly cause knock on problems in assembly, installation, and production. That is why we place a strong focus on consistency, communication, and dependable turnaround. Our aim is to supply folded components you can rely on.
Technical Support
We can review your drawings and help identify potential issues before production begins, including bend clearances, hole positions, internal radii, fold sequencing, and general manufacturability. This can help avoid unnecessary delays, reduce rework, and improve the overall quality of the finished part.
Fast Turnaround
Because we manage both laser cutting and press braking in-house, we can reduce unnecessary delays between operations and keep your project moving quickly. There is no need to send parts between multiple suppliers, which helps simplify production & reduce lead times. When working to tight schedules, this can make a real difference.
Common Press Brake Formations
Explore a range of fold profiles we can produce, from simple bends and channels to more complex formed sheet metal components. The formations shown below represent some of the most common examples, but our press braking capability extends far beyond these depending on your part design and requirements.
Top Hat
Used for stiffening panels and adding structural strength in enclosures, frames, and sheet metal assemblies.
C-Channel
Commonly used for structural supports, frames, and mounting sections in fabricated components.
U-Channel
Ideal for edge protection, guides, and support sections in a wide range of applications.
Hemming/Dutch/Safety Fold
Applied to remove sharp edges and improve safety, often used on panels, covers, and exposed edges.
Open End box
Used for trays, housings, and enclosures where strength and containment are required.
Angle
A versatile fold used in brackets, supports, frames, and general fabrication work.
W-Bend/Break Back/Butterfly
Used to add rigidity and reinforcement to panels or create more complex formed geometries.
Corrugated
Introduced to increase strength and rigidity without adding material thickness, commonly used in panels and covers.
Step Multi Bends
Allows for complex folded profiles, often used in detailed components, assemblies, and precision parts.
Materials Suitable For Press Braking
Different materials respond differently during folding. Understanding how each one behaves can help improve manufacturability, consistency, and the overall quality of the finished component.
Mild Steel
General FabricationCost effective and versatile for general fabrication.
Mild steel is one of the most commonly used materials for press braking due to its excellent formability and affordability. It is suitable for a wide range of folded components and performs reliably across both simple and complex bend profiles.
- Ideal for brackets, supports, frames, and general fabrication
- Consistent and predictable bending behaviour
- Suitable for both prototype and production work
- Commonly used across engineering and manufacturing industries
Stainless Steel
Corrosion ResistantCorrosion resistant with a strong, durable finish.
Stainless steel is used where strength, durability, and corrosion resistance are important. It is commonly selected for applications that require long term performance or exposure to harsh environments.
- Ideal for food, medical, and outdoor applications
- Higher strength means more force is required during bending
- Surface finish should be considered during forming
- Often used for enclosures, panels, and structural components
Aluminium
LightweightLightweight and suitable for folded components.
Aluminium is a lightweight material that offers good strength to weight performance. It is commonly used where reducing weight is important without compromising structural integrity.
- Ideal for panels, housings, and enclosures
- Easy to handle and suitable for many folded designs
- Material grade affects bendability and risk of cracking
- Frequently used in transport and general engineering
Galvanised Steel
Outdoor UseCorrosion-resistant coating for outdoor and exposed use.
Galvanised steel is coated to provide corrosion resistance, making it suitable for external or semi-exposed applications. It offers a practical alternative to stainless steel in many situations.
- Commonly used for outdoor components and structures
- Coating must be considered during bending
- Suitable for folded panels and fabricated sections
- Cost-effective option for corrosion protection
Zintec
Paint ReadySmooth, clean finish ideal for painted components.
Zintec is a cold-rolled, electrolytically coated steel with a clean surface finish. It is often chosen for parts that require painting or coating after fabrication.
- Ideal for enclosures and internal components
- Provides a consistent, paint-ready surface
- Suitable for a wide range of folded parts
- Common in electrical and industrial applications
Other Materials
Specialist MaterialsAdditional materials may also be suitable depending on your project requirements.
In addition to commonly folded materials , we may also be able to support other materials depending on the part design, thickness, bend geometry, and application.
This can include materials such as:
- Brass
- Copper
- Titanium
- Other non-standard sheet metals subject to review
Laser Cutting & Press Braking Under One Roof
We combine laser cutting and press braking in-house, helping customers move from flat sheet to fully formed components more efficiently.
By keeping both processes under one roof, we can help reduce:
- Lead times
- Handling between operations
- Supplier coordination
- Production delays
- The risk of damaged or mixed parts
This also allows us to better control quality and consistency throughout the manufacturing process, especially on repeat work and multi-part orders.
Industries We Support
We support a broad range of industries across the UK, delivering precision laser cutting solutions tailored to each sector’s specific requirements. From engineering and construction to automotive, architectural and agricultural applications, our experience allows us to adapt to varied technical and production demands. The industries listed above represent just a selection of the sectors we work with, and we are always happy to discuss new or specialist applications where laser cutting can add value.
Agricultural
Automotive
Architectural
Construction
Engineering
Highways
Marine
Oil & Gas
Pharmaceutical
Railways
Retail
Street Furniture
Press Braking FAQ
When it comes to folding our tolerances are +/- 1mm & +/- 1 degree.
The max tonnage we are capable of is 170, we also have other press brakes capable of 80 & 130.
The longest length we can fold is 3 meters, however this can depend on the thickness and complexity of the part.
We have a wide variety of tooling available & is ever changing, please call us to discuss your needs further.
We are well equipped with 3 Amada Press brakes, a 170, 130 & 80 tonne.
