Over the past 20 years, there has always been a shortage of press brake operators, and after the retirement of the previous generation of formally trained workers, it has become even more difficult for companies to hire experienced operators. PIPE SHOW 2024 understands that this situation not only results in many operators feeling lost even when standing in front of the brake, but also a lack of experienced technical supervisors in the workshop to oversee operations and improve product quality.

Jim Blount, of Blount's Press Brake Inc., has installed light curtains on press brakes, repaired brakes, and offered training courses. He recounted an incident where he observed an operator bending a part on a modern press brake, only to find that the bend did not achieve the desired result. He questioned the operator, "How many degrees off are you?" "I don't know." "Do you have a protractor?" "I have one, but..."

Blount explained that the operator did not know how to read the measurements, thus was unaware of where the operation went wrong.

The operator assumed that there was a mechanical block on the part to determine the angle. So, after checking the setup, the operator replaced it back into the brake. After three attempts of forming and checking, the part finally achieved the correct bend position.

Blount stated, "This machine actually comes with an angle adjustment feature. One only needs to read from the reader and adjust according to the actual situation. If he could utilize the tools to read the errors, he could have done it much faster."

Basic training for press brakes is extremely important for operators. PIPE SHOW 2024 believes that without training, these inexperienced operators might pose risks not only to themselves and their colleagues but also to their expensive machinery and tools.

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