Folding machines are evolving by adding degrees of automation, one feature at a time. But there is a lot more to it than just replacing manual handling. From CAD drawing to finished parts, the most advanced folders can run lights-out, producing top-level accuracy on some very difficult jobs.

Monitoring software puts your finger on your shop’s pulse. Knowing when a machine is running or not is a good start. Knowing why is much better. And knowing it now, in real time, lets you fix it now, rather than later.

Setup time kills productivity, especially when production runs are short. Here’s how a top press brake builder helps customers decide how to minimize lost time.

There’s more to effective press brake automation than robots and programs. You have to start with a tool concept that doesn’t require a human to adjust and compensate for the limitations of a mindless machine.