Electric Press Brakes Vs Hydraulic Press Brakes

When customers try to replace old press brake in their manufacturing operations, or want to replace new ones, normally confused about what bending machines to purchase. The reason for such confusion is not hard to understand. Because, the technology of the bending machine continues to advance from time to time.

For electric press brakes and traditional hydraulic press brakes, each of them has their pros and cons accordingly.

Figure 1   BLMA electric press brake

1. Power consumption and efficiency

Electric press brake use about twice as much electricity as hydraulic brakes to provide the same tonnage. However, hydraulic motor, hydraulic pump and hydraulic oil are used in hydraulic bending machine to keep the machine running even when it is idle. Therefore, electric press brakes are more efficient.

2. Using costs

Although the price of the electric press brake is more expensive, it's capable of more efficient and more production. The reason of the costs of using hydraulic presses becomes more expensive later on, is that the maintenance of hydraulic brakes, such as oil and filter replacement, seals and line leaks, can increase the costs. In addition, the continuous energy consumption of gear pumps during idle periods can increase the cost of using hydraulic bending machines.

3. Speed

Compared with CNC electric bending machine, hydraulic bending machine has a faster approach speed, but it uses an oil-powered motor, so the speed of acceleration and deceleration of the press is slower. Therefore, the electric bending machine has a higher bending speed, so it has a faster output speed.

4. Environmental pollution

For hydraulic bending machine, even if the machine is closed, the hydraulic pump will continue to work. Additionally, the hydraulic machine will make noises in the process of start-up. Hydraulic presses (though less common) can also cause leaks in manufacturing plants. Moreover, the electric bending machine consumes less electricity and is more environmentally friendly than the traditional hydraulic one.

5. Accuracy

Electric press brakes also adopt advanced control system such as DELEM, CYBELEC, ESA system, with higher precision than hydraulic press brakes. The electric presses can offer up to an accuracy of 5 microns, while the hydraulic presses  can obtain an accuracy of 10 microns. Also the oil temperature changes of the hydraulic machine will cause the aging of the sealing ring, resulting in poor accuracy and so on.