Bending is a manufacturing

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...

 process that produces a V-shape, U-shape, or channel shape along a straight axis in ductile materials, most commonly sheet metal

Sheet metal

Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...

. Commonly used equipment include box and pan brake

Box and pan brake

A brake is a metalworking machine that allows the bending of sheet metal. A cornice brake only allows for simple bends and creases, while a box-and-pan brake also allows one to form box and pan shapes...

s, brake press

Brake press

A press brake, also known as a brake press or just brake, is a machine tool for bending sheet and plate material, most commonly sheet metal....

es, and other specialized machine press

Machine press

A machine press, commonly shortened to press, is a machine tool that changes the shape of a workpiece.-Servomechanism:A servomechanism press, also known as a servo press or a electro press, is a press driven by an AC servo motor. The torque produced is converted to a linear force via a ball screw....

es. Typical products that are made like this are boxes such as electrical enclosures and rectangular ductwork

Duct (HVAC)

Ducts are used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to deliver and remove air. These needed airflows include, for example, supply air, return air, and exhaust air. Ducts also deliver, most commonly as part of the supply air, ventilation air...

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In press brake forming, a work piece is positioned over the die block and the die block presses the sheet to form a shape.