30 and 40 ton press brake: capacity, applications and buying guide
A 30 and 40 ton press brake sits in the light class. Tonnage is the force the machine can apply,...
A 300 to 350 ton press brake sits in the heavy class. Tonnage is the force the machine can apply, and it decides how thick and how long a part you can bend. This guide covers what that force buys you, where these machines earn their keep, and how to choose the right size without over or under buying.
What the tonnage means
Bending force depends on thickness, bend length, material strength and die opening. As a rough air-bending guide for mild steel, with a die opening about eight times the thickness, a press brake needs roughly 7 to 8 tons per metre of bend for each millimetre of thickness. In practice a 300 to 350 ton machine handles around 10 mm mild steel over a 4 m bed, and more on shorter bends. Treat that as a starting point and confirm with a tonnage chart.
Typical applications
- Heavy structural and plate work
- Long doors and panels
- Yellow-goods components
- Heavy agricultural equipment
- Thick-section sub-assemblies
What it can bend
A machine in this class works comfortably in mild steel and stainless in heavy plate. Capacity falls on stainless, which needs more force than mild steel, and rises on short bends, where the force is concentrated. Die opening and punch radius matter as much as raw tonnage, so size the tooling to the job.
VICLA machines at this capacity
For this tonnage, look at the VICLA SUPERIOR hybrid range, which spans roughly 50 to 320 tons and 2 to 7 metre beds. Pair the tonnage with a bed length that fits your longest real part.
VICLA machines in this class run the hybrid drive, which saves up to 55% energy (up to 78% on the Hybrid System Plus), and bend with real-time Clever Crowning, the Flex flexion-control system and L.A.C. laser angle control, for linear, repeatable bends even on long or non-uniform sheet.
How to choose the right tonnage
This band is for shops where heavy plate is routine. Make sure the die opening and tooling suit the thickness, since heavy bends need wide Vs and the right punch radius as much as raw tonnage. Start from your heaviest and longest real bend, add a sensible margin, and confirm the numbers with a tonnage chart or your VICLA contact rather than guessing.
Frequently asked questions
What can a 300 to 350 ton press brake bend?
As a guide, around 10 mm mild steel over a 4 m bed, and more on shorter bends, in mild steel and stainless in heavy plate. Always confirm against a tonnage chart for your exact material, thickness and die.
Is more tonnage always better?
No. Oversizing wastes money and gives no benefit on thinner parts, while undersizing limits the work you can take. Match tonnage to your real part mix.
How does bend length change the tonnage I need?
Force is spread along the whole bend, so a longer bend needs more tonnage. The same machine bends thicker material on a short bend than on a full-length one.