Punch

The punch is the precision-engineered upper tooling component that contacts the top surface of the material and drives it down into the V-die to create the bend. Punch geometry, particularly the tip radius and included angle, directly determines the inside bend radius and influences the tonnage required for the operation.

Common punch profiles include standard acute punches for sharp bends, radius punches for gentle curves, gooseneck punches for deep return bends, and offset punches for Z-bend profiles. Punches are manufactured from hardened tool steel to resist wear and maintain dimensional accuracy over thousands of bending cycles.

Press brake shops maintain extensive punch libraries organized by tip radius, angle, and body profile to quickly set up for the wide variety of parts they produce.