Press Brake Tooling Rack

DEVELOPING A SAFER, MORE EFFICIENT PRESS BRAKE TOOLING CABINET

INTERNAL NEED:
A streamlined solution for storing all press brake tools that would be easy to navigate, organized, and safe for the tooling.

RESULT:
An efficient, color-coded press brake tool cabinet that safely allows for tools to be stored and moved to their machines, while reducing the handling for each part.

HOW IT WAS ACHIEVED:
Our internal team was facing issues with our press brake tool organization. The traditional, cookie-cutter storage systems failed to keep our team organized and caused numerous handling issues due to their inefficient layout.

Due to these inefficiencies, as well as potential safety hazards, we knew we needed a custom solution for our tools. Our team got to work conceptualizing and engineering a brand new press brake tool cabinet that we fabricated, powder coated and assembled in-house.

Color-Coded Configuration

To improve organization and ensure all tools were put back into their respective places with ease, we established a color-coding system for the new cabinet. This system not only ensured that tools were put back in the correct location, but also helped our team quickly find the exact tool they were looking for while working.

Finally, all drawers and compartments are labeled so that we can account for every tool.

Reduced Handling

In addition to lacking organization features, the run-of-the-mill storage cabinets had a significant flaw that impacted both employee safety and tool longevity: excessive tool handling.

Because the old cabinets are not thoughtfully designed with tool placement in mind, tooling must be flipped and turned multiple times for proper alignment to the press brakes.

Not only did this introduce multiple opportunities for handling damage of the parts, but with some tools being up to 50lbs, it also introduced additional hazards for employees. 

While developing the new cabinets, our team mindfully positioned each tool to reduce the risk of handling damage, including:

• Keeping tooling of similar sizes near each other
• Storing tools in the same position that they hang in the machine

Continued Improvements

While the new press brake tool cabinets have drastically increased our efficiency and safety, we continuously look for room to improve upon our products.

After two years of using these cabinets, our team is in the process of creating a new model that will be mobile, allowing us to move the cabinet to different machines as needed and to store it out of the way when it isn’t in use.

In addition, we’re in the process of working on features to allow only a single drawer to be open at a time and accommodation for movement with a forklift.

Are you in need of sheet metal fabrication, manufacturing, or assembly services? Contact us today to learn more. 

We’ll build a custom press brake tooling rack that meets your needs

The press brake tooling rack that we built for our own internal use was tailored to our specific requirements and greatly improved our custom press brake tooling operation. We can create a similar type of intuitive, efficient storage system for you, designed to meet the specific needs of your shop.

There are several benefits you’ll see by using a custom press brake die rack or tooling rack:

• It organizes your custom brake tools for fast, easy access to all your tools, so you’ll never need to search for tools again.
• A press brake tooling rack frees up more production floor space, because your equipment can be stored vertically in this convenient rack.
• You can even color code your press brake tooling rack to ensure each tool is always returned to its proper place in the tooling rack.
• Move the entire rack to your machine, so there’s no need to go back and forth with specific press brake tools.
• Streamline your operation by storing tools in the same position as they hang in the machine.

Whether you need a press brake tooling rack like the one we built for our shop, or you need another sheet metal part or product built, our team is ready to help. We handle sheet metal fabrication, metal machining, custom finishing, assembly, and inventory management services completely in house. We’re your one stop shop for any kind of metal products!

We are currently experiencing longer than normal lead times on projects. Give us a call today to ensure your part or product is completed when you need it!