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Suggestions for an Ironworker machine

bentwrench

Cast Iron
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Location
North Dakota
We are looking at replacing a 60 Ton Mubea Ironworker in our shop. The old machine is adequate in size, but it near the end of it's life.

I am considering a open top type to take advantage of a 24" press break that would be useful with what we do.

I don't know much about the manufacturers of these machines, and am looking for some guidance.

Who are the ones to consider and the ones to avoid? Both US and import, new equipment.

Any info or experience you can share would be helpful. I just don't know that much about these other than how to use them.
 
I have a 2004 Scotchman 90 you Ironworkers. Got it used 3 years ago. I love it. Simple and easy to change stuff out. I like the component instead of the fully integrated version. Our 24" shear has cut 1"x 6 fb Steel with the upgraded blades.

If you are cuttings lots of angles and channel and such, it's a pita to change your home built squaring arm. I love that the controls are right next to the punch.

Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk
 
The scotchmans have the bigger press brakes. But compared to your Mubea, the quality is a lot lower. Most of the US manufacturers these days make fabricated frame machines, which are easier and cheaper to build, but not as sturdy or longlived. My local steel supplier just bought their third Scotchman in 15 years- because the first two are just worn out, at about 8 year intervals. A scotchman is fine for a small shop with intermittent use- but if you work it hard, every day, they just wear out.

The euro manufacturers machine more parts, and make better ironworkers, but they cost more.
In the quality range of the Mubea, look at Peddinghaus and Geka.
Pirannhas are good machines, and you can get brake attachments for them.
 
Depends, nothing good here is cheap, if it’s the brake you’d use the most then all the major brand hydraulics do it well.

If you are punching, coping, notching or shearing nothing modern will stay with a well rebuilt mubea. They are very near silent with a higher cycle rate. They are very desirable so it’s worth the rebuild prices.

Good luck,
Matt
 
I saw one of these at a local used dealer.

I like the concept, but do not have any first hand feedback on them.

kalamazoometalmuncher.com/mm-series/
 
one thing to think about- a real press brake has the die supported at both ends, so that it can come down with even force, parallel to the bottom die. And its usually adjustable or shimmable to keep it that way.
There are two ways to kludge a press brake attachment into an ironworker-
1- an open die space, like the older Scotchman design, which has a pivoting top beam pulled down by a single hydraulic cylinder. the press brake attachment has a single center mounted ram, which is pushed down by that pivoting top beam. This introduces a variety of ways that you get uneven pressure across the brake dies. It works fine for loose tolerances, with a limited range of top and bottom dies that will fit in it- mostly its used for 1/8" to 3/8" flat bars and plate, in a fab shop kind of way, with expected tolerances to 1/16" or so. If this is what you need, it can work.
2- a brake attachment that fits crosswise in the punch station. Again, center ram, again not real tight tolerances. better for longer material, and possible to do some types of box and pan bending due to the dies hanging out in space, as opposed to being in a closed sided bay.

Neither is a real press brake, and both have different limits in usuage- including depth of material to be bent, or width, and lack of decent back gaging.
If what you NEED is a press brake, you should buy one.
If what you need is to bend brackets once in a while, either will work- one has width limitations, the other depth limitations.

I have found that the number one usage of an ironworker is punching holes, and number 2 is rough shearing to length. I would buy an ironworker based on those uses, and not try for what the germans call an egglayingwoolmilkpig- that is, something that does a lot of things OK, and nothing really well.
 
I have a 40 ton Metal Muncher. It does all I ask it. I bought it used, but it is well built. The Metal Muncher units have been around since around 1970. They have separate cylinders for the punch and the plate shear/angle shear/notcher, so both sides can be used at the same time.

This guy has some rebuilt units for sale in Kansas. His family and he used to make the Metal Muncher machines before the line was sold.

Weir Enterprises, LLC - Home
 
I just bought a used Scotchman 6509 and love it. With a little modification to the press brake attachment and different dies they can be fairly accurate on narrow parts. (12" or less") But like mentioned before. If you need a press brake, buy a press brake.
 








 
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