The material used in punches and dies has a direct impact on durability, wear resistance and long-term performance. Selecting the appropriate steel depends on your workload, material types and production volume.

42CrMo Alloy Steel: 42CrMo alloy steel is commonly used for standard press brake tooling because it offers an excellent balance of strength, toughness and fatigue resistance.

Most high-quality tooling made from 42CrMo is heat treated to around 48–52 HRC, providing reliable performance for bending:

• mild steel
• stainless steel
• aluminium

This makes it the most common tooling material for general fabrication work.
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H13 Tool Steel: H13 is a premium hot-work tool steel known for its excellent resistance to thermal fatigue and wear.It is sometimes used in press brake tooling designed for:

• heavy-duty applications
• abrasive materials
• high-volume production environments

Because H13 tooling is more expensive to manufacture, it is typically reserved for specialised applications where extended wear resistance is required.
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Carbide-Tipped Tooling: Carbide-tipped punches and dies are used in specialised production environments where extreme wear resistance and long tool life are essential. They are typically found in:

• high-volume manufacturing
• precision bending applications
• automated production lines

While not common in general fabrication workshops, carbide-tipped tools can provide exceptional durability in demanding environments.

​Choosing the correct punch geometry is essential for achieving accurate bends and avoiding collisions between the workpiece and tooling.

​Standard punches are the most commonly used press brake tools and are suitable for general-purpose bending.
Typical uses include:

• 90° bends
• acute angle bends
• general sheet metal fabrication

They are commonly used with V-dies during air bending operations.

Gooseneck punches feature a curved relief profile that allows clearance for formed flanges.
They are essential for bending:

• box sections
• channels
• enclosures
• parts with return flanges

Without this relief shape, the workpiece would collide with the punch during bending.

Acute punches, typically 30°–60°, are designed for producing sharp bends and for pre-bending operations such as hemming.
​
They are often used when fabricators need to create:

• tight bend radii
• narrow angle bends
• pre-bends before hemming operations

Looking for a Press Brake in Ireland?
Kenequip Machine Tools stock both new and used press brakes suitable for small workshops and large fabrication facilities.

View our latest machines in stock
New NC Press Brakes
New CNC Press Brakes
Used Press Brakes

One of the most important rules in press brake setup is selecting the correct die opening.
​
A widely used guideline in sheet metal fabrication is: V-die opening = 6 to 10 × material thickness

Selecting the correct die size helps to:

• reduce tonnage requirements
• prevent cracking in harder materials
• produce more consistent bend angles
• extend the life of punches and dies

​Using a die opening that is too small dramatically increases the force applied to the tooling and can significantly shorten tool life and risk cracking.
​Using too large a die opening can cause poor angle accuracy.

​Modern press brake operations primarily use air bending, where the punch does not fully press the material into the die.
The bending method affects both tooling wear and required tonnage.

​Because air bending requires less force and allows a range of bend angles with the same tooling setup, it has become the preferred method for most fabrication workshops.

Investing in quality press brake tooling is a major commitment for any fabrication shop. To protect that investment and ensure your bends stay pin-sharp, a bit of regular TLC goes a long way. Here is how to keep your punches and dies in top condition and avoid the headache of unexpected downtime.

• Keep Things Clean: It sounds simple, but a quick wipe-down after every job is your first line of defence. Clearing away metal dust and debris prevents tiny particles from scratching those precision-ground surfaces, which can eventually ruin your finish.
• Fight Off Corrosion: Workshops can get humid, and bare steel is a magnet for rust. Applying a light coat of machine oil before putting tools away creates a protective barrier, keeping them pristine and ready for the next shift.
• Smart Storage: Treat your tooling like the precision instruments they are. Rather than letting punches and dies knock together—which leads to nicks and burrs—store them properly in dedicated racks or cabinets. This simple habit prevents marks from showing up on your finished workpieces.
• Monitor Your Alignment: If your bend angles are drifting, your alignment might be the culprit. Regularly checking that your punches and dies are perfectly squared up prevents uneven wear and ensures every part comes off the machine exactly as intended.
• Respect the Tonnage: Every tool has its limit. Pushing a die beyond its rated capacity can lead to micro-fractures or permanent warping. Always double-check that your machine settings and die openings are a proper match for the material thickness you are working with.

It is a point often made by industry leaders like Durmapress: achieving that perfect, repeatable bend is a balancing act. High-quality press brake tooling is undoubtedly a cornerstone of precision, but even the finest punches and dies are only as good as the machine driving them.

Even the best tooling cannot perform properly if the machine itself lacks rigidity or accurate backgauge positioning. Modern NC / CNC Press Brake systems offer significantly higher repeatability and faster setup compared with older hydraulic models.

A busy week again this week with the delivery of a New Durmapress Press Brake, Durmapress Guillotine, and a Durmapress Ironworker to our customer in Monaghan. While there, we took away their trade in machines to make room for the new machinery installation. 

This workshop is now fully kitted out with brand-new Durmapress technology:
✅ Durmapress Press Brake Fitted with E310P Controller – Precision folding for complex jobs.
✅ Durmapress Guillotine – Fitted with E21S Controller for Clean, fast, and accurate shearing.
✅ Durmapress Ironworker Heavy duty 90 ton capacity for versatile fabrication.

We don’t just drop them at the door; our team ensures full installation and setup so you can get straight to work.

Thinking of upgrading your workshop in 2026? Whether you are in Monaghan, Longford, or anywhere across Ireland, we have the stock and the technical expertise to help you.

 
🔗 View our full Durmapress Press Brakes range here / Durmapress CNC Press Brakes  / Guillotine range / Ironworkers 

​📞 Call the office in Longford: 043 33 22202 or email us for a quote [email protected] and tell us what you are looking for and Billy will advise the machine best suited to your requirements.
 
#FabricationIreland #EngineeringIreland #Durmapress #MonaghanBusiness #Metalworking #PressBrake #Guillotine #Ironworker #IrishEngineering

​We were delighted to welcome Candy and Alan from Durmapress to our premises this week. They came bearing our “Official Agent in Ireland” plaque which we proudly received.
 
Durmapress is a top leading manufacturer  in metal forming solutions, specialising in press brakes, guillotines, fibre laser cutting machines, and automation systems. It was an honour to host them and celebrate our growing partnership.
 
During their visit, our lead-engineer, Liam brought them to visit our customers where Durmapress machines were in action, it was great to see these machines running on the shop floor. Some customers were very interested in their Fibre laser cutting machines. As Durmapress explained, their fibre lasers use “the latest fibre laser cutting technology to provide high-speed accurate cutting” on materials like steel, aluminium, and copper. This means they can quickly and precisely cut a wide variety of metals. In addition, these machines are engineered for efficiency: they achieve “unmatched precision and reliability” while remaining highly energy-efficient. [www.durmapress.com]
 
We will be sending out quotations to our customers in the coming days and were delighted with the warm reception we received whilst out on site in their premises.
 
We had in-depth talks about we can best move forward as their Irish agent and look forward to sharing details of their Fibre Laser Cutting Machines on our website in the near future.
 
Our visit wrapped up with a celebratory lunch on the final afternoon. The lunch was a great chance to recap on our week, to toast the success of the visit, and to build strong bonds with Durmapress.
 
We look forward to continuing to building on our partnership with Durmapress in 2026 and beyond!

Here at Kenequip Machine Tools, we believe that professional training and certification are vital parts of providing a safe and reliable service to our customers. We regularly update our skills to ensure full compliance with industry standards and site safety regulations.

Today, Liam, one of our engineers, successfully completed his Safe Pass course renewal - keeping his certification valid for another four years.

Most people are familiar with the Safe Pass Card, but for those who aren't, Safe Pass is a mandatory safety awareness training programme for construction and site workers. It is a one-day programme that allows you to work on construction and engineering sites without being a risk to yourself or others.

All Kenequip employees, who work away from our workshop, are fully insured to work on customer sites and we can provide our Safety Statement, Insurance Certificate, and a site specific Method Statement to any company that requires them as part of their Health & Safety  document requirements.

By keeping our engineers fully qualified and safety-certified, we make sure every machine installation, service, and repair is carried out to the highest professional and safety standards - thus giving you, our customers, peace of mind.

If you need machine tool servicing or annual maintenance work carried out on your engineering machine tools, complete the service request form which can be found here and we will get in touch with you to organise same.

– Carmel, Kenequip Team
Stay safe and keep production running smoothly. Join us on our social platforms below for our latest stock updates and news.

Follow us on Facebook / Instagram / Linkedin /  & Tiktok.

Are you using the right bandsaw blade for the job? Over the past few weeks, I’ve fielded several calls asking just that. While many of our customers already know the exact TPI required for their work, others are looking for a little more guidance. I’ve put together this guideline to help eliminate the guesswork and ensure you select the best blade type for your specific cutting requirements.

At Kenequip Machine Tools, we understand that supplying high-quality machinery is only half the job. Our true value lies in providing fast, reliable, end-to-end service—a commitment recently demonstrated by an urgent customer requirement.
 
From First Call to Fully Operational in 96 Hours
On a Monday morning in September, we welcomed a visit from a customer who urgently needed upgraded machines for their fabrication workshop. He wanted a Press Brake and a Guillotine as quickly as possible. After a walk around our 30,000 sq ft showroom, and a demonstration given by our engineer Liam, our customer settled on two new machines from our Durmapress range.

• New Durmapress Press Brake – 80T/2500
• New Durmapress Hydraulic Guillotine – 6x3200mm

 
The project involved not just the supply, but also finance, delivery, installation, and commissioning of the machines. We immediately got to work on getting the all organised as quickly as possible for our customer.
 
Finance Secured Within Hours
Thanks to our trusted Irish finance partners, the necessary finance approval came within hours of application by our customer. We have the full list of required documents listed on our finance page so if you need finance, have these documents to hand prior to your application, it really helps speed up the process. Have a look at the requirements here -  https://www.kenequip.com/finance
 
Delivered and Production-Ready by Friday
With the finance secured, we scheduled transport using our own flat-bed truck. By Friday morning—just four days after the initial phone call—we delivered both the press brake and the guillotine directly to the customer’s site.
 
Our experienced engineers were immediately on hand to manage every aspect of the final stage:

• Safely offloading and positioning both heavy-duty machines according to the customer’s precise workshop layout.
• Completing the full installation and setup.
• Fully commissioning both Durmapress machines to factory specifications.
• Providing essential initial training and operational guidance to the customer’s team.

 By the end of the day, the customer’s new Press Brake and Guillotine were fully operational and ready for production.
 
Why Kenequip is Ireland's Trusted Partner
This project perfectly showcases the reliability that our customers, from toolrooms to national manufacturers, have come to expect since 1978:

• Fast Turnaround: Achieving a complete finance-to-commissioning cycle in just four days without compromising quality or safety.
• Seamless Process: Offering a single point of contact for machinery, finance, logistics, and expert installation.
• Expert Engineers: Our in-house team ensures a smooth, professional installation and setup every time, right across the island of Ireland.

 
Whether you are looking for a full workshop upgrade or a single machine, we are committed to delivering the best service available in the machine tool industry.

Need New Fabrication or Engineering Machinery—Fast?
If your workshop requires new or used machine tools - from press brakes, guillotines, precision lathes, milling machines, grinder, rolls, drills to bandsaws - delivered and installed quickly and professionally, Kenequip Machine Tools is your reliable partner.
 
📞 Contact Billy Harrison directly at 086 2509747 or call the office on 043 33 22202 or send your enquiry to [email protected] to get your project moving today.

For fabrication, toolroom, and maintenance workshops across Ireland seeking a robust, versatile, and precise cutting solution, Kenequip Machine Tools is proud to announce the latest addition to our new bandsaw lineup: the BS-280G Metal Cutting Bandsaw.
​
Available for immediate viewing and nationwide delivery from our Longford premises, the BS-280G delivers the ideal balance of industrial cutting capacity and workshop portability, continuing our tradition of supplying high-quality machine tools since 1978.

Precision Engineering with European Design
The BS-280G is engineered for superior performance and operator safety. It incorporates European design elements, including a quick-adjusting vise and a dovetail-type clamp movement that guarantees stability and precision, even when cutting at angles.

Unlike conventional models, the BS-280G is designed for flexibility, allowing the saw bow to swivel from 0° to 45° for miter cutting without the need to reposition the entire workpiece—saving time and improving accuracy in repetitive tasks.

Key features that ensure reliability and efficiency include:
Hydraulic Descent Control: The falling speed of the saw bow is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder, ensuring a smooth, consistent cut finish and prolonging blade life.
Double-Speed Selection: Users can easily switch between 32 rpm and 66 rpm cutting speeds to optimize performance based on the material being processed.
Automatic Sizing Device: The machine automatically stops upon completing a cut, enhancing safety and supporting efficient batch processing.
Integrated Cooling System: An onboard coolant system is standard, ensuring maximum blade performance and a cleaner cut surface.

BS-280G Bandsaw Capacity Snapshot
Designed to handle a variety of materials and dimensions, the BS-280G’s cutting capacity makes it a valuable asset for any demanding workshop environment:
Cutting Angle            Circular Capacity        Rectangular Capacity                   
90° (Straight)              220 mm (8.6”)             250 × 155 mm (10” × 6.1”)
45° (Miter)                  160 mm (6”)                 160 × 110 mm (6.3” × 4.3”)
60° (Miter)                  100 mm (4”)                  80 × 95 mm (3.1” × 3.7”)

Specification Detail
Blade Size 2450 x 27 x 0.9 mm
Cutting Speeds 32 / 66 rpm
Motor Power 0.75/1.1 kW (3-Phase)
Weight 254 kg (Net)

As Ireland’s trusted supplier of machine tools, we offer flexible finance and trade-in options to ensure your toolroom gets immediate access to this precision solution. Contact us today to discuss your cutting requirements.

For professional guidance and a competitive quotation, please contact Billy directly at 086 2509747 or email your enquiry to [email protected].

Discover what’s inside our showrooms — follow us on Instagram for regular video clips showcasing our current range of machines in stock. ​