How often should press brake dies be cleaned?
At every material change as a minimum, and at the end of each shift for production work. The point is to remove the abrasive swarf and the picked-up deposits before they score the working surfaces, because a dirty die wears itself and every part it touches.
What is the correct cleaning routine?
Brush, wipe, inspect, protect. Keep wire wheels and abrasive wheels away from the ground working surfaces, because they round the very edges that set the bend.
- Remove the tooling from the machine and let it cool.
- Brush off loose swarf with a soft brush, not a wire wheel on ground surfaces.
- Wipe the V, the shoulders and the punch tip with a clean cloth and light oil.
- Inspect the radius and edges for pickup, chips or cracks.
- Apply a light rust-preventive film before storage, especially in humid shops.
What should I never use on tooling?
Wire wheels, abrasive discs and hard scrapers on ground or polished surfaces. They remove the finish that resists galling and they round the shoulders that locate the sheet. A brass or copper scraper is the safe tool for stuck deposits.
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Soft brush and clean cloth | Wire wheel on working surfaces |
| Light oil wipe after cleaning | Abrasive discs on ground faces |
| Brass scraper for deposits | Steel scrapers on the V or shoulders |
| Rust-preventive film in storage | Bare steel in humid storage |
How should dies be stored?
Off the floor, on a rack that supports the full length, with the working surfaces protected. Stacked dies chip each other, and a die standing on its end on a concrete floor is a chipped shoulder waiting to happen.
Related technical pages
Why dies wear out
The four mechanisms cleaning is designed to prevent.
Regrinding guide
What to do when cleaning is no longer enough.
Used tooling guide
What to check on second-hand tooling before it goes in the machine.
Tooling alignment quick check
The daily check that pairs with the cleaning routine.
Next step
Ask about replacement dies and regrinding for your tooling system when cleaning stops being enough.
Request a quotation