Punching presses are machine tools that use a punch to cut, perforate or form workpieces made of sheet metal or plate material against a die. They are standard machines in sheet metal working.
The main types are CNC punching machines / turret punching machines (programmable with a tool turret), combination punch-laser machines for versatile sheet metal processing, progressive die punching for mass production, eccentric punching for serial punching tasks, and coil punching for semi-finished products from the coil.
Leading manufacturers include TRUMPF (market leader in punch-laser machines), Amada, Salvagnini, LVD, Prima Power, Aida, Bruderer, Komatsu Press, Müller Weingarten and Schuler.
Punching machines are used in sheet metal and bodywork manufacturing, in control cabinet production, in the manufacture of perforated sheets and gratings, in the furniture and metalworking industry, in ventilation technology (duct components), in the electrical industry, and for the processing of roofing sheets and façade elements.