AB1016 AutoBrake® FLEX
More freedom in every bend. The new AutoBrake® FLEX by Roper Whitney combines a strong, rigid design for powerful forming and fully closed hems on 24 ga mild steel, with bending capacity rated up to 16 ga mild steel. Its recessed bending beam provides greater clearance and flexibility when forming complex profiles like hat channels, high-pitch roof drip edge, box gutters, and more.
Built for strength. Designed to FLEX.
The AutoBrake® FLEX combines 16-gauge mild steel capacity, a 126-inch bending length, high-speed direct-drive technology, and a new recessed bending beam designed to provide additional clearance where conventional folders can limit your part geometry.
From architectural trim and roofing components to hat channels, high-pitch roof drip edge, box gutters, and complex profiles, the AutoBrake® FLEX is built to take on demanding forming applications.
FLEX Your Bending Possibilities
The standout feature of the AutoBrake® FLEX is its recessed bending beam, providing a true 1-inch clearance for greater part freedom.
That additional space allows profiles to extend farther below the bending line, opening up possibilities for parts that can be difficult — or impossible — to produce on a traditional folding machine.
More clearance. Fewer limitations. More ways to bend.
Built to Close the Hem
A great bend is only part of the job. The AutoBrake® FLEX is designed with the strength and geometry needed to close hems consistently in 24-gauge mild steel. Its robust folding beam construction and five-point crowning system provide the control and accuracy needed from the first bend through the final hem.
Key capabilities include:
- 16 ga mild steel capacity
- 18 ga stainless steel capacity up to 90°
- 126″ bending length
- Bends up to 155°
- True 1″ recessed bending-beam clearance
- 5-point folding beam crowning
- 4.5″ clamping beam opening
- 41″ standard CNC backgauge
- SYNERGY Control System
Built for Speed
Dual direct-drive bending motors with VFD technology deliver fast, controlled bending without sacrificing accuracy.
A centralized clamping-beam motor with eccentric movement provides rapid clamping action, helping operators move efficiently from bend to bend. The direct-drive design also eliminates chains and gears from the transmission, simplifying maintenance and helping reduce downtime.
Designed Around the Operator
The redesigned folding beam doesn’t just create more room for the part — it creates more room for the operator.
Its compact, ergonomic design allows operators to stand closer to the machine for a more comfortable working position during repetitive bending and longer production runs.
American Made. Built to Last.
The AutoBrake® FLEX is manufactured, serviced, and supported in Rockford, Illinois, backed by more than a century of Roper Whitney sheet metal forming experience.
| Bending capacity (Mild Steel) | 16 ga/ 1.5 mm |
|---|---|
| Bending capacity (Stainless) | 18 ga/ 1,25 mm |
| Bending length | 126 in/ 3200 mm |
| Bending bars | 0.787 in/ 20 mm, 0.390 in/ 10 mm, 0.250 in/ 7 mm |
| Back gauge depth (standard) | 41 in/ 1040 mm |
| Clamping beam opening height | 4.5 in/ 114 mm |
| Clamping beam straight bar tooling | 25 degrees |
| Folding beam adjustment | 2 in/ 50 mm |
| Crowning of the folding beam | 5-point 0″ – .030″ adjustment |
| Working height | 36 in/ 914.4 mm |
| Back gauge servo motor | 3/4 hp |
| Clamping beam motor | 2hp/ 1.1 kw |
| Bending beam motor | Dual direct drives 2+2 |
| Shipping Weight | 7884lbs |
