When we advertise ironworkers for sale, don’t panic! We’re not selling people who work with iron. Rather, we’re selling ironworker machines. While the Ironworker is a brand of machine tool held by Edwards Manufacturing Co., the name has become synonymous with the general class of machines much as Kleenex has come to be the general term for facial tissue.
The Ironworker Machine
is a class of machine that uses hydraulic rams powered by heavy alternating current (AC) motors to shear, notch, and punch holes in steel plates. The rams can be customized with high-strength carbon steel blades and dies of various shapes to provide the desired result.
The machine itself is made of very heavy steel because of the enormous forces generated during use. The amount of force the machine generates also provides the rating. Basic ironworker machinery usually starts at 20 tons (of force) while high-end units can produce forces of 150 tons or more.
Benefits
If you’re a commercial manufacturing facility or a fabrication shop with an eye toward purchasing an ironworker consider the benefits.
1) Significantly reduces the amount of man hours and effort necessary to cut or punch steel sections. As such, it is often an integral part of any shop.
2) They can typically be operated by one person.
3) They can be easily retooled to fulfill various tasks.
4) Some large machine tools have up to four stations that can accommodate flat plate, angle iron, round and square bar stock, I-beams, and channel iron.
Safety Concerns
When considering the purchase and installation of an ironworker, keep in mind that the area around each station should be at least twenty feet. Twenty feet will typically be sufficient to accommodate the common stock length of most materials used on such machines.
Also remember that proper training and maintenance are necessary to safely operate an ironworker as these machines introduce multiple safety hazards that must be considered and addressed. As every father has said at least once in his life when referring to tools of any size, “This is not a toy!” Make sure to read the recommended operating parameters thoroughly and adhere to all instructions.
An ironworker is a very useful tool with a multitude of applications. It can quickly become the machine you can’t live without and may leave you wondering why you didn’t get one sooner. If you’re interested in purchasing one of these powerful machine tools, feel free to check out our ironworkers for sale by navigating to our homepage > machine tools > punches & punching machines and clicking on the appropriate category.
Or, simply click here to be taken directly to the ironworker machine sales page.