Pan Brake Folders For Sale in Australia

A Pan Brake Folder (also known as a metal folding brake or finger brake) is a sheet metal fabrication machine designed to bend, fold and form steel and other metals with accuracy and repeatability. Unlike a standard straight brake, a panbrake uses removable fingers, allowing operators to create precise bends, closed boxes, deep channels, and complex shapes that cannot be formed on traditional bending equipment.

These machines are essential in fabrication workshops, HVAC manufacturing, roofing and cladding, stainless steel fabrication, engineering shops, and jobbing environments where flexibility and accuracy are a daily requirement.

Trusted Australian Supplier

Supplying industrial panbrake folders across Australia to sheet metal, HVAC and fabrication workshops

Industrial Grade Global Brands

Premium pan brakes from leading European manufacturers including Sweden and Fintek.

Installation and Technical Support

In-house service department, installation, commissioning and operator training available Australia-wide.

Finance & Flexible Purchasing

Finance options available to help workshops invest in the right metal cutting equipment for your needs.

Nationwide Delivery

Pan brakes delivered and supported across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and regional Australia.

Applications of a Pan Brake Folder

Panbrake folders are widely used in the production of metal parts for industries such as construction, automotive, aerospace, and HVAC. They are ideal for creating components like enclosures, brackets, panels, and frames. Whether it’s for small-scale custom work or large-scale production, panbrake folders provide the precision and flexibility needed to meet diverse fabrication needs.

Panbrakes are used across a wide range of industries, including:

Sheet metal fabrication
HVAC ducting and air-conditioning manufacturing
Stainless steel catering and commercial kitchens
Roofing, flashing and architectural metalwork
Automotive restoration
Electrical cabinet manufacturing
General engineering
Small-batch manufacturing
Maintenance workshops

Any industry requiring repeated, accurate folding will benefit from a reliable panbrake.

Cidan Pan Brake Folder

Fintek Industries Panbrake Folders

Pan Brake Folder Comparison: Cidan & Fintek Models

Choosing between our five panbrake folders comes down to three things: how long a fold you need, how thick the material is, and whether manual or hydraulic operation suits your workshop.

The table below sets the Cidan and Fintek ranges side by side so you can narrow the field before you call us. Cidan brings CNC programming, servo backgauges and fast tool changeover for repeatable mixed production; Fintek VH-HC brings raw folding capacity at a lower price point.

Fold lengths and thicknesses shown are maximums in mild steel; stainless reduces working capacity, so talk to our team if you’re forming stainless regularly.

	Cidan FS & FX	Cidan Forma	Fintek VH	Fintek VH-HC	Fintek VHS
Operation	CNC power folder	CNC power folder	Hydraulic	NC Hydraulic	NC Hydrualic, up & down folding
Models	FS26/32/41 FX26/32/41	Forma 32 Forma 41 (each multifold)	VH straight brake VH6 box and pan VH-AU high segmented	VH-HC straight VH-6HC segmented	VHS 0635/0835/1035 VHS 1020X (straight and segmented in one machine)
Max Fold Length	2600mm/3200mm/4100mm	3200mm 4100mm	1220mm to 4000mm	2050mm to 4000mm	2050mm/2550mm/3100mm
Mild Steel	2.5mm (26) 2.0mm (32 & 41)	3.0mm (32) 2.5mm (41)	1.0mm to 3.5mm - see length note	2.5mm to 6.5mm	3.5mm at all lengths (VHS-1020X: 2.0mm)
Stainless	1.6mm (26) 1.2mm (32 & 41)	1.9mm (32) 1.6mm (41)	0.6mm to 2.5mm	1.2mm to 4.0mm	2.5mm at all lengths (VHS-1020X: 1.2mm)
Aluminium	3.7mm (26) 3.0mm (32 & 41)	4.5mm (32) 3.7mm (41)	Not published	Not published	Not published
Bend Angle	-	-	0-135°	0-135°	0-150° (widest in the range)
Opening Height	150mm	195mm	25mm beam adjustment (VH-AU: 80mm top beam)	Min reverse bend 15–35mm by model	300mm without tool - widest in the range
Upper Beam	FX: rotating combi beam, 6.3s changeover FS: segmented straight rail, solid lower beam for hemming	Rotating combi beam - straight rail plus high divided box tools	VH-6: segmented clamping tools, multiple finger sizes VH: one-piece straight tool	VH-6HC: segmented clamping tools, radius or custom fingers optional VH-HC: one-piece straight tool	4" (100mm) high segmented tools, quick-change holder, arc-shaped ends VHS-1020X takes straight and segmented tools in one machine
Box Tooling	FX: yes, segmented FS: straight rail only (segmented upper beam tooling optional)	Yes - 125, 150 or 200mm heights	Yes on VH-6 and VH-AU, no on VH straight	Yes on VH-6HC, no on VH-HC straight	Yes - segmented is the standard configuration
Control	nuLink CNC, 21.5" touchscreen	ProLink CNC, 21.5" touchscreen	Joystick control box standard M15s or FATEK 1/2-axis NC optional	M15s 1-axis NC standard FATEK or Schneider 2-axis optional (7" touchscreen, 256 programs)	M15s 1-axis NC standard FATEK or Schneider 2-axis optional
Backguage	BASIC or FLEXIBLE 1550mm base, expandable to 4200mm	Servo, ballscrew, linear guides 1550mm base AGS and J/L/T/U options	600mm manual standard 800/1250mm motorised optional	600mm manual standard 800/1000/1250mm motorised optional	600mm manual standard 800/1000/1250mm motorised optional
Machine Weight	FS: 2,950–4,100kg FX: 3,180–4,434kg	4,900kg 5,900kg	900kg to 4,500kg	1,950kg to 8,000kg	2,540kg to 4,600kg
Motor	1.5kW clamping 1.5–2.2kW folding	2 x 1.1kW clamping 2 x 1.5kW folding	2 to 5 HP	3 to 10 HP	5 to 7.5 HP
Best For	FX: mixed profiles and box work FS: straight profiles, hemming, roofing and flashing	Heavier gauge, box work, batch through to one-piece production	General fabrication, HVAC, box and tray work at a lower entry cost	Heavy plate folding beyond the capacity of any other machine in the range	Deep box and tray work - up-and-down folding plus 300mm opening handles profiles the others can't clear
Price

Cidan maximum thicknesses are rated at 400 N/mm² for mild steel, 600 N/mm² for stainless and 200 N/mm² for aluminium. Cidan machines fitted with the XSPACE folding beam are limited to 2.0mm mild steel across all FS and FX models.

On the Fintek VH range, capacity and length trade off against each other. A 1220mm machine handles up to 3.5mm mild steel, while a 4000mm machine in the same series is rated to 1.0mm. Tell us your material thickness and your longest fold and we’ll match the model.

Pan Brake Folder vs Press Brake

Choose a Pan Brake When You Need:

Box and tray folds
Complex folds requiring removable fingers
Low to medium volume production
Lighter materials
Quick setup for short runs

Choose a Press Brake When You Need:

Heavy-duty bending
Complex CNC-controlled forming
Thick plate material
Large-scale production
High accuracy over long lengths

Most workshops benefit from having both, but panbrakes are particularly valuable for versatility and day-to-day folding tasks.

Need Help Choosing the Right Folder?

Ready to elevate your sheet metal and steel fabrication with our advanced panbrake folders? If you’re unsure which model suits your application, we can help you evaluate:

Material thickness
Maximum fold length
Type of products you manufacture
Production volume
Space constraints
Budget and long-term ROI

Our team can recommend the ideal machine for your fabrication requirements.

Contact Power Machinery today on (02) 8445 8555 for a consultation or to request a quote. Our team is here to assist you with all your fabrication machinery needs.

What is a pan brake folder used for?