A press brake is a machine tool for bending sheet and plate material, most commonly sheet metal. It forms predetermined bends by clamping the work piece between a matching punch and die. Hydraulic presses operate by means of two synchronized hydraulic cylinders on the C-frames moving the upper beam.

Recent improvements are mainly in the control and a device called a backgauge. A backgauge is a device that can be used to accurately position a piece of metal so that the brake puts the bend in the correct place. Furthermore, the backgauge can be programmed to move between bends to repeatedly make complex parts.