Fabrication
Hydraulic Ironworker
55 to 110 ton hydraulic ironworker. Five work stations — punching, notching, flat bar shear, angle iron shear, and profile shearing — in a single machine. Replace five separate machines with one compact, low-maintenance workhorse.
01
Five Work Stations — One Machine, One Footprint
The hydraulic ironworker combines punching, notching, flat bar shearing, angle iron shearing, and profile shearing in a single machine body. No separate hydraulic power units, no additional footprint. Operators move between stations in seconds rather than minutes — or run two different operations simultaneously with the dual-operator option.
02
Punch Holes to 38mm Diameter in 12mm Plate
The punching station develops full tonnage across its range — from small pilot holes through 38mm (1.5") diameter in 12mm (0.5") mild steel plate. Standard tooling accepts round, square, oblong, and custom punch profiles. The punch holder accepts standard US and European punch-and-die sets, protecting your existing tooling investment.
03
Angle Iron Notching — Clean, Square Corners
The notching station shears angle iron at 90°, 60°, and 45° in a single stroke — producing clean corner joints ready for welding without grinding or secondary cutting. Notch mild steel angle to 5" × 5" × 0.5" in a single hydraulic stroke. No blade setup — the hardened steel notching blades last tens of thousands of cycles.
04
Flat Bar Shear — 6" Width at 0.625" Thickness
The flat bar shearing station cuts structural flat bar to 6" (150mm) wide at 0.625" (16mm) thickness in mild steel. Drop-cut design — the scrap piece drops clear without manual handling. Adjustable backstop with memory marks for production runs. Length marks on the work table for measuring cuts without a separate layout step.
05
V-Die Bending Attachment — Short Bends Without a Press Brake
An optional V-die bending attachment mounts directly into the punching station, turning the ironworker into a compact press brake for short bends. Ideal for brackets, clips, and small formed parts that don't justify moving material to a full press brake. Sold separately — ask your VTM sales engineer for compatible die sets and capacity for your tonnage model.
Technical Specifications
By the Numbers
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonnage Options | 55T / 80T / 110T |
| Punching Capacity (mild steel) | Up to 38 mm dia. in 12 mm plate |
| Throat Depth | 406 mm |
| Flat Bar Shear Capacity | 150 mm wide × 16 mm thick |
| Angle Iron Shear Capacity | 125 mm × 125 mm × 12 mm |
| Angle Iron Notch Angles | 90° / 60° / 45° |
| Tube Notcher Capacity | Up to 100 mm square, 6 mm wall |
| Plate Shear Capacity | 200 mm × 12 mm |
| Work Stations | 5 stations |
| Hydraulic System Pressure | 207 bar |
| Tooling Compatibility | US standard and European style |
| Machine Weight (110T) | ~4,000 kg |
| Power Supply | 380V, 3-phase |
See It Work
Five Operations — One Machine
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Configure
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Tonnage
- 55 Ton — light structural, angle iron, flat bar to 3/8"
- 80 Ton — general fabrication, 1/2" flat bar
- 110 Ton — heavy structural, 5/8" flat bar, punching in thick plate
Higher tonnage handles thicker material and larger punch diameters. Most general fabrication shops select 80T as the best balance of capability and cost.
Operation Mode
- Single operator (one station at a time)
- Dual operator (two stations simultaneously)
- Foot pedal control (standard)
- Hand lever control (optional)
Dual operator mode allows two workers to use different stations at the same time — doubling throughput on mixed-operation jobs.
Tooling Package
- Standard round punch set (8 sizes)
- Extended punch set (16 sizes)
- Oblong and square punch set
- Quick-change tooling holders
Quick-change tool holders reduce punch changeover time from 5 minutes to under 60 seconds — worthwhile on high-mix operations.
All configurations available to order. Contact your VTM sales engineer for pricing and lead time on your specific build.
Technology
Ironworker vs. Separate Individual Machines
| Feature | Ironworker | Separate Machines |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | One machine | 5× separate footprints |
| Capital cost | Lower total | Higher (5 separate purchases) |
| Power connections required | One | Up to 5 |
| Maintenance overhead | One hydraulic system | 5 separate systems |
| Operator mobility between tasks | Steps, not walks | Walk across the shop |
| Punching speed (single hole) | Equivalent | Equivalent |
| High-volume punching throughput | Good | Punch press may be faster |
| CNC punching / nesting | Not available | Available in turret punches |
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Questions
Frequently Asked
The VTM ironworker accepts standard US-style punch-and-die sets (Wilson, Piranha, Scotchman compatible) as well as European-style tooling. The standard punch holder accepts shank sizes from 1" to 2" diameter. Custom punch profiles (oblong, D-shaped, square) are available in standard shank sizes and drop directly into the machine without adapters.
Yes — the 80T and 110T models are available in a dual-operator configuration where independent hydraulic circuits serve different station groups. One operator can punch while another shears flat bar, for example. Both operators use foot pedal controls, and a central interlock prevents station conflicts. The dual-operator option effectively doubles output on mixed-operation jobs.
Significantly simpler. The ironworker has one hydraulic power unit, one motor, and one set of hydraulic seals to service. Wear items — blades, punch and die sets — are equivalent in quantity to individual machines but concentrated in one location. Most shops report spending 60–70% less time on ironworker maintenance than the equivalent multi-machine shop.
Cycle time for a single punch is typically 3–5 seconds including operator positioning and foot pedal actuation. On a simple pattern of 10 holes in a standard plate, experienced operators achieve 20–25 parts per hour. For high-volume repetitive punching (hundreds of identical parts per shift), a CNC turret punch press will outperform an ironworker — contact VTM if your volume justifies that discussion.
The ironworker requires a standard concrete floor — no special foundation pad is needed for the 55T and 80T models. The 110T model benefits from a 4" thick floor minimum. Power is 3-phase (208V or 480V — specify at order). Machines ship with a main power disconnect. Compressed air is not required. Total floor footprint is approximately 7' × 5' for the 80T model.
Hydraulic Ironworker