Why would you need a Pneumatic Punch Press if you already have a CNC center in your shop?

The answer is simple: a punch press can handle up to 40% of the work typically done on a CNC, and it does it much faster. For curtain wall fabrication, all horizontal mullions can be processed entirely on a punch press, often in far less time than it takes a CNC.

In many cases, replacing CNC operations with punch-press tooling can save up to 60% of fabrication time. A punch press also costs roughly ten times less than the average CNC machine, making it a highly economical addition to your workflow. When you factor in operator skill requirements, equipment footprint, and power consumption, the cost benefits grow even larger.

Punch presses require minimal training, take up far less space, and run on simple pneumatic power. Maintenance is also dramatically lower compared to CNC machines. Overall, shops can save 90%–95% of production costs when considering operational efficiency, maintenance, and the lower purchase price of a punch press.

This makes a pneumatic punch press one of the smartest investments for any aluminum fabrication operation.