Here is a detailed guide: what to check, what to test, what questions to ask, and red flags, when considering buying a second-hand LVD Easy-Form 80/20 CNC Press Brake. Use this to assess condition, avoid hidden costs, and negotiate better.

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What “LVD Easy-Form” Means / Key Features to Understand

Before inspecting, know what distinguishing features the Easy-Form line brings, so you know what should work, and what may have higher wear or failure risk:

• It uses adaptive bending technology: a laser / scanner system that monitors bend angle in real time and corrects for variation in material thickness, springback, etc.
• It has a CNC control which includes back-gauge axes, sometimes multiple axes (X, R, Z1/Z2 etc.), possibly crowning.
• Hydraulic ram / servo-controlled hydraulics; likely with good precision because of the adaptive / real-time feedback feature.
• High accuracy is expected: consistent bend angles from the first part, good repeatability.

Knowing these, you’ll specifically check components tied to those systems: hydraulic cylinders, angle monitoring / sensors, back gauge, control, etc.

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What to Inspect / Test

Here are the main mechanical, hydraulic, control, tooling, safety, and performance areas to verify.

Component / System	What to Check	Why It Matters / Common Problems
Frame, Bed, Ram (Structure)	• Check for any damage: cracks, welds, deformations. • Bed and ram surfaces must be flat and parallel. • Look for wear or scoring on ram face and bed. • Check alignment: when ram is down, punch meets die uniformly across length. • Visually inspect for signs of “crash” damage (i.e. punch hitting the bed, tooling misalignment).	Structural integrity is foundation of accuracy. If frame bent, weld-repaired, or uneven, bend angles will be inconsistent. Crash damage often misleads about tonnage usage.
Hydraulic System	• Inspect hydraulic cylinders: are they leaking? Are the cylinder rods straight and clean (no scoring)? • Check hoses, seals, fittings for leaks. • Check whether hydraulic pump can build correct pressure to spec; see if pressure holds during load. • Inspect hydraulic oil: cleanliness, level, signs of contamination (metal shavings, water, discoloration). • Check how the machine handles “holding” position under load – no drift, stable.	Hydraulic leaks reduce force and precision; worn seals allow internal leaks, reducing response. Dirty oil causes damage downstream. Stability of pressure is essential for repeatable bends.
Control & CNC System / Adaptive Bending / Angle Measurement	• Boot up control: check display, buttons, touch screen etc. Do all functions seem responsive? • Check the adaptive bending / angle sensor system (laser or scanner): does it respond when bending? Are sensors clean, aligned, functional? • Back gauge axes: do they move correctly, with accuracy in each axis (X, R, Z1 / Z2 etc.)? • Check software version; check for past errors or alarms related to control or sensor failures. • Homing, limit switches: are they precise, reliable? • CNC crowning if present: does it still function / can it be adjusted?	The adaptive bending is a major value feature. If lasers or sensors are damaged, misaligned, or obsolete, you lose that feature. Back gauge inaccuracies or control issues are costly for precision work.
Back Gauge / Gauge System	• Inspect mechanical condition of back gauge fingers / arms: straightness, no bending, play in joints. • Check all axes it has: is motion smooth? Are motors, drives, sensors accurate? • Gauge fingers: ensure they hold firmly, are not loose or misaligned. • Check that the back-gauge position repeatability is good. • Probe for any “lag” or delays when moving.	Poor back gauge accuracy causes errors in flange lengths, inconsistent bends especially when doing multiple bends. Worn or sloppy back gauge is a frequent weakening in used machines.
Tooling, Punch & Die Condition	• Check the tooling: punch (upper), die (lower) condition. Are edges sharp, undamaged, aligned? Any heat damage? • Check whether tooling is standard for your sheet materials. • Inspect whether tooling holders, quick change clamping (if applicable) are functioning and tight. • Check if tooling is included, or you’ll need to buy new dies/punches for your jobs.	Damaged or mismatched tooling degrades part quality and increases scrap. Replacing a large set of dies can be expensive.
Ram / Bed & Ram Movement	• Move ram up/down: check smoothness, consistency across full stroke. • Check for stick/slippage or “lag” under load. • Inspect ram guides / slide surfaces: wear, scoring, rust. • Check whether ram returns level (no tilt) and that punch enters dies squarely.	If ram is not moving smoothly or tilts, bend precision suffers. Long term wear in ram guides is costly.
Crowning / Flattening (if present)	• If the machine has crowning adjustment: test whether it can correct for bed sag or misalignment in longer bends. • Measure bends with and without crowning — does crowning improve consistency? • Check the mechanism for crowning (manual or automatic) for wear or damage.	Without crowning, you may find center of bend out of tolerance in long sheets. The adaptive systems may depend on crowning to achieve homogeneity.
Safety Features	• Emergency stop buttons: do they stop ram and all movement immediately. • Guards, light curtains, safety barriers: present and functional. • Presence sensors / safety interlocks. • Foot pedal / hand pedal / two-hand controls: condition and placement. • Any safety devices required by local regulation.	Safety is non-negotiable. Lack of safe interlocks or broken safety devices may force expensive retrofits or fail inspections.
Electrical, Wiring & Cabinet	• Inspect wiring: insulation condition, connectors, terminal boards. • Check electrical cabinet: Are components clean of dust / oil / coolant? Any corrosion or water damage? • Control circuits: check for overheating signs, burnt smells, soot. • Verify power supply matches your facility (voltage, phase etc.). • Cabinet cooling (fans, filters) if present: are they working / clean?	Faulty wiring or poor electrical condition causes downtime, possible safety hazard. Electric compatibility matters (else extra cost for transformer).
Hydraulic & Mechanical Speeds, Force / Capacity	• Test machine bending known thickness at its rated tonnage or close; see if force is enough. • Check if speed (ram descent, return, back gauge) is acceptable for your production. • Check if hydraulic pressure matches spec. • See if machine slows / leaks under heavy load or hot oil.	If force is degraded, machine may struggle on thicker material. Slow cycle times reduce throughput. Pressure drops or slippage under load hurt precision.
Wear, Maintenance History, & Usage	• Ask for operating hours or cycles; more importantly, number of bends and load history. • Maintenance records: hydraulic servicing, filter changes, sensor calibrations, ram guide maintenance. • How the machine was used: types of material, thicknesses, how often. Heavy/high stress jobs cause more wear. • Environment: cool, dry or humid / dusty / corrosive etc. • Whether machine was idle long periods or misused (e.g. punch mis-alignment, overloads).	Well-maintained machines cost far less later. Neglect or overuse leads to hidden damage. Environmental factors can accelerate wear.
Footprint / Foundation / Installation Conditions	• Check whether space is sufficient. • Floor load capacity and leveling: does machine sit level, or has it shifted / distorted? • Access for loading/unloading sheets, tooling. • Lighting, overhead clearance, back gauge travel clearances. • Utility requirements: hydraulic oil, power, compressed air (if used), cooling.	Even a good machine may perform poorly if improperly installed. Poor foundation or misalignment degrades precision. Utilities mismatch adds cost.
Consumables & Spare Parts	• What is included: dies, punches, tooling, spare sensors, pads etc. • How available are parts for Easy-Form (controllers, sensors, hydraulics) in your region. • Cost of consumables and how often replacement is needed. • Manuals, parts diagrams; support documentation.	Having to order everything from far away increases cost. Missing documentation slows maintenance and troubleshooting. Consumable wear is recurring cost.
Performance Tests & Sample Bends	• Do a sample bend job: several bends, thickness/material/flange length representative of the work you’ll do. • Measure angles, flange lengths, consistency across length. • Try both light & heavy bends; see if machine handles both well. • Check angle and dimension repeatability over a sequence. • See if machine warms up and behaviour changes (angle drift, slower movement etc.).	Real job test reveals what specs and visual inspection cannot. It shows how machine behaves under production conditions.

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Questions to Ask the Seller

To gather info that visual inspection might not reveal:

• How many hours or bending cycles has the machine done under load?
• What types / thicknesses of materials has it bent most of the time?
• Any crashes / collisions in punch or tooling? Were repairs done properly?
• Has the angle-sensor / laser in the adaptive system been recalibrated / serviced recently? Any calibration certificates?
• What is the condition of hydraulic oil / when was last changed; have filters been replaced regularly?
• Are there any known issues with hydraulics (leaks, sluggish ram, dropping under pressure)?
• What is the history of the control unit and back gauge maintenance / firmware / software updates?
• Is the tooling included? If so, what kind (type, condition)? Are there spare dies/punches?
• Safety devices: are all present, conforming to current local safety codes? Have safety features ever failed or been replaced?
• What is the condition of the ram guides, bed, crowning system? Has crowning been used / maintained?
• Will the seller allow you to run a full bend test (including thick/heavy material)?
• What support for parts / sensors / electronics is available locally?

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Red Flags & What to Be Careful Of

These are issues that may increase your cost, reduce reliability or precision, or may mean you should negotiate heavily or walk away:

• Ram or bed with visible damage, gouged, warped surfaces.
• Hydraulic leaks that have been neglected; seals scored; rods scratched.
• Sensors / laser adaptive system non-functional, missing or misaligned. Replacing these might be expensive.
• Back gauge sloppy or inaccurate; fingers bent or worn.
• Control system old, outdated, possibly unsupported; replacement parts hard to get.
• Tooling absent, damaged, or incompatible with what you plan to use.
• Safety guards / interlocks missing, broken, or not compliant with current regulation.
• Machine that has sat idle for long periods without care (seals drying, rust, hydraulic oil degradation).
• Frame has been welded multiple times or shows signs of structural fatigue.
• Inconsistent bend results (angle variation across length); drift as machine warms up.