Abstract:
Bending press for pieces of sheet metal, comprising: - a stationary support structure (12, 14, 16) bearing a fixed tool holder table (18) and a movable tool holder table (20) able to move in a vertical plane, and - a positioning device (24) situated on the rear side of the fixed tool holder table (18) and bearing at least one retaining element (28) able to be positioned in such a way as to define a reference surface against which is thrust an edge of a piece to be bent (P). The retaining element is provided with at least one gripping element (40a, 40b, 54, 56) rotatable around a horizontal axis (42) and able to be actuated around said axis of rotation (42) under the command of a numeric control unit, in such a way that during the bending operation the gripping element (40a, 40b, 54, 56) can hold the piece and follow the movement of the lap bent by the piece.