Industry Solutions · HVAC Equipment & Ductwork

Sheet Metal Machines for HVAC Equipment & Ductwork Manufacturing

Casings, ducts, coils and diffusers — high-volume equipment for galvanized and stainless HVAC parts.

Rooftop HVAC ductwork and air handling units

Step 1Cutting & Blanking
Step 2Bending & Forming
Step 3Welding & Finishing
Step 4Automation & Tooling

HVAC Manufacturing Basics

How HVAC Equipment & Ductwork Are Made

HVAC equipment is mostly made from thin galvanized steel (0.5–1.5 mm), aluminum and stainless steel. Blanks are sheared, punched (louvers, vents) or laser cut, rectangular ducts and unit panels are bent on panel benders and press brakes, round ducts are rolled, and copper or aluminum refrigerant tubes are formed on tube benders.

Volumes are high and parts repeat, so HVAC manufacturers gain most from automation: punching with forming tools, automatic panel bending for air handling unit panels and casings, and CNC tube bending for coils and refrigerant lines.

Typical Parts & Materials

AHU & rooftop unit panelsDouble-skin panels with return flangesGalvanized / pre-painted steel 0.8–1.5 mm
Rectangular ducts & fittingsLong straight sections, seams and flangesGalvanized steel 0.5–1.2 mm
Round & spiral ductsRolled shells and elbowsGalvanized steel 0.5–1.0 mm
Fan housings & diffusersPerforations, louvers and curved partsGalvanized steel / aluminum 0.8–2.0 mm
Coils & refrigerant linesPrecise tube bendsCopper / aluminum tube

Manufacturing Process

From Flat Sheet to Finished Part

Select a stage to see what happens and which HARSLE machines do the work.

Step 1HVAC Equipment & Ductwork

Cutting & Blanking

Shears and punching machines produce high-volume blanks with louvers and vents; lasers handle complex and low-volume parts; notchers prepare corners.

Shearing Machine

43 models in the HARSLE range.

Punching Machine

92 models in the HARSLE range.

Laser Cutting Machine

60 models in the HARSLE range.

Notching Machine

15 models in the HARSLE range.

Recommended Machines

Machines for HVAC Equipment & Ductwork

Live from the HARSLE product range — models suited to hvac manufacturing are listed first.

View all 43 Shearing Machine models

Challenges & Solutions

What Matters in HVAC Manufacturing

High volume at low cost
Automatic panel bending and punching with forming tools cut labor per part on repeat sizes.
Thin galvanized sheet
Accurate clamping and low-impact forming avoid waviness and coating damage on 0.5–1.0 mm sheet.
Air-tight seams
Consistent flange lengths and angles make seams seal without extra sealant work.
Coil and tube precision
CNC tube benders repeat bend angles and lengths for refrigerant circuits.

Automate Bending

Panel Bender for HVAC Manufacturing

A HARSLE panel bender clamps the sheet flat and forms all four sides in one cycle with universal tooling — ideal for the repeat panels, doors and boxes found in hvac equipment & ductwork.

Bending length 1400–3000 mm (AutoBend)
0–180° bending angle, 0.2 s per bend
Minimal operator skill, fast changeovers

Explore panel benders

Global Footprint

Shipments & Customer Stories

Every shipment and customer story HARSLE publishes appears here automatically. Filter by machine or country.

1,209Shipments published
118Destination countries
118Customer stories
LiveUpdated as we ship

All 1,209 shipments

Knowledge Center

HVAC Manufacturing Guides

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about machines and processes for hvac equipment & ductwork.

Ask our engineers

What machines are used in HVAC manufacturing?

Shearing machines and punching machines for blanks, notching machines, panel benders and press brakes for panels and rectangular ducts, rolling machines for round ducts, tube benders for refrigerant lines, plus welding and deburring.

What thickness of sheet is used for HVAC ducts?

Rectangular and round ducts typically use 0.5–1.2 mm galvanized steel depending on duct size and pressure class; unit casings and panels are usually 0.8–1.5 mm.

Is a panel bender suitable for air handling unit panels?

Yes. AHU panels are large, thin and need flanges on all sides — exactly what a panel bender does automatically, with less handling than a press brake.