Bending Basics from the Fabricator magazine
Bending Basics 2019
Taking a deep dive into press brake tonnage, Part II: Improving formulas
DECEMBER 2019 | Steve Benson
Where do tonnage formulas come from, and how can press brake operators to improve upon them?
Taking a deep dive into press brake tonnage, Part I: Improving formulas
NOVEMBER 2019 | Steve Benson
Where do tonnage formulas come from, and how can press brake operators to improve upon them?
Grain Size Matters, Part 2: How Metal Grain Size Affects a Bending Operation
OCTOBER 2019 | Steve Benson
Better grade of material saves production time and cost on the press brake
Grain Size Matters, Part I: Material grain size matters in sheet metal bending
SEPTEMBER 13th, 2019 | Steve Benson
8 factors behind why material grain size affects how metal parts form
Better bend sequencing and gauging on the press brake
AUGUST 13, 2019, | By Steve Benson
A reader has trouble forming an odd part with unparallel bend line. A new bend sequence with the right gauging could be the answer.
Is the press brake or tooling really to blame?
JULY 15, 2019 | BY STEVE BENSON
You invest in new bending equipment and still have issues. What gives? It might be the material or the way it’s presented to the press brake.
Precision sheet metal bending and the V groove: Part II
JUNE 20, 20119
Last month I described the advantages, which include ease of forming and dimensional accuracy, and disadvantages, which include the low strength of a V-groove bend. This month I’ll cover exactly how to perform V-groove bends and how you can make the process as repeatable and reliable as possible.
Precision sheet metal bending and the V groove
MAY 22, 2019 | BY STEVE BENSON
Need to produce a very small-radius bend while keeping the outside surface of the bend free of cracking and deformation? V-grooving could be for you.
Don’t forget the sheet metal tolerances
APRIL 12, 2019 | BY STEVE BENSON
Tolerances in bending involve more than just the angle tolerances shown on the print. Materials also have tolerances, both in thickness and yield strength.
Material grain considerations on the press brake
MARCH 6, 2019 | BY STEVE BENSON
If you’re bending cold-rolled steel and other anisotropic material, inconsistent grain direction can lead to inconsistencies at the press brake.
Why is it called a press brake?
FEBRUARY 8, 2019 | BY STEVE BENSON
Why is a press brake called a press brake? In short, the verb “brake,” as used in sheet metal shops, comes from a Middle English verb that meant “to bend.”
Radius types formed by air bending on a press brake
JANUARY 21, 2019 | BY STEVE BENSON
Press brake guru Steve Benson describes five types of radii that can be formed in air bending, from sharp bends up to profound radius bends.