Press Brake Applications and Bending Methods
Bending methods, typical parts and the machines that suit them.
What can you make with a press brake?
A press brake is far more versatile than its simple principle suggests. With the right punch and die, it forms almost any straight-line bend in sheet or plate. This page explains the common bending methods and the parts they produce, with links to the machines that suit each.
Bending methods
Air bending
The punch pushes the sheet into the V-die without bottoming. The angle depends on punch depth, so one die can make many angles. It needs the least force and is the most common method on hydraulic and CNC press brakes.
Bottoming
The sheet is pressed against the die walls, giving a more consistent angle with less springback. It needs roughly two to three times the force of air bending.
Coining
The punch tip penetrates the material to set the angle. It needs very high force, often five times or more that of air bending, and is used today mainly for thin, precise parts.
Hemming and flattening
A flange is first bent to an acute angle and then flattened, giving a safe, stiff edge. Common on kitchen equipment, doors and panels.
Offset (Z) bending
Two bends formed in one stroke with special tooling, used for joggles and stepped flanges.
Typical press brake applications
| Part type | Typical materials | Suggested machine |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical panel doors, enclosure bodies | 1-2 mm CRCA, stainless steel | Hydraulic or CNC press brake, 40-80 T |
| Duct flanges, plenums, AHU panels | 0.6-1.6 mm GI | Sheet metal bending machine or PBR series |
| Lift cabin panels, door frames | 1.2-2 mm stainless steel, CRCA | CNC press brake 125 T, 3200-4000 mm |
| Kitchen tables, sinks, hoods | 1-1.5 mm stainless steel | CNC or PLC press brake |
| Racks, lockers, shelving | 0.8-2 mm CRCA | Hydraulic or PLC press brake |
| Trailer and chassis members | 4-10 mm mild steel, high-tensile | Heavy duty press brake 250-400 T |
| Purlins, cleats, base plates | 3-12 mm mild steel | CNC 125-250 T or heavy duty |
Thickness and length figures are typical and vary by manufacturer. Use the tonnage calculator for your own parts, and see press brake applications in sheet metal fabrication for worked examples.