A practical guide to material properties, bend length, tooling factors, and safety margins.
The Tonnage Formula: What You Need to Know
The bending force required for a given operation depends on material tensile strength, thickness, bend length and die opening width.
Safety Margin: Always Apply a Multiplier
Real production includes material variation, tool wear and off-center loading. A practical safety margin protects process reliability.
- Apply a suitable safety factor
- Account for future production expansion
- Confirm tooling and bed length
V-Opening Selection and Its Effect on Tonnage
A wider opening reduces required force but increases inside radius. The selected tooling must match material and part geometry.
Bending Length vs. Machine Bed Length
Machine bed length should exceed the maximum anticipated bend length and provide room for practical setup.