CNC Sheet Metal Bending
Bending is available: configure your bends and get your price directly in the application. Get your designs ready today with our bending design guide.
See the geometry and surface detail
Photorealistic illustration. Appearance varies with the material, finish and lighting.
Custom sheet metal bending
Bending turns your laser-cut parts into functional 3D components: enclosures, brackets, angles, chassis, bent panels. We bend using air bending on a CNC press brake, which guarantees precise, repeatable angles across the full range of bendable materials.
Each material/thickness combination uses defined tooling (V-die and punch), which means a fixed inside radius — no custom radii, but consistent results from one production run to the next. You specify each bend's position, angle (5° to 130° depending on material) and direction (up or down); our app handles the rest, including the flat pattern calculation with the correct bend deduction.
Automatic DFM validation
The app automatically checks the feasibility of every bend before you order: minimum flange length, hole and cutout distance from the bend line, spacing between bends (joggles), bend reliefs, U-channel ratios, part size. If a bend is a problem, you know right away — no bad surprises after ordering.
How to add your bends
- STEP import (3D) — planned for early October 2026. Until then, export a flat 2D drawing and define your bends in the application.
- DXF/DWG file (2D): identify your bend lines in green; optionally add a text annotation (e.g. "UP 90") to pre-fill the angle and direction.
- Manual drawing: draw the bend line directly in the app on your 2D part, pick the angle and direction, and preview the result in 3D.
Tapping and hardware insertion are done before bending — keep your holes away from bend lines (rule: die width ÷ 2) to avoid distortion. All the details are in the design guide.
Bending capabilities
| Process | Air bending on a CNC press brake |
| Angles | 5° to 130° (standard); max 90° for thick stock (≥ 3/16″) |
| Angular tolerance | ±1° (bend ≤ 24″), ±2° (bend > 24″) |
| Dimensional tolerance | ±0.015″ per bend (cumulative) |
| Part size | 0.375″ × 1.5″ (min) up to 30″ × 44″ (max) |
| Bends per part | Up to 12 |
| Inside radius | Fixed per material/thickness (0.024″ to 0.346″) — see the guide |
| Direction | Up or down, your choice for each bend |
| Pricing | Calculated instantly from the number of bends and quantity |
Real-time 3D preview
Every bend you add is instantly rendered in 3D in the app: you see the bent part exactly as it will be manufactured, before you order.
Which materials can be bent?
Eight metal families are bendable, each over a defined thickness range. Click a material to see its full technical data sheet.
| Material | Bendable thicknesses | Angles |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum 3003-H14 | 22G | 5°–130° |
| Aluminum 5052-H32 | 18G to 1/4″ | 5°–130° (5°–90° from 3/16″) |
| Mild steel (hot rolled) | 22G to 1/4″ | 5°–130° (reduced with thickness) |
| Galvanized steel G90 | 24G to 12G | 5°–130° |
| Stainless steel 304 | 22G to 1/4″ | 5°–130° (reduced with thickness) |
| Stainless steel 316 | 1/16″ to 1/4″ | 5°–130° (reduced with thickness) |
| Brass 260 (cartridge) | 18G to 1/4″ | 5°–130° (5°–90° from 3/16″) |
| Copper 110 ETP (half hard) | 19G, 16G, 10G | 5°–130° |
Not bendable: aluminum 6061-T6 (too hard — cracking risk), acrylic, UHMW, wood products and other rigid materials. For those, consider mechanical assembly or a multi-part design.
Sheet metal bending FAQ
What bend radius will my parts have?
How close to a bend can I place a hole?
How is bending priced?
Can I supply my own flat pattern?
How accurate are the bends?
Bending design guide (DFM)
Radii, K-factors, minimum flanges, hole-to-bend distances, reliefs, tolerances — every rule with complete tables per material.
See also: our cutting and bending tolerances.
Your part, your choices, your price.
Configure one part or a series. See your price and lead time before ordering.
No account needed for pricing · Free shipping from $49