Sheet metal bending on a CNC press brake

CNC Sheet Metal Bending

New service: bending will be available in the app starting early August 2026. Get your designs ready today with our bending design guide.

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.

Three ways to add bends

  • STEP file (3D): upload your bent part in 3D — the app detects the bends, unfolds them automatically and keeps angles and directions.
  • 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

ProcessAir bending on a CNC press brake
Angles5° 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 size0.375″ × 1.5″ (min) up to 30″ × 44″ (max)
Bends per partUp to 12
Inside radiusFixed per material/thickness (0.024″ to 0.346″) — see the guide
DirectionUp or down, your choice for each bend
PricingCalculated 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-H1422G5°–130°
Aluminum 5052-H3218G 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 G9024G to 12G5°–130°
Stainless steel 30422G to 1/4″5°–130° (reduced with thickness)
Stainless steel 3161/16″ 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, 10G5°–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?
The inside radius is fixed for each material/thickness combination because it depends on the tooling. It ranges from 0.024″ (thin sheet) to 0.346″ (1/4″ stainless). The full table by material and thickness is in our bending design guide.
How close to a bend can I place a hole?
The general rule: at least half the die width (Die ÷ 2) away from the bend line. For example, with a 0.472″ die, keep holes at least 0.236″ (6 mm) from the bend line. A hole that's too close will be distorted during bending. The app checks this rule automatically.
How is bending priced?
Pricing depends on the number of bends on the part and the quantity ordered: a fixed setup portion, plus a per-bend cost that drops quickly with volume. The exact price shows up instantly in the app as soon as you add your bends — no waiting for a quote.
Can I supply my own flat pattern?
Yes. Upload your flat DXF with bend lines drawn in green, then set the angle and direction of each bend in the app (or annotate them right in the DXF, e.g. "UP 90"). If you're starting from a 3D model, upload the STEP instead: unfolding and the flat pattern are computed automatically using our real parameters (K-factor, radius).
How accurate are the bends?
±1° of angle for bends up to 24″ (±2° beyond), and ±0.015″ of dimensional tolerance per bend, cumulative. The cutting itself is accurate to ±0.005″.
Why can't 6061-T6 aluminum be bent?
6061-T6 is a heat-treated alloy, hard and not very ductile: it cracks under tight bending. For bent aluminum parts, use 5052-H32, which is made for forming, or 3003-H14 in thin sheet.

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.

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