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More from Steve Benson
- From The Fabricator
Press brake controllers and the bend deduction of sheet metal
- By Steve Benson
- Jan 18, 2023
- Bending and Forming
- Article
A reader from the U.K. finds a discrepancy in how his press brake controller performs its bend calculations on certain sheet metal thickness.
- From The Fabricator
Angle adjustment fundamentals at the press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Dec 12, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Adjusting bend angles at the press brake control eventually becomes intuitive, but for the novice operator in a metal fabrication shop, the concepts can be difficult to grasp.
- From The Fabricator
What excess tonnage does to a press brake and tooling
- By Steve Benson
- Nov 28, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Excess tonnage can damage a metal fabrication shop's press brake and embed tools into the bed and ram. The best practice is to avoid excess tonnage in the first place.
- From The Fabricator
Getting back to air forming and bending basics on the press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Oct 27, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Misconceptions about how air bending forms the radius still permeate the sheet metal industry. Yes, the punch radius does affect the process on the press brake, but it does not dictate the radius.
- From The Fabricator
How to heat aluminum to avoid cracking after bending
- By Steve Benson
- Sep 29, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
High-temper aluminum can crack during bending, so press brake operators might need to anneal it. Aluminum doesn’t change color when heated. If a metal fabrication shop doesn’t have a temperature gun, watch the soot.
- From The Fabricator
The art of gauging on the press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Aug 22, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Imagine the overall dimension of a panel is just a little off during a press brake operation. It’s within spec, but what happens when that panel reaches assembly? Little errors can add up.
- From The Fabricator
Press brake tooling: Planer or precision-ground?
- By Steve Benson
- Aug 2, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
A metal fabrication shop has used American planed tooling for three decades for its press brake operations. Should it upgrade to precision-ground New Standard tools? That depends on the parts being produced.
- From The Fabricator
Air-formed bend radii, magnetizing press brake tools, and more
- By Steve Benson
- Jun 20, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Press brake guru Steve Benson answers reader questions on predicting the bend radius, press brake tools becoming magnetized, and how the die opening affects the bend deduction.
- From The Fabricator
New to the press brake? Establish best practices in the fab shop from the start
- By Steve Benson
- May 26, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
If you're new to operating a press brake in a metal fabrication shop, ask yourself these questions from the start to establish best practices: Do you know the safe working limits of your machine and its tooling? Do you have the right tools to make repeatable bends?
- From The Fabricator
Finding pride in press brake work
- By Steve Benson
- Apr 21, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Good skilled tradespeople shouldn’t be leaving the metal fabrication and forming industries out of boredom. Promising press brake operators and other metalworkers should be given a chance to learn more.
- From The Fabricator
Grain direction’s effect on sheet metal bending
- By Steve Benson
- Mar 24, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
If press brake operators bend a small radius with the material grain—that is, the bend line runs parallel to the material grain direction, they should watch out for cracking.
- From The Fabricator
Air-bending sharp on the press brake: A fight not worth fighting
- By Steve Benson
- Feb 14, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Bending sharp leads to more angular variation and frustration at the press brake. Metal fabricators can avoid the headache by choosing the right punch and die for the job.
- From The Fabricator
Why the right tooling matters for an old press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Jan 21, 2022
- Bending and Forming
- Article
If your shop is having trouble setting up an old press brake, you might want take a look at your tooling, writes bending guru Steve Benson.
- From The Fabricator
When there is no choice but to bend sharp on the press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Dec 10, 2021
- Bending and Forming
- Article
If press brake operators bend sharp, they should be prepared for metal parts with greater variations from bend to bend and flange to flange.
- From The Fabricator
Have problems calculating the flat in sheet metal bending?
- By Steve Benson
- Nov 22, 2021
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Before calling CAD tech support, measure the formed part’s inside bend radius. If the radius is wrong, bend calculations will fall apart. What bend radius you can produce on the press brake will depend on the tooling you have in the shop.
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 04/16/2024
- Running Time:
- 63:29
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s...
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