Over the next several weeks, we'll be rolling out expanded bending capabilities to all customers. These new features are currently available for materials up to 0.1" thick (12 Ga.), with additional thicknesses coming very soon.
Larger side and return flanges
Our new press brake has a larger clear height and taller tooling, so we can support much larger side flanges than was possible before. In addition, our new "gooseneck" punches can allow deeper return flanges. Our quoting engine will automatically choose between straight and gooseneck punches when checking your part for manufacturability.
Multiple bend radius and die width options
If the material supports it, you will be able to select the inner bend radius of your bend from a list of options. If you uploaded your part as a DXF flat pattern, you'll want to match the radius to your part's design. If you uploaded your part as a 3D model, you can choose any radius, and we'll automatically adjust your model accordingly.
As shown below, the required flange support varies with bend radius. If you get an "Insufficient Flange Support" or "Bends Too Close Together" error, you might be able to resolve the error by decreasing the inner bend radius.
Limitations
These new capabilities are only available for parts with acute angles no less than 80 degrees. For acute angles less than 80 degrees, our bending support will remain the same.
Expanded bending support is currently only available for materials up to 0.1" thick (12 Ga.). In the coming weeks, we plan to enable it for most materials up to 3/16" thick, so check back often for updates!
