Articles written by Steve Benson

Steve Benson

President

ASMA LLC

Steve Benson, a member and former chair of FMA's Precision Sheet Metal Technology Council, is the president of Asma LLC.

2952 Doaks Ferry Road N.W.
Salem, OR 97301-4468
phone: 503-399-7514
fax: 503-399-7514

www.asmachronicle.com
Contact via email

Results: 33

	Finding the perfect die opening By choosing a die opening as close to perfect as possible, your consistency will improve, your setup and run times will get shorter, and the risks of running into problems will be greatly reduced. Publish date: February 15, 2013
	Bending Basics: How the inside bend radius forms Press brake guru Steve Benson describes how the method of bending—coining, bottom bending, or air forming—is very influential on how an inside bend radius is achieved. Publish date: January 10, 2013
	The basics of applying bend functions Why calculate values such as bend allowance, outside setback, and bend deductions? Because sometimes you will need to work your way around a bend on a print, and you may not have all the information you need to complete a flat pattern. Publish date: November 9, 2012
	Bending basics: Dissecting bend deductions and die openings Changing the die opening can dramatically change results during air forming. In precision sheet metal fabrication, choosing the correct die opening should not be a guessing game. Publish date: September 3, 2012
	Reclaiming the disappearing press brake knowledge in your shop Expensive options on a press brake won't guarantee knowledge transfer from a veteran press brake operator to a shop floor rookie. For knowledge transfer to occur, a shop needs experienced workers that can communicate and a younger work force eager to learn because they see a future in metal... Publish date: January 14, 2010
	The tao of forming order Is the starting position of the flat part facing the wrong way or upside down to your natural flow? Are you working from left to right when your natural motion is right to left? If you are, you're fighting the current rather than letting the current do the work. Set up the press brake in such a... Publish date: June 12, 2007
	Taking the danger out of bottom bending It is all too easy to ruin a tool or upset a ram if bottom bending is done incorrectly, which is why many manufacturers do not recommend bottom bending when using their equipment or tooling. Understanding V-die selection and the effects of your decisions should be first and foremost in any... Publish date: March 7, 2006
	Say ye shibboleth! Properly trained press brake operators understand the nuances of tapers. Armed with this knowledge and following a five-step process that includes inspecting tooling and materials, precise setup, checking the part, and making necessary adjustments, these skilled workers can complete machine setup... Publish date: November 8, 2005
	Oversized V dies: the effects on bottom bending Using oversized V dies in bottom bending can damage press brakes and tooling, but used properly, these dies can help compensate for springback. Publish date: August 9, 2005
	It's all about tool selection -- or is it? Publish date: May 10, 2005
	Safety faux pas Publish date: February 8, 2005
	Skilled workers make new press brake technology even more valuable Publish date: September 14, 2004
	Air forming and V-die selection Publish date: May 4, 2004
	Building the perfect tool cabinet Have you ever wondered about the best way to store your press brake tooling? An expensive part of your press brake operation, tooling is damaged enough just by daily wear and tear and accidents. You don't want to damage it further by storing it improperly. Publish date: March 25, 2004
	Why should you care about inside bend radii? Operators, designers, and engineers, why should you care about the inside bend radius if the customer doesn't? Because, ultimately, just how easy or difficult it is to produce a part depends on decisions made during the design stage. Misunderstanding terminology, process capabilities, or... Publish date: January 29, 2004
	John Henry's last challenge or a Rube Goldberg device? Picking the right press brake has never been an easy task and it continues to get harder all the time. New hydraulic systems offer unbelievable control and sophisticated hydraulic valving that were unimaginable just a few short years ago. Publish date: September 10, 2003
	Die width selection Publish date: July 24, 2003
	Managers are not necessarily leaders Often we are told that leadership is the key to the success of any business or organization. What is leadership? Is it the same as management? And what separates would-be or so-so leaders from world-class leaders? Publish date: June 26, 2003
	Making your own punch and dies How many times have you looked through huge piles of blueprints for a prototype part or short-run job and thought, "If only I had that tool, this job would be a piece of cake?" Publish date: May 29, 2003
	Gauging difficult parts at the press brake Gone are the days when engineers and draftsmen slaved for hours over drafting boards with a pencil and slide rule in hand (does anyone remember slide rules?). Today we've moved beyond slide rules and even beyond hand-held calculators to personal computers and mainframes to do much, if not all, of... Publish date: March 27, 2003
	How air forming works Air forming began its rise in popularity during the mid- to late 1970s, becoming the most prevalent method of forming on a press brake. Publish date: February 13, 2003
	But we have always done it this way Publish date: December 12, 2002
	What the? This can't be done! Carefully planning the forming order can make even the most daunting project less complicated and problematic. Publish date: October 24, 2002
	Can I form a box that deep? There's no reason you can't form sharp, deep boxes with a press brake consistently. You just have to be familiar with what your tooling can and can't do under certain circumstances. Publish date: July 11, 2002
	Using benchmarking for bend deductions Benchmarking is a very good idea for your operation ... just make sure your benchmarks are your own. Publish date: May 30, 2002
	Bumping up large-radius bends The step-bending method can be a good way to achieve large radii without having to spend huge sums of money on special tooling. Publish date: May 30, 2002
	Reviewing bottom bending and nested parts Looking to nest parts tightly, but can't win the battle against the material's natural grain? Take heart—bottom bending could be your key to success. Publish date: April 15, 2002
	Press Brakes and (much) More The flow of product through you shop is a key issue in determining your prosperity as a business. Drawing a little insight from the Chinese concept of feng shui might help you achieve the kind of flow you're looking for. Publish date: January 31, 2002
	Mobilizing equipment-saving time and talent It's hard to believe that machines such as press brakes and hardware-setting equipment can move around on wheels or be moved by forklift and still function correctly. But I can tell you from experience that it is true and can be done. Publish date: November 29, 2001
	Fighting springback in profound radius bends When bending sheet metal, three terms apply to the radius of the bend: sharp, radius, and profound. A sharp bend has a radius less than 63 percent of the material thickness. A radius bend has a radius between 63 percent and 10 times the material thickness. A profound radius exceeds 10 times the... Publish date: September 17, 2001
	Bend deduction charts Quite often I am asked, "Where can I get a bend deduction chart that works, one with valid numbers?" That's a good question. Publish date: July 26, 2001
	Discovering the limits of press brake tooling One of the most important aspects of press brake forming is tooling selection. What are the tools capable of? What kinds of loads can they withstand? Publish date: May 30, 2001
	Brake Line: Press Brakes and More: Planning to cut corners on safety? Press brake safety is a common sense issue. Publish date: February 19, 2001