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More from Steve Benson
- From The Fabricator
Better bend sequencing and gauging on the press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Aug 13, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
A reader has trouble forming an odd part with unparallel bend line. A new bend sequence with the right gauging could be the answer.
- From The Fabricator
Is the press brake or tooling really to blame?
- By Steve Benson
- Jul 15, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
You invest in new bending equipment and still have issues. What gives? It might be the material or the way it’s presented to the press brake.
- From The Fabricator
Precision sheet metal bending and the V groove: Part II
- By Steve Benson
- Jun 19, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
V-grooving doesn’t apply to every bending situation. But in sectors like architectural fabrication, it plays a major role in the brake department.
- From The Fabricator
Precision sheet metal bending and the V groove
- By Steve Benson
- May 22, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Need to produce a very small-radius bend while keeping the outside surface of the bend free of cracking and deformation? V-grooving could be for you.
- From The Fabricator
Don’t forget the sheet metal tolerances
- By Steve Benson
- Apr 12, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Tolerances in bending involve more than just the angle tolerances shown on the print. Materials also have tolerances, both in thickness and yield strength.
- From The Fabricator
Material grain considerations on the press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Mar 6, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
If you’re bending cold-rolled steel and other anisotropic material, inconsistent grain direction can lead to inconsistencies at the press brake.
- From The Fabricator
What Is a Press Brake and Where Did the Name Come From?
- By Steve Benson
- Feb 8, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
What is a press brake and where did the name originate? Our experts detail how it comes from Middle English. Learn more about the press brake origin here.
- From The Fabricator
Radius types formed by air bending on a press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Jan 21, 2019
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Press brake guru Steve Benson describes five types of radii that can be formed in air bending, from sharp bends up to profound radius bends.
- From The Fabricator
How to set up an old press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Dec 7, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Old press brakes with planer tooling still can produce good parts. You just need to maintain them properly, realize their limitations, and account for the inconsistencies of planer tooling.
- From The Fabricator
Predicting an air-formed sheet metal inside bend radius
- By Steve Benson
- Nov 19, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Learn the 20 percent rule to better predict the sheet metal inside bend radius when air forming during your welds, and find our sheet metal bend radius chart here.
- From The Fabricator
Analyzing the k-factor in sheet metal bending: Part II
- By Steve Benson
- Oct 12, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Bending guru Steve Benson continues his deep dive into the k-factor, arguably the most important variable in precision sheet metal fabrication.
- From The Fabricator
Analyzing the k-factor in sheet metal bending
- By Steve Benson
- Sep 12, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
The experts at FMA provide q deep dive into the k factor, what it is, and why it matters. Also, find our k factor calculator for the bend radius formula here.
- From The Fabricator
Bending aluminum 101: How to bend 6061-T6 aluminum
- By Steve Benson
- Aug 17, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Learn about the difficulties of bending 6061T6 aluminum. The challenges are many but they can be overcome when you know how to bend aluminum correctly.
- From The Fabricator
Press brake bending basics: How to avoid a sharp bend
- By Steve Benson
- Jul 17, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Your press brake operation is putting a crease along the inside bend radius. How do you prevent this? Make sure the force needed to pierce the material is more than the force needed to form it.
- From The Fabricator
Best practices for the best press brake bending performance
- By Steve Benson
- Jul 7, 2018
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Columnist Steve Benson describes three best practices that will improve any press brake department: good setup sheets, smart backgauging, and efficient methods for dealing with material thickness variation.
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 05/14/2024
- Running Time:
- 62:12
Cameron Adams of Laser Precision, a contract metal fabricator in the Chicago area, joins the podcast to talk...
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- June 26, 2024
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