Engineering · Interactive Suite
DFM cheat sheets & infographics.
Rigorous, physics-driven calculators, alignment charts, and dimensional lookups compiled from 25+ years on the CNC machine shop floor. Interactively configure parameters below to solve sheet bends, audit surface finishes, scale tolerances, and decode GD&T datum reference frames.
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Printable cheat sheets (PDF).
Branded one-page references built from the same verified data as our tools — print them, pin them, keep them in the binder. Each opens with a one-click Download PDF.
Materials
Fasteners & holes
Inspection & GD&T
Analytical Sheet Bending Mechanics
When a press brake deforms a sheet, the material on the outer bend radius undergoes severe tensile elongation, while the inner radius is compressed. The Neutral Axis is the boundary zone that undergoes zero dimensional change, shifting inward by a factor of K · t.
| Material Class | Air Bend K | Bottoming K |
|---|---|---|
| Al 5052-H32 | 0.33 – 0.38 | 0.42 – 0.45 |
| Cold-Rolled Steel | 0.35 – 0.40 | 0.45 – 0.47 |
| Stainless Steel 304 | 0.38 – 0.42 | 0.47 – 0.50 |
| Soft Copper / Brass | 0.30 – 0.35 | 0.40 – 0.42 |
Design Standard Guidelines
Shop Floor Best Practices
Always layout bend lines transverse (perpendicular) to the rolling grain of the sheet. Bending parallel to the grain reduces your maximum elongation capacity, resulting in visible stress fractures on the outer radius.
EDM erosion leaves a highly stressed, microscopic recast layer (White Layer). For critical cyclically loaded parts, specify orbital low-pulse EDM finish passes or electropolishing to strip this brittle zone and prevent fatigue cracking.
Thermal cutting in high-carbon alloy steels induces localized martensitic hardening at the cut edge (Heat Affected Zone). Always specify boundary machining or edge annealing if features require tapping or reaming post-cut.
Keep exploring
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