Box Forming

Box forming transforms a flat blank into a three-dimensional rectangular enclosure by making four sequential bends on a CNC press brake, and it demands careful planning of the forming sequence to avoid collisions between previously formed flanges and the tooling. The bend order matters enormously: if the wrong bend is made first, a formed flange may physically interfere with the back gauge, the ram, or the upper tooling on subsequent bends.

Fabricators often use gooseneck punches or offset tooling profiles to provide clearance for deep box shapes. This operation is common when producing NEMA enclosures, electrical junction boxes, and machine covers that require watertight seams.

Achieving consistent box dimensions across production runs requires precise flat pattern development and tight control of bend allowance values for the specific material.