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Die Opening (V-Width)
The width of the V-die groove. Die opening is the most critical tooling selection parameter, determining bend radius, minimum flange, and required tonnage. The ratio of die opening to material thickness governs the resulting inside bend radius in air bending.
Die opening selection is arguably the single most impactful tooling decision in press brake forming, as it directly determines the achievable bend radius, the tonnage required, and the minimum flange length. The general rule of thumb is that the die opening should be approximately 8 times the material thickness for standard bending, though this ratio adjusts for different materials and applications.
A wider die opening reduces tonnage requirements and produces a larger natural bend radius, while a narrower die opening creates a tighter radius but demands significantly more force. Selecting a die that is too narrow for the material thickness risks cracking the workpiece or exceeding the press brake's capacity, while an opening that is too wide may not fully support the minimum flange dimension.
Understanding the relationship between V-die opening, material properties, and part geometry is fundamental to efficient and accurate bending.
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