Tonnage (Bending Force)

Tonnage represents the maximum pressing force the machine can deliver, measured in tons, and it determines the thickest and widest material a press brake can bend. Tonnage requirements increase with material thickness, material tensile strength, bend length, and tighter die openings, doubling the material thickness roughly quadruples the required tonnage.

Exceeding the machine's rated tonnage risks damaging the ram, bed, or hydraulic system, and can also crack the tooling, which is why press brake operators always calculate required tonnage before beginning a new setup. Tonnage charts provided by tooling manufacturers give operators a quick reference for common materials and die combinations, factoring in material grade and thickness.

Distributing heavy bending loads across the full bed length is also important, as concentrating excessive force in a small area can cause localized machine deflection even when the total tonnage is within the machine's rating.