Press Brake Forming and Plate Bending in Southern California

Bending plate after laser cutting is where repeatability is won or lost. Our press brakes use modern controls that generate the bend program automatically and guide the operator through die placement and bend order, which takes a large source of human error out of the process.

Programs are saved, so a reorder six months later forms exactly the way the first article did. Tooling is kept new and maintained for the same reason — consistency over time is the whole point.

Submit a 3D CAD file rather than a flat pattern where you can. Model with the correct k-factor and bend radius and the flat pattern we derive will match the formed part; our published chart lists the values to use.

Forming runs on two CNC press brakes, a 160 ton Bystronic ByBend Smart 160 and an 80 ton Amada RG-80, in steel, stainless and aluminum. The plate comes off our own lasers, cut from the mild steel grade that suits the thickness: A1008 cold rolled up to 0.125 in, A1011 pickled and oiled over 0.125 to 0.375 in, and A36 hot rolled above that.

Cut-and-form jobs are quoted as one. Bending is a per-piece operation, so it scales with quantity, while setups are charged once per unique part per run, so the per-piece price falls as quantity rises. A DXF alone cannot be quoted because it carries no thickness; send the formed 3D part and we derive the flat pattern. Tight tolerances, finishes and hardware call-outs go on a PDF drawing with the upload.

From Fontana we form parts for fabricators and OEMs across San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Los Angeles and Orange County, and ship across Southern California. ITAR or export-controlled files should not go through the instant quote; email them to sales@calwestmfg.com.