Can I change the die opening?

This chart calculation uses only a 2 in V opening. Use the manufacturer’s matching force chart for another die; the result is not scaled by a universal die factor.

Why is thickness bounded?

The model uses four published entries for this die between 0.188 and 0.375 in. Staying within those entries avoids extrapolating chart values into unsupported conditions.

How are intermediate thicknesses handled?

Linear interpolation connects adjacent published thickness entries. It is an estimate between data points, so confirm the required force with the tooling or press manufacturer.

Does available press tonnage approve the tooling?

No. Compare the load with the tooling’s permitted force per length and the machine’s capacity for the engaged bend. Also check flange geometry and material bendability.

Welding & Fabrication calculator

Press Brake Tonnage Calculator

Estimate mild-steel air-bend force on a two-inch V die from the Amada chart. Enter sheet thickness, engaged bend length and available press force.

What this calculator does

Estimate mild-steel air-bend force on a two-inch V die using the manufacturer’s chart.

Formula used

Force per foot = linear interpolation in the cited two-inch-die chart
Required US tons = force per foot × bend length
Press load (%) = required tons ÷ capacity × 100
Press headroom = capacity − required tons

Inputs explained

Mild-Steel Thickness: Measured thickness within the cited two-inch-die chart range.
Bend Length: Length engaged in one bend operation.
Press Capacity: Available press force for this bend from manufacturer capacity data.

How to use the result

Best suited to Mild-Steel brake Planning, press force comparison.
Limited to 0.188 to 0.375 in thickness on this die. Does not calculate bottoming, coining, other materials or other die openings. Tooling capacity, flange geometry and load distribution require separate checks.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for steel mill products stands at 381.162 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 23.4% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
Industrial electricity averages 9.77 cents per kWh across the U.S. (EIA, Jul 2026), up 4.7% from a year earlier. Energy-intensive steps carry this directly into unit cost.
U.S. iron and steel import customs value ran $2.2B in Aug 2026 (Census International Trade). The U.S. ran a trade deficit of $0.6B in the category that month. This dollar total mixes price, quantity, product mix, origin, and timing; it does not measure physical import volume or prove a tariff or reshoring effect.
The U.S. has 53,790 fabricated metal products establishments employing about 1,441,471 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

Can I change the die opening? This chart calculation uses only a 2 in V opening. Use the manufacturer’s matching force chart for another die; the result is not scaled by a universal die factor.
Why is thickness bounded? The model uses four published entries for this die between 0.188 and 0.375 in. Staying within those entries avoids extrapolating chart values into unsupported conditions.
How are intermediate thicknesses handled? Linear interpolation connects adjacent published thickness entries. It is an estimate between data points, so confirm the required force with the tooling or press manufacturer.
Does available press tonnage approve the tooling? No. Compare the load with the tooling’s permitted force per length and the machine’s capacity for the engaged bend. Also check flange geometry and material bendability.

Related guides

Last reviewed 2026-10-06.