Mild steel bending guide
Use the material certificate and part drawing to turn a nominal machine capacity into a useful bending enquiry.
Understand the capacity basis
Unless stated otherwise, Carter machine capacities use mild steel with a tensile strength of 450 N/mm². That reference does not mean every steel sheet has that strength. Confirm the actual grade and thickness, particularly when the job approaches a machine or tooling limit.
Choose the opening around the part
Use the tonnage calculator to explore air-bending force, then compare V openings in the tool selector. Check the required inside radius and shortest supported flange as well as force. A wider opening changes the radius and support requirement; recheck the blank if the tooling changes.
Prepare a useful machine enquiry
Send the longest bend, thickness range, material strength where known, smallest flange and a drawing. Explain the batch size and whether parts require turning or extra support. Check machine capacity and the permitted loading of the punch, die and holders separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mild-steel capacity also a high-strength-steel capacity?
No. Do not transfer the mild-steel rating to another material. High-strength work needs a review of material bendability, radius, opening, tooling loads and machine capacity.
Discuss your next bending job
Send the material, thickness, working length and a drawing with your enquiry.