Compare a preliminary bending-force and bend-length requirement against a press brake's available tonnage and working length.
Job Requirements
Enter the preliminary force needed for the job and the required bend length. The capacity margin is applied to the force requirement before comparing it with the machine.
Press Brake Machine Capacity
Ready to compare the job against the press brake.
Capacity Result
Machine Capacity Status
—
Adjusted Force
—
with margin
Available Force
—
planned capacity
Force Headroom
—
remaining
Length Headroom
—
remaining
Utilization
—
force capacity
Machine vs Job Comparison
Job Requirement
Required force—
Capacity margin—
Adjusted force—
Required bend length—
Force utilization—
Machine Capacity
Rated tonnage—
Planned utilization—
Usable planned force—
Working length—
Length utilization—
Capacity Checks
Check
Requirement
Machine Capacity
Margin / Headroom
Status
Press Brake Capacity Preview
Required bending force ↓
Machine working length
The illustration is a simplified press-brake capacity concept and is not a machine drawing.
Force Capacity Check
The force requirement is first increased by the selected capacity margin. This adjusted requirement is then compared with the machine's planned usable force.
Adjusted Force = Required Job Force × (1 + Capacity Margin ÷ 100)
Planned Usable Force = Machine Rated Tonnage × Planned Utilization
A force-capacity pass requires the adjusted job force to be no greater than the planned usable machine capacity.
Working-Length Check
The press brake must also have enough working length to accommodate the required bend.
Length Headroom = Machine Working Length − Required Bend Length
A negative result means the entered bend is longer than the machine's rated working length.
Combined Capacity Decision
The machine passes the preliminary screening only when both primary requirements are satisfied:
Adjusted Force ≤ Planned Usable Force
Required Bend Length ≤ Machine Working Length
If either check fails, the machine should not be treated as suitable based on this screening calculation alone.
Important Limitations
This is a preliminary press-brake machine capacity screening tool.
It does not verify the machine manufacturer's actual load distribution limits.
It does not verify tooling capacity.
It does not check punch or die ratings.
It does not determine whether the selected tooling can accommodate the sheet.
It does not account for off-center loading.
It does not calculate actual bending force.
It assumes the entered job force is already a suitable preliminary estimate.
Actual machine capacity can vary with load position and manufacturer specifications.
Working length alone does not guarantee that a long bend is feasible.
Machine throat depth, stroke, daylight, tooling height and other machine characteristics are not checked.
Important: Use this result for preliminary machine-selection screening only. Before production, verify the job against the actual press-brake manufacturer's rated capacity, allowable load distribution, tooling limits and operating instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Press Brake Machine Capacity Checker compare?
It compares the entered job bending-force requirement and bend length against the machine's rated tonnage and working length.
Why is a capacity margin included?
A margin can provide preliminary allowance between the calculated job requirement and the machine's planned usable capacity.
What does planned utilization mean?
It represents the percentage of the machine's rated tonnage that you choose to treat as available for preliminary planning.
Can a machine pass tonnage but fail length?
Yes. A machine can have enough force capacity but insufficient working length for the required bend.
Can a machine pass length but fail tonnage?
Yes. Adequate working length does not compensate for insufficient bending-force capacity.
Does a PASS guarantee safe production?
No. It is only a preliminary screening result. Actual machine, tooling, material and load-distribution requirements must be verified.