Sheet metal bending
Sheet metal bending and folding up to 10 metres
We bend sheet on CNC press brakes with programmable axes. Two 5000 mm brakes run in tandem, so a single part can be folded up to 10 000 mm long with no weld seam and no splitting into sections. Bending sits in the same building as laser cutting, so a blank never travels between suppliers before it is formed.
- 10 000 mmmax bending length
- 6 mmthickness over full length
- up to 10 mmon shorter parts
- 2 brakeslinked in tandem
Sheet metal bending – key facts
Alumnita folds steel, stainless steel and aluminium sheet on CNC press brakes. Two 5000 mm machines run in tandem, giving a maximum bending length of 10 000 mm on a single part.
- Length
- up to 10 000 mm
- Thickness
- 6 mm over the full length, up to 10 mm on shorter parts
- Materials
- steel, stainless steel, aluminium
Why 10 metres changes the design
A standard press brake folds up to 3–4 m. Longer parts are therefore split and welded – which leaves a seam that has to be ground, and that often still shows after coating. A ten-metre tandem removes that operation: a façade cassette, a long trim panel, a rack beam or a partition profile is folded from one blank.
The second effect is accuracy. Programmable axes repeat the same angle along the whole length, so long parts do not bow, and they sit together at assembly without straightening.
What we fold
- Façade and trim cassettes – long, visible parts with no weld seams.
- Enclosures and housings – box-form parts where corner squareness matters.
- Profiles and beams – U, L, Z and more complex sections.
- Brackets and mounts – series parts with repeating bends.
- Rack and structural elements – where length matters more than complexity.
Design notes for a folded part
- Bend radius depends on the alloy. EN AW-5754 folds well; 6082 T6 needs a larger radius and can crack on the outside of a tight bend.
- Distance from hole to bend – at least 2.5 times the thickness plus the bend radius, or the hole stretches into an oval.
- Flange length must be workable – a flange that is too short will not reach between the tools.
- Give us the bend sequence if the part has many bends: it decides whether the part can physically be turned in the machine.
- Send STEP, not only DXF. The solid shows the bends and lets us check the flat pattern before anything is cut.
Frequently asked questions
How long a part can you fold?
Up to 10 000 mm, using two 5000 mm press brakes in tandem. Up to 6 mm thick over the full length, and up to 10 mm on shorter parts.
Do you fold stainless steel and aluminium?
Yes – mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium. For aluminium the bend radius is chosen according to the alloy and its temper.
Can I order bending on its own?
Yes. You can order a single operation using your own blanks, or the whole part – laser cutting, bending, welding and powder coating.
Why does it help that cutting and bending are in one place?
The blank does not travel between suppliers, and a bend that fights the cut geometry is caught at the drawing stage rather than on the shop floor after the first batch.
Related: Laser cutting · Tube bending · Welding · Request a quote