Designing Parts for Laser Cutting and Press Brake Forming

Written By Dole Family of Companies

In metal fabrication, great results start with great design.

Many production issues—delays, rework, and unnecessary costs—can be traced back to how a part was originally designed.

If you’re designing parts for laser cutting and press brake forming, a few simple guidelines can make a significant difference in both cost and manufacturability.

1. Account for Bend Allowances

When metal is bent, it stretches.

If bend allowances aren’t properly calculated:

  • Parts may end up too short or too long

  • Assemblies may not fit correctly

👉 Always design using the correct bend allowance or bend deduction for your material and thickness.

2. Keep Holes Away from Bend Lines

Placing holes too close to a bend can cause:

  • Hole distortion

  • Cracking

  • Dimensional inaccuracies

Best practice:
Keep holes at least 1.5x material thickness away from bend lines.

3. Use Standard Bend Radii

Tight bend radii can:

  • Increase tool wear

  • Cause material cracking

  • Slow down production

👉 Using standard radii improves consistency and reduces cost.

4. Design for Laser Efficiency

Laser cutting is extremely precise—but design still matters.

To improve efficiency:

  • Avoid excessive small features

  • Standardize hole sizes

  • Reduce unnecessary complexity

Simpler designs = faster cutting = lower cost.

5. Consider Material Grain Direction

For certain materials, bending against the grain can increase the risk of cracking.

👉 When possible, align bends with the grain direction for improved results.

6. Plan for the Full Fabrication Process

Design isn’t just about cutting—it’s about the entire workflow:

  • Laser cutting

  • Forming

  • Welding

  • Powder coating

Thinking through the full process helps avoid:

  • Fit-up issues

  • Rework

  • Delays

7. Partner with Your Fabricator Early

One of the most overlooked advantages:

👉 Involving your fabrication partner early in the design process

This can lead to:

  • Lower costs

  • Better manufacturability

  • Faster production timelines

Design + Fabrication at Dole Fabricating

At Dole Fabricating, we work closely with customers to ensure designs are optimized for production.

Our capabilities include:

  • High-precision fiber laser cutting (4kW, 8kW, 10kW)

  • CNC press brake forming

  • Welding and powder coating

  • An ISO-registered quality system

By combining engineering insight with modern equipment, we help customers move from concept to finished part efficiently and reliably.

✔ Have a design you’d like reviewed?
Our team is happy to provide feedback to improve manufacturability and reduce cost before production begins.

Dole Family of Companies
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