Abstract: An electronic adaptive control system for use with hydraulic press brakes to provide compensation for material spring back to accurately produce a desired bend angle in the work piece with a single ram stroke. Fixed input parameters associated with the press brake and material properties, together with ram position and force data are continuously input to a digital computer which calculates the precise point of punch penetration necessary to reverse ram movement in order to produce the desired bend angle in the work piece. By using in-process measurements, a significant savings in machine set-up-time can be achieved in order to produce an accurate bend angle in the work piece the first time and every time.