Method and apparatus for automatically compensating specified tube bend data for angular, fixed and radial springback to generate commanded machine axis motions which will result in the specified bent tube. For a given tube material and bending machine configuration, a calibration run is performed with a test tube and, thereafter, for that material and machine configuration, a tube of any shape can be produced from the specified bend data alone. Bends of radius greater than the machine bend die radius can be produced by automatically calculating and executing the axis commands for a series of incremental bends. The system incorporates a control sequence using operator response to machine generated questions and statements as well as general input and output capabilities.