Metallic bipolar plate for molten carbonate fuel cell(MCFC) is composed of the shielded slot plate and the center plate. Among these, the center plate plays an important role in gas sealing. Therefore, manufacturing of the center plate is considered one of the key issues in MCFC. The center plate is manufactured by bending process. In bending process, springback and recoiling are two main problems. The aim of this article is to optimize the bending process of the center plate regardless of springback and recoiling. To achieve this goal, we proposed the punch having step to reduce springback and recoiling. Using finite element method and $L_9$ orthogonal array, we determined the main factors in the center plate bending process. And we found the optimal bending process condition for the MCFC center plate.