Aluminum Sheet Metal Bending Radius

Another factor to consider is that during the process of bending the metal hardens and strengthens by reason of the working effect.

Aluminum sheet metal bending radius.

The tables below show bend radii and minimum bend sizes for materials and tooling combinations stocked by protocase. We go beyond the general rules of sheet metal bending as our customers want tight bend radii for sheet metal parts. Recommended minimum bend radii for steel and aluminum. Radii for various thicknesses expressed in terms of thickness t.

The material thickness will be measured in decimal form not by the gauge number. Also known as press braking flanging die bending folding and edging this method is used to deform a material to an angular shape. The bending radius must be at least 0 8 t to 2 t for sheet steel. The bend radius you select may not be available if the geometry of the part will not allow us to bend with the specific tooling required to achieve that radius.

Aluminum where necessary 5052 h32 may be bent to 1t and 6061 t6 to 1 1 2t. Table 1 preferred recommended 90 degree bend radii for various sheet metals. Sheet metal bend radii if these guidelines are not followed more research and or some form of analysis may be requried. Say you get a print that says you need to bend a part to an external angle of 100 degrees that s an internal angle of just 80 degrees.

You will need to know your material thickness mt the bend angle b the inside radius ir and the k factor k. It is possible to choose other bends if you require but additional lead time and tooling charges may apply. This is done through the application of force on a workpiece. Still if you want to avoid cracking abide by the minimum bend radius in 0 25 in thick 6061 t6 which is quite large see figure 3 and avoid bending acute angles.

Bending is one of the most common sheet metal fabrication operations. Apart from alloy selection thickness and bend radius are also critical factors that must be considered. Advantages of bottoming include greater accuracy and less springback. Since commercial sheet metal bending can be done with less concern for stresses caused during forming operation the radius can be near zero for thin sheet metal.

The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications. Per the aluminum association inc. Larger bend radii require about the same force for bottoming as they do for air bending however smaller radii require greater force up to five times as much than air bending. If your bend radius needs to be adjusted a member of engineering design services team will contact you before your design is manufactured.

Factor 2 thickness and bend radius. Aluminum minimum bend radii for 90 degree cold forming of sheet and plate. The minimum bend radius data shown in these charts is measured to the inside of the bend.