Bending Alumiinum Sheet Metal

If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius.

Bending alumiinum sheet metal.

Determine your minimum bend by measuring the distance from your closest feature i e. This is done through the application of force on a workpiece. We provide a range of metal processing services including tube and steel bending for los angeles california and surrounding areas. Now that you know your bend allowance take your protractor and draw a clear line with your marker across the point at which you will bend your sheet metal.

Then use your bend allowance to draw your second bend line the intervening distance between your bend lines bend radius. Choose a bend radius that matches your minimum bend. Different alloys and as we add to pure aluminum however it gets stronger and less pliable. A cutout or the edge of your flange to your bend.

With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. 6061 t6 aluminum is tempered and notorious for not bending easily. That s the ideal anyway but the reality is that many parts arrive at the press brake in a less than ideal state. For most applications with stainless steel or aluminum you can get away with a zero radius bend on anything under 0 050 thick.

Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. In other words if you re bending 1 8 sheet use a tool with a 1 8 radius to form the inside of the bend. This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. Pure aluminum is rather soft and ductile contrary to what many consumers may think.

Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal. Bending is always going to be delicate and demanding on any material yet is required for numerous fabricating processes. Mark your bend lines. If you have any questions or want to discuss your design contact us.

From a bending perspective it s always best to bend these parts in an annealed state and then temper them to the correct condition.