Sheet Metal Bend Radius Rule Of Thumb

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.

Sheet metal bend radius rule of thumb.

The bend allowance formula takes into account the geometries of bending and the properties of your metal to determine the bend allowance. As per sheet metal design thumb rules the length of bend relief should be greater than or equal to the inside bend radius of the bend and the width of the bend relief should be greater than or equal to the sheet metal thickness. To prevent tearing relief should provide at bend. Now multiply that answer by the plate thickness.

If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Usually the preferred distance between holes and a bend is 1 5 times the sheet. The more ductile the sheet metal the. This is done through the application of force on a workpiece.

Bends that are in the same plane need to be designed in the same direction to avoid part re orientation to save both money and time. It is most economical to use a single bend radius throughout the design but if necessary you can utilize multiple radii. The distance between the sheet metal bend line and edge of the hole should be two times or greater the thickness of the sheet metal. Finding the true minimum bend radius for steel or aluminum plate requires a little research.

Also spaces between pierced holes and bends should accommodate the bend radius h and be far enough from the bend. The sheet metal design rule of thumb in this case is. Greg paulsen is director of applications engineering at xometry. Keeping the bend radius consistent will also make parts more cost effective.

Bend radii minimum bend sizes. 4 0 5 2. Relief cuts for bends must be at least one sheet s thickness in width and be longer than the bend radius. Minimum sheet metal bend radius depends on the selection of tool and the process.

Bending is one of the most common sheet metal fabrication operations. The inside bend radius should be equal to the thickness of the material that you re forming. Note that this is just a rule of thumb. Minimum sheet metal bending radius.

Sheet metal bend brakes are used to bend material into the parts desired geometry. You will need to know your material thickness mt the bend angle b the inside radius ir and the k factor k. So in this case the minimum inside bend radius is 2 times the material thickness. The material thickness will be measured in decimal form not by the gauge number.

Here s a good rule of thumb for most materials. Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs.