Sheet Metal Bend Radius Table

Being able to read a bend force chart is crucial for any brake press operator and sheet metal engineer.

Sheet metal bend radius table.

An air bend force chart or force chart breaks down a number of key components of sheet metal bending in an easy to reference format. Steel american iron and steel institute. The material thickness will be measured in decimal form not by the gauge number. In fact the manufacturer s bending knives usually have a rounded corner of 0 3 and a small number of bending knives have a rounded corner of 0 5.

First we must start with the k factor. Figure 2 shows us a typical punch and die set used to bend sheet metal. This punch and die set would be mounted in a press. Consider what minimum bend size you require only consider lines that meet your minimum bend requirement.

The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications. 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. Sheet metal bend radii. You will need to know your material thickness mt the bend angle b the inside radius ir and the k factor k.

Where necessary 5052 h32 may be bent to 1t and 6061 t6 to 1 1 2t. Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs. If you have multiple options optimize your choice. Refer to table s for your choice of material.

The gauge inside radius die opening and minimum flange length are all interconnected through different equations and relationships the air bend force. Bend radii minimum bend sizes. It is most economical to use a single bend radius throughout the design but if necessary you can utilize multiple radii. The bend allowance formula takes into account the geometries of bending and the properties of your metal to determine the bend allowance.

To use the tables below. Preferred recommended 90 degree bend radii for various sheet metals. Therefore the bending inner radius of our sheet metal parts is basically 0 2. You may choose any bend radius on this line s.

A section view of a typical punch and die set used to create sheet metal bends. The data in the above table is the preferred data and is for reference only. If these guidelines are not followed more research and or some form of analysis may be requried. The minimum bend radius data shown in these charts is measured to the inside of the bend.

We want to know the final length of the detail. The bend radius of a sheet metal design will be based on the wall thickness of the part and the tooling that is available in house.