Minimum Bend Radius Steel Sheet Metal

Minimum sheet metal flange bend length is required to avoid cracks in the bending area.

Minimum bend radius steel sheet metal.

It is possible to choose other bends if you require but additional lead time and tooling charges may apply. Each and every bend in a piece of sheet metal has a certain minimum internal radius that needs to be taken into account when planning the design of a sheet metal form. Sheet metal bend radii 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 go beyond the general rules of sheet metal bending as our customers want tight bend radii for sheet metal parts. Minimum sheet metal flange bend length 3 x sheet thickness bend radius. If a piece of material is bent too tightly problems can occur. The problem with bending too tightly.

Minimum hole diameter guidelines. 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. Table 1 preferred recommended 90 degree bend radii for various sheet metals. In steel between 0 5 and 0 8 in.

Aluminum 5052 or 3003. This tool allows you to determine tonnage internal radius v die opening and minimum flange you just have to insert the characteristics of the sheet metal to be bent. The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications. The tool can calculate the required bending force for bending aluminum stainless steel mild steel and weldox or strenx high strength steels.

Aluminum where necessary 5052 h32 may be bent to 1t and 6061 t6 to 1 1 2t. It is most economical to use a single bend radius throughout the design but if necessary you can utilize multiple radii. Recommended minimum bend radii for steel and aluminum. Thick grade 350 and 400 may have a minimum bend radius of 2 5 times the material thickness when transverse bending while longitudinal bending may require a minimum bend radius that s 3 75 times the material thickness see figure 1.

Sheet metal bend brakes are used to bend material into the parts desired geometry. The tables below show bend radii and minimum bend sizes for materials and tooling combinations stocked by protocase. Recommended minimum bend radius for metal bending stainless steel and aluminum. The following tables showing the minimum bend radius allowable in air bending process for aluminum and steel or stainless steel.

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. Keeping the bend radius consistent will also make parts more cost effective. Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs. The minimum inside bend radius is even larger when bending with the grain.

A general guideline the minimum metal bend radius is approximately equal to the material thickness.