Recommended minimum bend radii for steel and aluminum.
Minimum bend radius stainless steel sheet metal.
Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs.
It is possible to choose other bends if you require but additional lead time and tooling charges may apply.
The problem with bending too tightly.
Aluminum where necessary 5052 h32 may be bent to 1t and 6061 t6 to 1 1 2t.
If the product contains one or more sharp bends use the dimensions from the sharp tables for all bends in.
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 tool can calculate the required bending force for bending aluminum stainless steel mild steel and weldox or strenx high strength steels.
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.
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.
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.
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We go beyond the general rules of sheet metal bending as our customers want tight bend radii for sheet metal parts.
These dimensions are all in relation to a 90 angle.
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 minimum bend radius data shown in these charts is measured to the inside of the bend.
The minimum inside bend radius is even larger when bending with the grain.
Table 1 preferred recommended 90 degree bend radii for various sheet metals.
Maximum sheet thickness for aluminum and stainless steel is 6 mm.
Aluminum 5052 or 3003.
Maximum dimensions are 2980 x 1200 mm.
The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications.
To keep it simple i also use a 2 mm inside radius.
I can now see that the minimum flange length is 8 5 mm for such a bend so i have to keep it in mind when designing.
Maximum sheet thickness for all other steel is 6 mm.
Maximum weight is 40 kg.
Let s say i have a 2 mm thick sheet and i want to bend it.
The tables below show bend radii and minimum bend sizes for materials and tooling combinations stocked by protocase.
The following tables showing the minimum bend radius allowable in air bending process for aluminum and steel or stainless steel.
Sheet metal bend radii if these guidelines are not followed more research and or some form of analysis may be requried.