Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs.
Minimum bend radius sheet metal chart.
When working with aluminum over sheet metal several variables need to be considered.
The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications.
Aluminum is typically thicker and stronger and requires more force to bend as well as consideration of edge conditions and punch nose radii.
Recommended minimum bend radii for steel and aluminum.
Sheet metal bend radii if these guidelines are not followed more research and or some form of analysis may be requried.
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.
Bend radii minimum bend sizes.
The minimum inside bend radius is even larger when bending with the grain.
Being able to read a bend force chart is crucial for any brake press operator and sheet metal engineer.
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.
Radius is the minimum producible inside radius for this material and not the recommended inside radius that you see on the bend allowance chart.
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.
When designing sheet metal parts and enclosures it is helpful to use these values as the basis for your design.
For example 6061 t6 aluminum is very difficult to bend.
3003 h14 is extremely ductile.
5052 h32 aluminum bends in about the same way as mild steel.
Bend radii and minimum bends are limited to certain values or ranges which are determined by the equipment and tooling combinations available to the manufacturer.
It requires an inside bend radius of at least 6x the material thickness.
The bend allowance formula takes into account the geometries of bending and the properties of your metal to determine the bend allowance.
The minimum bend radius data shown in these charts is measured to the inside of the bend.
The material thickness will be measured in decimal form not by the gauge number.
You will need to know your material thickness mt the bend angle b the inside radius ir and the k factor k.
We recommend printing it out to keep as a reference.
In general parts should be designed with a minimum 1t bend radius radius matching the sheet thickness for the simplest setup and to ensure we can form the intended geometry.
Table 1 preferred recommended 90 degree bend radii for various sheet metals.
Brittle metal such as aluminum generally requires a larger bend radius than ductile material like cold rolled steel.
This free chart outlines what bend radii is required for the approximate thickness of aluminum.
It is most economical to use a single bend radius throughout the design but if necessary you can utilize multiple radii.
