Bending A Curve In Sheet Metal

This is done through the application of force on a workpiece.

Bending a curve in sheet metal.

Sheet metal bending is the plastic deformation of the work over an axis creating a change in the part s geometry. Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one. Clamp the wood on top of the metal to the workbench. The inside bend radius should be equal to the thickness of the material that you re forming.

Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. If you want a sharp 90 bend tap along the crease with a mallet. Finally bend the sheet up by hand to the angle desired. Similar to other metal forming processes bending changes the shape of the work piece while the volume of material will remain the.

Using protective gloves hold the free end of the metal sheet with one hand and with the other hand use a mallet or hammer to begin bending the sheet down and around the curved radius of the wood form. Next place the wood parallel and slightly behind the bending line. The force must exceed the material s yield strength to achieve a plastic deformation. Bending is one of the most common sheet metal fabrication operations.

This applied force is also called the bending moment. 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. If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Make sure the first bend mark lines up exactly with the curve in the form so that the bending will begin in the right spot.

The force of the bending moment determines the degree of deformation. Bending is the forming of sheet metal by application of force which exerts pressure on a certain length of material either at a certain point or linear as an evenly distributed weight. Also known as press braking flanging die bending folding and edging this method is used to deform a material to an angular shape.