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.
Minimum bend radius aluminum sheet.
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.
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.
Bend radii minimum bend sizes.
Aluminum minimum bend radii for 90 degree cold forming of sheet and plate.
But for harder materials e g.
Aluminum is typically thicker and stronger and requires more force to bend as well as consideration of edge conditions and punch nose radii.
It is possible to choose other bends if you require but additional lead time and tooling charges may apply.
The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications.
The minimum inside bend radius is even larger when bending with the grain.
The minimum bend radius for aluminum when working with aluminum over sheet metal several variables need to be considered.
Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs.
The tables below show bend radii and minimum bend sizes for materials and tooling combinations stocked by protocase.
The problem with bending too tightly.
In steel between 0 5 and 0 8 in.
Aluminum where necessary 5052 h32 may be bent to 1t and 6061 t6 to 1 1 2t.
Crca inside bend radius equal to 0 65 times of sheet thickness is also enough.
Recommended minimum bend radii for 90 degree cold forming of sheet plate temper 1 64 in.
We go beyond the general rules of sheet metal bending as our customers want tight bend radii for sheet metal parts.
The minimum bend radius data shown in these charts is measured to the inside of the bend.
Table 1 preferred recommended 90 degree bend radii for various sheet metals.
Per the aluminum association inc.
If a piece of material is bent too tightly problems can occur.
Radii for various thicknesses expressed in terms of thickness t.
