Bending Curves In Sheet Metal

Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle.

Bending curves in sheet metal.

Also known as press braking flanging die bending folding and edging this method is used to deform a material to an angular shape. For 3mm i use a big piece of angle iron. Note watch out for overbending the workpiece. So in modeling you first copy the edges you want for recreating the 2 flanges and the holes.

The inside bend radius should be equal to the thickness of the material that you re forming. Then you delete the original flanges e g. This is putting a simple hem on a curved piece of zinc with a 7ft radius. Split body delete body etc and then you convert to sheet metal.

Mark a bend line and place the sheet metal on the edge of your bench. In order to get a flat pattern out of it you might need to partially recreate a contour flange on the imported 3d. The force must exceed the material s yield strength to achieve a plastic deformation. Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one.

I have bent 3mm sheet up to 300mm wide like this. 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. Next place the wood parallel and slightly behind the bending line. Clamp the wood on top of the metal to the workbench.

If you want a sharp 90 bend tap along the crease with a mallet. If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Finally bend the sheet up by hand to the angle desired. The average hack requires at least one angled metal part and the best tool to make one is still the good ol press brake.