Sheet Metal Forming - Bending

Sheet Metal Bending Results
The action of the bending in both tension and compression in the sheet metal. The outer surface of the plate will be tension and stretch in length, while the experience of compressed and reduced. Core boundary line of the sheet metal with no tension or force of compression present As a result, the length of the core remains constant. The changes in length to the outside and inside surfaces can be related to the original flat length by two parameters, the bend allowance and bend deduction

Sheet Metal Bending Result

- Neutral axis - The location in the sheet that is neither stretched nor compressed, and therefore remains at a constant length.

- K-factor - The location of the neutral axis in the material, calculated as the ratio of the distance of the neutral axis (measured from the inside bend surface) to the material thickness. The K-factor is dependent upon several factors (material, bending operation, bend angle, etc.) and is typically greater than 0.25, but cannot exceed 0.50.

- Bend allowance - The length of the neutral axis between the bend lines, or in other words, the arc length of the bend. The bend allowance added to the flange lengths is equal to the total flat length.

- Bend deduction - Also called the bend compensation, the amount a piece of material has been stretched by bending. The value equals the difference between the mold line lengths and the total flat length.