Bending Factor In Sheet Metal

Of all the mathematical constants used in precision sheet metal fabrication the k factor stands out as one of the most important.

Bending factor in sheet metal. Our design engineers typically use a factor of 0 4 for our air formed press brake parts. 90 degrees bend angle. You ll need the k factor to find the y factor. Therefore using k factor there is no need to calculate sheet metal flat length manually.

It s the base value needed to calculate bend allowances and ultimately the bend deduction. K factor in sheet metal bending is a constant that is used to calculate sheet metal flat length. How k and y factors affect metal bending. Figure 2 illustrates the sheet that is bent with the bend angle of 90 degrees.

Calculate k factor bend allowance and y factor for sheet metal bending. The k factor is defined as the ratio between the material thickness t and the neutral fibre axis t i e. For example if the value of k factor for given material thickness and bending machines is known. .

It s a mathematical multiplier that allows you to locate the repositioned neutral axis of the bend after forming. I had a question on k factors for our 3 d modeling software. Each has their own advantages. Use the known k factor and the known inner bending radius to calculate the bending radius of the neutral line.

Then use the neutral bending radius to calculate the arc length of the neutral line circumference of circle multiplied by the bend angle as fraction of 360deg. From there we can calculate the k factor and the bend deduction. The k factor is the most important and elusive variable of bending because it varies both as a function of the material and according to parameters such as angle and tooling. Sheet metal flat length can be calculated using cad softwares.

The following equation relates the k factor to the bend allowance. K and y factors make metal bending more precise without damaging the material. The arc length of the neutral line is the length of the sheet metal you have to leave for the bend. When bending a workpiece it will naturally spring back a little after the load is lifted.

Y factor k factor x π 2. We will start by calculating the bend allowance. When you bend sheet metal the neutral axis shifts toward the inside surface of the bend. The k factor is the ratio of the neutral axis location t to the material thickness mt.

To calculate y factor you should multiply k factor by pi and divide the result by two. Finding y factor for sheet metal bending. There s quite a few different bending methods available. The following table is a rule of thumb.