Bending Curves In Sheet Metal

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

Bending curves in sheet metal.

Clamp the wood on top of the metal to the workbench. 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. So in modeling you first copy the edges you want for recreating the 2 flanges and the holes.

The average hack requires at least one angled metal part and the best tool to make one is still the good ol press brake. Then you delete the original flanges e g. Clamp the box section on top of the shims feed the metal through and pull up then feed the metal through a few mm at a time gentle tweaks using the long side when you reach the middle turn it round and repeat. I have bent 3mm sheet up to 300mm wide like this.

Split body delete body etc and then you convert to sheet metal. Note watch out for overbending the workpiece. Mark a bend line and place the sheet metal on the edge of your bench. If you want a sharp 90 bend tap along the crease with a mallet.

Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Finally bend the sheet up by hand to the angle desired. Bending is one of the most common sheet metal fabrication operations.

Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one. In order to get a flat pattern out of it you might need to partially recreate a contour flange on the imported 3d. Next place the wood parallel and slightly behind the bending line. The inside bend radius should be equal to the thickness of the material that you re forming.