×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Contact US

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

sheet metal bending aluminium

sheet metal bending aluminium

sheet metal bending aluminium

(OP)
i'm an amateur maker meddling with diy electronics etc. i've been wanting to make my own cases and i'm thinking about using aluminum sheet metals for that purpose.

google searches leads me to things like bending allowance and K values
https://fractory.com/sheet-metal-bending/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bending_(metalworkin...
however, bending allowance and K values say nothing about the minimum internal bending radius smaller than which the material/metal/sheet would simply break rather than simply yield and bend

lets assume that i prefer to use aluminum sheets (i'm not sure about grade but lets say grade 300x, on the notion of the most common)
some of those bending tables i stumbled into with google searches includes
https://www.nalco.co.nz/sites/default/files/NALCO%...
https://www.ullrich-aluminium.co.nz/rolled/rpbend3...

lets say i prefer to use 0.8mm - 1mm sheets (31 mils - 39 mils)
base on the tables found above, i'm getting 0 (zero) or none (blank not specified) for those sheets 0.8mm - 1mm

now my question is:
do 0 (zero) or none (blank not specified) for 0.8mm - 1mm thickness aluminium sheets means that there is no minimim bending radius I can simply hem it without leaving any radius.

or do 0 (zero) or none (blank not specified) means that 0.8 - 1mm aluminium sheets cannot be bent?

thanks much in advance !
p.s. i won't be using a sheet metal brake, i'm using the most primitive tools of them all, possibly angle bars and a mallet / hammer

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

They certainly can be bent. Radius will be depending on the bending method, but near zero is very well possible.
Google around for home made bending jigs, because you'll want an even evolution of the force throughout the bending process. I can't see that happening using hammers.

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

Harbor freight makes a small brake, not for a full hem though.
https://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-bending-brak...

They've got a lot of sheet metal forming tools, you might look through their webpage and see if they have something you can use.

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

"Project boxes" of plastic or aluminum are stupid cheap.
https://www.allelectronics.com/category/490/projec... for example.

Seems a prime example of buy being better than make.

Or reuse re-purpose trash.

If you insist, then making your own break for 1 mm aluminum isn't a bad project in itself. Plywood would be good enough.

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

As a practicing metallologist (of the heavy variety), I can attest that aluminium is not a real metal.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

Not much to do with little boxes though :)

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

(OP)
thanks for all the responses ! :)

RE: sheet metal bending aluminium

So transparent aluminum is not possible? My world is crushed!

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA, HI)


Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members! Already a Member? Login


Resources

Low-Volume Rapid Injection Molding With 3D Printed Molds
Learn methods and guidelines for using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printed molds in the injection molding process to lower costs and lead time. Discover how this hybrid manufacturing process enables on-demand mold fabrication to quickly produce small batches of thermoplastic parts. Download Now
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Examine how the principles of DfAM upend many of the long-standing rules around manufacturability - allowing engineers and designers to place a part’s function at the center of their design considerations. Download Now
Taking Control of Engineering Documents
This ebook covers tips for creating and managing workflows, security best practices and protection of intellectual property, Cloud vs. on-premise software solutions, CAD file management, compliance, and more. Download Now

Close Box

Join Eng-Tips® Today!

Join your peers on the Internet's largest technical engineering professional community.
It's easy to join and it's free.

Here's Why Members Love Eng-Tips Forums:

Register now while it's still free!

Already a member? Close this window and log in.

Join Us             Close