Neutral Axis In Sheet Metal Bending

The neutral axis position depends on the bend angle inside bend radius and method of forming.

Neutral axis in sheet metal bending.

Then input the bend angle to get the arc length bend allowance and bend deduction. When metal is bent the top section is going to undergo compression and the bottom section will be stretched. The line where the transition from compression to stretching occurs is called the neutral axis or the neutral sheet. The neutral axis is the zone or plane that separates the tension from the compression.

The k factor is the ratio of the neutral axis location t to the material thickness mt. Somewhere in between lies the neutral axis which is a line in the steel that is neither compressed nor stretched. Look closely a figure 1. The line where the transition from compression to stretching occurs is called the neutral axis.

Notice how the sheet has thinned at the bend. Our design engineers typically use a factor of 0 4 for our air formed press brake parts. Inside bend surface is compressed whereas the outer bend surface is stretched. The tighter the radius the bigger the opposing forces become bringing up the concept of minimal radius.

During sheet metal bending. When you bend sheet metal the neutral axis shifts toward the inside surface of the bend. Displaystyle k frac r frac ba pi a 180 t. The following equation relates the k factor to the bend allowance.

The neutral axis s behavior is the main reason the flat part needs to be smaller than the total of the formed piece s outside dimensions. The arc length of the neutral line is the length of the sheet metal you have to leave for the bend. I had a question on k factors for our 3 d modeling software. 12 k r b a π a 180 t.

In sheet metal bending process when metal is bent the material along the inner bend radius is going to undergo compression and the material along the outer bend radius will be stretched. Somewhere in between the thickness of material lies neutral axis. The location of the neutral axis varies and is based on the material s physical properties and its thickness. Neutral axis is a line where material is neither compressed or stretched.