Sheet bending technology. Bending of metals: methods and technological features. metal bending process

"Bending" sounds like a simple process, but it's actually very complex.
"Sheet" and "bending" are not very associated with high technology. However, in order to bend a "naughty" sheet, special knowledge and a lot of experience are required. Explain technician, who is unfamiliar with sheet metal, that in our highly technical world it is impossible to achieve a 90° bend all the time without changing the settings. It works, and it doesn't!

Without changing the program, the angle will change if, for example, a 2 mm thick sheet is made of of stainless steel or aluminum, if its length is 500 mm, 1000 mm or 2000 mm, if bending is carried out along or across the fibers, if the bending line is surrounded by punched or laser-cut holes, if the sheet has different elastic deformation, if surface hardening, due to plastic deformation, stronger or weaker if... if...

WHICH BENDING METHOD TO CHOOSE?

There are 2 main methods:
We speak of "air bending" or "free bending" if there is an air gap between the sheet and the V-die walls. This is currently the most common method.
If the sheet is pressed completely against the walls of the V-die, we call this method "sizing". Although this method is quite old, it is used and even should be used in certain cases, which we will consider next.

free bending

Provides flexibility, but has some precision limitations.

Main features:

Traverse with the help of a punch presses the sheet to the selected depth along the Y axis into the groove of the matrix.
The sheet remains "in the air" and does not come into contact with the walls of the matrix.
This means that the bending angle is determined by the position of the Y-axis and not by the geometry of the bending tool.

The accuracy of setting the Y-axis on modern presses is 0.01 mm. Which bending angle corresponds to a particular Y-axis position? It's hard to say because you have to find correct position y-axis for each corner. The difference in Y-axis position can be caused by the setting of the traverse lowering stroke, material properties (thickness, tensile strength, work hardening), or the condition of the bending tool.

The table below shows the deviation of the bending angle from 90° for various deviations of the Y-axis.

a° /V mm	1°	1.5°	2°	2.5°	3°	3.5°	4°	4.5°	5°
4	0,022	0,033	0,044	0,055	0,066	0,077	0,088	0,099	0,11
6	0,033	0,049	0,065	0,081	0,097	0,113	0,129	0,145	0,161
8	0,044	0,066	0,088	0,110	0,132	0,154	0,176	0,198	0,220
10	0,055	0,082	0,110	0,137	0,165	0,192	0,220	0,247	0,275
12	0,066	0,099	0,132	0,165	0,198	0,231	0,264	0,297	0,330
16	0,088	0,132	0,176	0,220	0,264	0,308	0,352	0,396	0,440
20	0,111	0,166	0,222	0,277	0,333	0,388	0,444	0,499	0,555
25	0,138	0,207	0,276	0,345	0,414	0,483	0,552	0,621	0,690
30	0,166	0,249	0,332	0,415	0,498	0,581	0,664	0,747	0,830
45	0,250	0,375	0,500	0,625	0,750	0,875	1,000	1,125	1,250
55	0,305	0,457	0,610	0,762	0,915	1,067	1,220	1,372	1,525
80	0,444	0,666	0,888	1,110	1,332	1,554	1,776	1,998	2,220
100	0,555	0,832	1,110	1,387	1,665	1,942	2,220	2,497	2,775

Benefits of free bending:

High flexibility: without changing bending tools, you can achieve any bending angle between the opening angle of the V-Die (eg 86° or 28°) and 180°.
Lower tool costs.
Compared to calibration, less bending force is required.
You can "play" with effort: a larger opening of the matrix means less bending force. If you double the groove width, you only need half the force. This means that thicker material can be bent at a larger opening with the same force.
Less investment, as you need a press with less effort.

All this, however, is theoretical. In practice, you can spend the money you save on a lower effort press that allows you to take full advantage of air bending on additional equipment such as additional backgauge axles or manipulators.

Disadvantages of air bending:

Less accurate bending angles for thin material.
Differences in the quality of the material affect the accuracy of the repetition.
Not applicable for specific bending operations.

Advice:

It is desirable to use air bending for sheets with a thickness of more than 1.25 mm; for sheet thicknesses of 1 mm or less, it is recommended to use calibration.
The smallest inner bending radius must be greater than the thickness of the sheet. If the inner radius must be equal to the thickness of the sheet, it is recommended to use the calibration method. An inner radius smaller than the sheet thickness is acceptable only on a soft, easily deformable material, such as copper.
A large radius can be obtained by air bending by using the incremental movement of the backgauge. If a large radius is to be of high quality, only the calibration method with a special tool is recommended.

What effort?
Due to the different material properties and the consequences of plastic deformation in the bending zone, the required force can only be determined approximately.
We offer you 3 practical ways:

1. Table

In every catalog and on every press you can find a table showing the required force (P) in kN per 1000 mm bend length (L) depending on:

sheet thickness (S) in mm
tensile strength (Rm) in N/mm2
V - matrix opening width (V) in mm
inner radius of the folded sheet (Ri) in mm
minimum height of folded shelf (B) in mm

An example of such a table
Required effort to bend 1 meter sheet in tons. Tensile strength 42-45 kg/mm2.
Recommended ratio of parameters and force

2. Formula

1.42 is an empirical factor that takes into account the friction between the edges of the die and the material being machined.
Another formula gives similar results:

3. "Rule 8"

When bending mild steel, the die opening width should be 8 times the sheet thickness (V=8*S), then P=8xS, where P is expressed in tons (for example: for a thickness of 2 mm, the die opening \/=2x8=16 mm means, what you need 16 tons/m)

Force and bend length
The length of the bend is proportional to the force, i.e. the force reaches 100% only at a bend length of 100%.
For instance:

Tip:
If the material is rusty or not oiled, add 10-15% to the bending force.

Sheet thickness (S)
DIN allows a significant deviation from the nominal thickness of the sheet (for example, for a sheet thickness of 5 mm, the norm varies between 4.7 and 6.5 mm). Therefore, you only need to calculate the force for the actual thickness you have measured or for the maximum standard value.

Tensile Strength (Rm)
Here, too, the tolerances are significant and can have a major impact on the calculation of the required bending force.
For instance:
St 37-2: 340-510 N/mm2
St 52-3: 510-680 N/mm2

Advice:
Don't skimp on bending effort! The tensile strength is proportional to the bending force and cannot be adjusted when you need it! The actual thickness and tensile strength values are important factors when choosing the right machine with the right nominal force.

V - matrix expansion
As a rule of thumb, the opening of the V-shaped matrix should be eight times the thickness of the sheet S up to S = 6 mm:
V=8xS
For greater sheet thickness, you must:
V=10xS or
V=12xS

The opening of the V-shaped matrix is inversely proportional to the required force:
a larger opening means less bending force but a larger inside radius;
less opening means more force but smaller inside radius.

Inner bend radius (Ri)
When using the air bending method, most of the material undergoes elastic deformation. After bending, the material returns to its original state without permanent deformation ("reverse springback"). In a narrow area around the point of application of the force, the material undergoes plastic deformation and remains in this state forever after bending. The material becomes stronger, the greater the plastic deformation. We call this "work hardening".

The so-called "natural inner bending radius" depends on the thickness of the sheet and the opening of the die. It is always greater than the sheet thickness and does not depend on the punch radius.

To determine the natural inner radius, we can use the following formula: Ri = 5 x V /32
In the case of V=8xS, we can say Ri=Sx1.25

Soft and easily deformable metal allows a smaller inner radius. If the radius is too small, the material may be wrinkled on the inside and cracked on the outside of the bend.

Advice:
If you need a small inside radius, bend at a slow speed and across the grain.

Minimum shelf (H):
To prevent the shelf from falling into the matrix groove, the following minimum flange width must be observed:

Elastic deformation
A portion of the elastically deformed material will "spring" back after the bending force is removed. How many degrees? This is a relevant question, because only the actually obtained bending angle is important, and not theoretically calculated. Most materials have fairly constant elastic deformation. This means that a material of the same thickness and with the same tensile strength will spring by the same amount at the same bending angle.

Elastic deformation depends on:

bending angle: the smaller the bending angle, the greater the elastic deformation;
material thickness: the thicker the material, the less elastic deformation;
tensile strength: the higher the tensile strength, the greater the elastic deformation;
fiber directions: elastic deformation is different when bending along or across the fibers.

Let's demonstrate the above for the tensile strength measured under the condition V=8xS:

All bending tool manufacturers take elastic deformation into account when offering a tool for free bending (for example, an opening angle of 85° or 86° for free bends from 90° to 180°).

Calibration

Accurate - but inflexible way

With this method, the bending angle is determined by the bending force and the bending tool: the material is clamped completely between the punch and the walls of the V-shaped die. The elastic deformation is equal to zero and various properties of the material have almost no effect on the bending angle.

Roughly speaking, the calibration force is 3-10 times higher than the free bending force.

Benefits of calibration:

accuracy of bending angles despite differences in thickness and material properties
all special shapes can be made with a metal tool
small inner radius
large outer radius
Z-profiles
deep U-channels
All special shapes up to 2 mm thick can be made with steel punches and polyurethane dies.
excellent results on press brakes that do not have enough precision for free bending.

Calibration Disadvantages:

the required bending force is 3 to 10 times greater than with free bending;
no flexibility: special tool for each mold;
frequent tool changes (except for large series).

To increase the rigidity of metal structures, various configurations of a curved sheet are used, in particular, a bent corner. It is also used for the construction of ventilated facades and in many other areas. The bent angle is obtained from a cold sheet of metal by bending on sheet-bending equipment.

Options for manufacturing a bent corner:

The main condition for obtaining a bent corner is the absence of changes in the properties of the metal during processing. Both the first and the second methods leave the metal structure at the bend points unchanged. In this case, a sheet of metal can have a thickness of up to 10 mm.

Sheet metal bending on a hydraulic press.

bending sheet metal is a process of processing a steel sheet, during which they are given the necessary shape.

The steel sheet is placed on the bending dies of the lower table. The steel sheet can have different thicknesses up to 10 mm and lengths up to 6 meters, depending on the purpose. Under the action of the pistons of the cylinders installed on the upper table, the punches approach the sheet metal laid on the dies of the lower table. After the contact of the punch with the sheet metal, the pressure force begins to increase, and the punch is pressed into the metal sheet or into the sheet metal, deforming it first in the elastic deformation region, and then in the plastic deformation region, which makes it possible to obtain a certain bending of the sheet metal. All those metal layers that are located along the bending axis remain unchanged in size, therefore all calculations are carried out precisely with an orientation to these metal layers.

Steel sheet bending is mainly used for the manufacture of parts of various shapes by cold bending (example: bent corner, bent channel, etc.)

Sheet metal bending on rollers.

There are many ways to bend blanks in cold and hot states. The main use is cold bending of metal on bending machines, hydraulic press brakes and three- or four-roller rolls.

On sheet bending rolls, sheet steel is rolled to form cylindrical, conical, spherical and saddle-shaped surfaces and ring bending (rolling). Corners, channels, pipes and I-beams are rolled on roll bending machines. In order to avoid structural changes, the appearance of significant work hardening and the complete loss of the plastic properties of steel, during cold bending of blanks, residual elongation should not go beyond the yield strength. In the manufacture of bent profiles on bending presses, the internal radii of curvature for carbon steel structures that perceive a static load must be at least 1.2 sheet thicknesses, and for structures that perceive dynamic loads, at least 2.5 sheet thicknesses. For sheet metal parts made of low alloy steels, the minimum values of internal radii of curvature must be 50% greater than for carbon steel.

The plate bending rolls have three or four horizontal rolls on which sheet steel is bent, the maximum width of which is 2100-8000 mm with a maximum thickness of 20-50 mm. The most widespread are three-roll rollers with a pyramidal arrangement of rollers. The two driven bottom rolls rotate in the same direction. The top roll moves in height and rotates as a result of friction between the rolls and the sheet being bent. One bearing of the top roller can be swiveled to the side so that the bent part can be removed. In front of the flexible cylindrical sheet parts, both ends of the sheet are folded on the backing sheet. The backing sheet should have a width that is 2 times the distance between the axes of the lower rolls, and the bending radius should be 10-17% less than the bending radius of the part, taking into account the elastic deformation of the steel. The thickness of the backing sheet is usually taken as 25-30 mm, but it must be at least 2 times the thickness of the rolled sheet, and the power of the rollers must be sufficient to bend the sheet 3 times more than the rolled sheet. After bending, the lining sheet is removed and rolling is started, for which the sheets are passed through the rollers several times in both directions. The degree of sheet bending is adjusted by raising or lowering the top roll.

Both methods allow you to bend a sheet up to 6 meters, while the metal can be either black or stainless. Big advantage bent corner can be considered the possibility of manufacturing with a variety of sizes of shelves. The corner can be symmetrical, but it is possible to produce a different shelf with the specified parameters.

Metal bending is a technological operation in which the product takes the desired size and shape by compressing the inner and stretching the outer layers of the material. As a result, a three-dimensional product is obtained from a flat workpiece without welds and other seams and joints.

Bending sounds like a simple process, but it's actually very complex. The value of bending in the modern post-industrial world is difficult to overestimate. Wherever you look, bent sheet metal structures are everywhere. Even press brake manufacturers are surprised at how complex parts have come to be produced on the equipment they have developed.

All this became possible thanks to the active introduction of CNC, the use of several controlled axes in bending technology, latest systems hydraulics and instrumentation electronics, as well as the widespread use of robots. The main engine of the accelerated development of high-precision bending technology was the widespread transition of the metalworking industry to the use of high-performance punching presses and sheet metal.

Historically, this technological operation arose almost simultaneously with casting and forging - the primary stages of metalworking. Having learned how to bend metal blanks correctly, people have solved a huge number of urgent household and military tasks, ranging from creating complex tools for hunting and Agriculture, and ending with the production of weapons.

"Sheet" and "bending" are not very associated with high technology - high tech, however, in order to bend a "naughty" sheet of metal, special knowledge and a huge practical experience. Explain to a technician who is unfamiliar with sheet metal that in our highly technical world it is not possible to consistently achieve a 90 degree bend without changing the settings.

Without changing the program, the angle will change if, for example, a 2 mm thick sheet is made of stainless steel or aluminum, if its length is 500 mm, 1000 mm or 2000 mm, if bending is carried out along or across the fibers of the material, if the bending line is surrounded by punched or laser-cut holes, if the sheet has different elastic deformation (hot-rolled steel), if the surface hardening during the deformation itself is stronger or weaker, etc. etc.

Yes, one can talk a lot about sheet metal bending as a professional field of metalworking, but perhaps the most important thing should be noted.

1. sheet metal bending is a high-performance, fast and high-precision operation.

2. Replacing flex welding is generally very beneficial as speed increases production process and while providing extra strength products due to the so-called stiffeners.

3. Metal bending is rarely a primary operation, as a rule, its task is to bring the part as close as possible to the final form (presentation).

4. Bending of complex multi-profile sheet metal products (including flattening and making loops) is very dependent on the use of rare special tools - narrow, curved punches and forging tooling.

5. Bending of blanks from a thick (more than 5 mm) sheet strongly depends on the “tonnage” of the machine, i.e. from such a characteristic as the force of the beam, measured in tons per meter.

6. Bending of small boards (bends) is directly related to the physical characteristics of the metal - its thickness, rigidity and fluidity. So, for example, it is technologically impossible to obtain a board with a height of 2 mm from a sheet with a thickness of 1 mm - a stamping operation must be used.

7. Also, in a standard cold way, bending a metal blank with a thickness of more than 5 mm with an inner corner radius of a bend less than the thickness of the metal itself is fraught with a break in the outer plane of the part.

Sheet metal bending in our company is carried out on a 120-ton, 3-meter hydraulic press CNC manufactured by Baycal. The sheet bending machine used in our production has a wide arsenal of equipment (matrices and punches), which allow us to fulfill even the most complex orders.

metal bending price

Bend length, m	Number of bends
Bend length, m		from 11 to 100	from 101 to 1000	from 1000 to 10000

These prices are valid only for ferrous steels up to and including 2 mm thick.

Metal bending 3 mm- coefficient 1.2

Metal bending 4-6 mm- coefficient 1.3

Metal bending 7-10 mm- coefficient 1.5

Bending of stainless steel products, prices are set separately, based on the volume of the order.

Such a technological operation as sheet metal bending allows, with minimal physical effort, to form a workpiece of the required configuration.

An alternative to bending rolled metal is the welding process, but in this case it takes much more time, and even in financial plan costs a little more.

Sheet metal bending can be done manually or automatically, however, in both cases, the technology of the process itself remains unchanged.

In the case when rolling is carried out, which has a large radius, as a rule, the neutral layer is located in the middle part of the thickness.

In turn, if the minimum radius is taken, then the aforementioned layer is already displaced directly towards the area of material compression.

On the industrial productions sheet metal bending technology is carried out using special equipment, while a preliminary calculation is made and the corresponding GOST is taken into account.

Do-it-yourself technology for bending rolled products has its own characteristics, moreover, the necessary calculation must also be made and GOST taken into account.

In this case, a special device is used, and in order to change the configuration of the metal sheet, it is necessary to make certain efforts and be sure to take into account the calculation.

Several different techniques can be used to change the shape of rolled metal.

Very often in this case, welding is used, however, such a thermal effect on the metal not only greatly affects its structure, but also significantly reduces its strength indicators, and, accordingly, reduces the service life.

In this case, it is possible to change the shape of the sheet metal due to a certain force, at which structural changes do not occur in the workpiece.

The peculiarities of bending rolled metal are that when performing this locksmith operation, the outer layers of the material are stretched and, accordingly, the inner layers are compressed.

The technology of bending any sheet metal lies in the fact that part of the rolled product is bent relative to the other at a strictly defined angle.

The calculation allows you to get the value of the given inflection angle.

Of course, due to the applied force, the metal itself undergoes deformation in a certain way, which has an acceptable limit, which, according to GOST, depends on such parameters as the thickness of the material, the magnitude of the bending angle, as well as the fragility and speed of the operation.

This technological operation is carried out on special equipment, which makes it possible to end up with a product without any defects.

In conditions where the work is done by hand, a special device is used to bend the metal.

In both cases, it is necessary to take into account the fact that if the product is bent with violations, then microcracks will form on the surface of the material, which will subsequently cause the metal to weaken directly at the bend, which can lead to serious consequences.

Modern capabilities make it possible to bend rolled products of various thicknesses, while the generated stress must exceed such a parameter as the elastic limit.

In any case, the deformation of the sheet metal must be plastic.

It should be noted that the seamless structure obtained in this way will have high strength and have a certain resistance to corrosion.

Types and types of bending

Any bending of metal can be done both with your own hands and using a special professional equipment intended for these purposes.

It should be noted that when performing this technological operation with your own hands, you will have to spend certain physical efforts and time.

In this case, bending is carried out with the help of pliers and a hammer, in some individual cases a special device is used.

It should be noted that do-it-yourself bending of a thin metal sheet, as well as aluminum, is carried out using a mallet.

On the industrial enterprises they try to automate this process in every possible way and use rollers of manual or hydraulic types directly for bending, as well as special roller units.

For example, to give the product a cylindrical shape, metal bending is carried out using rollers. Thus, pipes, chimneys, gutters and much more are obtained.

Most often, in industrial enterprises, metal bending is carried out on special bending presses.

Depending on the functionality, such presses can have a different design and, accordingly, sizes.

It should be noted that modern equipment allows performing high-tech operations with metal.

So, new industrial machines make it possible to simultaneously bend a sheet along several lines in one working cycle, which makes it possible to produce parts of any complexity.

As a rule, such equipment is quite easy to operate.

You can quickly reconfigure it to work with other material.

This operation requires special attention if necessary, bend the aluminum sheet.

This is due, first of all, to the fact that sheet aluminum has slightly different strength and elasticity parameters from other types of metals.

self bending

Each metal has its own GOST, which must be taken into account when calculating the minimum bending radius of the sheet.

The calculation in which the parameters are indicated is always individual. Features of bending a metal sheet take into account not only the minimum bending radius, but also the coefficient of elasticity, as well as strength characteristics.

Bending a metal sheet allows you to get a profile with a different configuration, prefabricated partitions, slopes, as well as many other products.

Before moving on to metal bending, it is necessary to make an appropriate calculation in accordance with GOST and determine the minimum radius of the bend line.

The length of the bent strip is also necessarily determined, while it is necessary to make a minimum allowance directly for each bending line.

The sheet metal itself made of aluminum, stainless steel, etc. should, if necessary, be aligned and cut in accordance with the drawing. Do-it-yourself cutting is usually carried out with scissors using the appropriate technology. If you don't put in the effort, nothing will work.

The metal workpiece is firmly clamped in a vise suitable sizes along the drawn bend line, after which the first bend is made using a heavy hammer.

After that, the paws of the bracket are marked and, in a vice, with the help of a hammer, both paws are bent in a given direction.

At the end of the work, using a square, you need to make sure that the workpiece meets all the specified parameters.

If there are some discrepancies with the preliminary calculations, then they should be corrected in the same sequence.

In more detail about how metal sheets are bent with your own hands using a vice and a hammer, see the video below.

Metal cutting procedure

As a rule, before bending metal blanks, they are given the shape specified by the drawing, which makes it possible to simplify the work and obtain a more accurate bending radius.

Cutting a metal sheet is a separate technical operation, which is carried out according to its own technology.

In most cases, metal blanks are cut using sheet shears, which are called guillotines.

Such machines, as a rule, are installed at enterprises and allow you to quickly complete the necessary work, while taking into account the bending radius and material density.

At home, metal cutting is carried out using special locksmith scissors.

It should be noted that manual scissors are used to cut metal with a minimum thickness.

For thicker metal, chair or roof shears should be used.

Cutting metal at home, if necessary, can be done with a hacksaw.

In this case, you will have to spend some physical effort and monitor the quality of the resulting cut.

If metal is cut with a hacksaw, then during the work, the tension of the blade should be controlled, since the evenness of the cut largely depends on this.

How to cut a metal sheet with your own hands is described in the video below.

In the process of large-scale construction, the question often arises of how to bend sheet metal or metal elements, such as pipes. In order to bend pipes of small diameter, a vise is often used. Pipes having a large diameter are bent on specially designed machines. They are also used if during construction it became necessary to bend sheet metal.

During construction, sometimes it becomes necessary to bend a sheet of metal, for example, to make pipes or a roof ridge.

When bending sheet metal using a bending machine, welding is not required, which guarantees the absolute preservation of the material structure. The metal sheet is necessarily bent taking into account its thickness and plasticity, having previously determined the bending radius.

A little about sheet metal bending technology

Homemade bending machine consists of:

You can bend sheet metal by fixing it in a vice, and using a simple fixture of two corners and a lever handle.

Beds.
Flywheel nuts.
Sheet for bending.
Clamp.
Clamps.
Crimping punch.

In order to bend sheet metal into the shape you need, you must perform certain actions. The advantage of a bending machine is the ability to keep the metal intact, unlike, for example, welding joints, due to which the service life and strength of the material is significantly reduced.

In the process of bending the metal, its outer layers are stretched and the inner ones are compressed. The result of using a bending machine is a bent part of the sheet metal or metal element to the intended angle.

As you understand, when bending, deformation of the metal occurs. Its degree will depend on how thick the material with which you have to work has. A significant role here is played by the angle of the bent part and the speed with which you will bend the metal. In this case, it is worth taking into account the degree of plasticity of the material.

In order to bend sheet metal, special equipment is required to avoid any damage to the material. If you decide to cope with this task yourself, it is worth considering the fact that incorrect actions can lead to various defects. Incorrect metal sheet bending technology can harm the entire finished structure. Using a bending machine, you can bend a sheet having any thickness.

The name of the parts of the sheet bender.

When bending sheet metal, the stress must exceed its maximum elasticity. With the help of a bending machine, it is possible to achieve plastic deformation of the sheet. The shape of the finished structure will not change.

Bending sheet metal using a special bending machine has a number of undeniable advantages, among which are the following:

high strength of the finished structure;
the possibility of obtaining a one-piece structure;
exclusion of corrosion formation in the bend area;
the ability to get the angle you need without a seam.

Bending sheet metal using a machine also has its drawbacks:

high cost of equipment;
doing the work with your own hands is a rather laborious process.

Despite the presence of some disadvantages, sheet metal bent using a machine is distinguished by its high quality. Unlike the design with welded seam he is not "afraid" of rust.

Metal sheet bending technology

Scheme and name of the details of the bending machine in the context.

Metal bending is done manually, using equipment. This work requires the use of force. In this case, you will need pliers and a hammer. In order to bend sheet metal having a small thickness, you can use a mallet.

In order to bend a metal sheet, the following materials and tools are needed:

sheet metal;
rollers;
press (or roller machines);
mechanical hydraulic rollers (required if the sheet metal needs to be shaped into a cylinder).

Using hydraulic or electrically driven rollers, pipes can be produced. Often bending is needed during home construction, when gutters, metal frames, profiles, pipes, etc. are made. By bending sheet metal with your own hands, you have the opportunity to make a pipe of the diameter you need. Using machines, you can easily give the intended shape to the material that has a galvanized coating.

If buying a special bending machine is too expensive for you, but construction works often require bending, using the instructions, you can make the equipment yourself. The machine is carried out using a pre-prepared template made of wood. However, it should be made in a curved shape.

Manual bending is done in a vice with a hammer.

When determining the fold of the future product, its size should be taken into account. The length that the future structure will have is calculated in accordance with the radius of the sheet bend. When making blanks, for rectangular bends (if rounding is not required), allowances for bending are left, which are 0.5 of the thickness of the material.

It is most convenient to work independently with such ductile metals as brass, aluminum and copper. As for the possible radius of the bent part, it will completely depend on how the bending was done, as well as on the quality of the metal itself. For products with a small radius of curvature, plastic materials are required.

How to bend metal with your own hands: making a bracket

In order to make a bracket with your own hands, you will need:

First of all, using the scheme, the length of the strip that the workpiece will have is calculated, then it is necessary to calculate the bending of the sheet. When performing the calculation, it should be remembered that for each bend it is required to leave a margin, the thickness of which is 0.5, and the bends of the ends are 1 mm each.
According to the scheme, the workpiece should be cut out, then mark areas on it for future bending. In order to make a bend, squares and a vice are used.
The workpiece should be fixed in a vise to approximately the level of the bend. Using a hammer, you can start making the first bend.
Next, rearranging the prepared element, clamp it in a vice and perform the next bend.
Your next step will be to determine the marks for the length of the legs of the future staple. In order to bend the bracket with a bar frame, a vice is also used. To do this, you need to bend her two paws at once.

If you need to refine the bend, you can use a triangle. In case of an incorrect bend, you can correct the errors using a hammer and a frame bar. Having achieved the bend you need, saw off the excess material so that you get the desired dimensions.

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