How to Determine the Force to Bend Aluminum

Aluminum is a silvery metal commonly used in building and construction as well as the manufacture of consumer goods and tools. It is prized for its high strength to weight ratio and its resistance to corrosion. When bending and forming an aluminum component, it is important that the right amount of force is applied. V bending is a common technique for bending sheets of aluminum that uses a hollow V-shaped die in combination with a solid V-shaped punch.

Things You'll Need

• Scientific calculator

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Multiply the tensile strength of aluminum by the width of the piece to be bent. Make a note of this result.

   • 2

     Multiply the result by the square of the thickness of the piece. Make a note of this result.

   • 3

     Multiply the result by the constant K, which is 1.33 for V-bending. Make a note of this result.

   • 4

     Divide the result by the thickness of the V-shaped punch. This result is the minimum force required to bend the aluminum piece.