Few products in your industry would require the use of completely flat sheet metal. To this end, the bending of sheet metals is an essential process in virtually all industrial processes. Those who are just starting in metal fabrication will come across numerous terms denoting sheet metal bending processes.
There are multiple methods used for the creation of bends in metals since different metals will respond differently to various processes. The type of bending process you will choose for your metal will also inform your choice of a Baileigh sheet metal brake.
A cornice brake, for instance, is used to make creases and simple bends while a box-and-pan brake will make boxed and pan shapes. The following are the common types of metal bending methods used in various industries nowadays.
Coining
This marks one of the most prevalent metal bending methods used currently. Here, an operator will use a press brake machine that has a die and punch for the creation of specific angles in your sheet metal. The metal sheet is compressed between a die and punch using considerable tonnage to get a bend.
The type of bend you will create in coining depends on the shape and angle of your die. The method is usually used for the creation of precise angles in metal sheets.
Air Bending
In this method, the edges of a metal sheet are placed on a die on the metal brake you are using. The unsupported central portion of your metal is the one which will be bent downwards using a punch’s force.
In air bending, your bend’s angle is dependent on the vertical distance at which the punch will press onto the machine’s die. Moreover, there is a risk of springback occurrence in this method. As such, you should make calculation adjustments to compensate for this and the vertical die distance to get your desired bend.
Bottom Bending
In this technique, your sheet metal is laid flat, and your machine’s die and punch are brought together on it from its top and bottom with minimal tonnage. The punch and die will not make full contact with your sheet metal, in this case, making it ideal for delicate metals.
The metal might spring back to its original shape in bottom bending. To minimize this, you should include different tooling to create slightly acute angles in your metal.
Roll Bending
This is used in the fabrication of cones and tubes in different shapes and the creation of bends with a large radius. You can create several bends simultaneously depending on the capacity of your sheet metal brake. A press or hydraulic brake is the common machine used for roll bending since other machines might result in flat rather than well-rounded edges.
The bending of metal sheets is not a task that should be handled anyhow. Any mistakes in this crucial step will affect the functionality of your final product and the type of bend you will get.
Sheet metal brake machines that handle the metal bending techniques above will generally accommodate 14–16 gauge metal sheets. You might need a manufacturer to make a customized machine if you will be handling metal sheet sizes other than these.
