Bending Aluminum Sheet Without Cracking

For most aluminum sheet the inside radius of the bend should at least be equal to the sheet thickness.

Bending aluminum sheet without cracking.

Make sure the bar is seated firmly inside the frame. Highly formable and one of the best kinds of aluminum to bend. Bending these tempered alloys is not impossible but it is very difficult and will most likely require large bend radii to avoid cracking on the outside of the bend. If the alloy is higher strength and or heat treated the radius goes up to double the thickness or more.

Insert your aluminum sheet into the brake beneath the removable clamp bar. The important thing to know is that it is brittle and will most often crack if you re trying to bend it with a tight radius. Then place the clamp bar back down on top of the aluminum crosswise. You may find that you have to go to a 1 4 radius to keep from cracking.

Bending along the grain makes these radii even more important. The majority of aluminum base alloys can be successfully arc welded without cracking related problems however using the most appropriate filler alloy and conducting the welding operation with an appropriately developed and tested welding procedure is significant to success. The aluminum series ability to bend tends to decrease as you move down the list of tempers from annealed to t4 and t6. Proper bending can be done with annealing the aluminum first although it s not an ideal candidate for formed parts.