Metal Bending

Metal Bending

Metal bending is a metal forming process in which force is applied to a metal to deform it. During metal bending, the metal is stressed beyond its yield point, but below its ultimate tensile point. A material’s yield point is the point at which strength begins to give way to force, causing structural deformation. Ultimate tensile strength is the measure of a material’s resistance to strain, and the ultimate tensile point is the limit of that resistance. In metal bending, force is applied in the right measure between these points to change the shape of a metal without weakening or breaking it. Metal bending processes are used to form parts from metals like aluminum, cold rolled and galvanized steel, copper, brass and many others. Typical metal parts formed from metal bending include boiler components, fitness equipment, waveguides, tubular furniture components, sheets, pipes, plates and structural components. Industries that utilize metal bending services include the architecture, furniture manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, construction, medical and many other industries.

Many kinds of metal shapes are bent in the creation of fabricated metal products, but the most commonly bent metal shapes are metal sheets. Metal sheets are usually bent using press brakes. A typical press brake features a combination of a pressing tool, a die and a working surface; the working surface is like a table, the die is set in the table and the pressing tool is suspended upside-down above the surface. Each of the constituent parts of a press brake is shaped according to the desired shape of the bent metal product. For example, in the creation of a V-shaped angle in a metal sheet, the pressing tool (which is called a ram) is shaped like V. The die, which is a recession set in the working surface, is also V-shaped and is positioned directly below the ram. Sheet metal is placed horizontally on the working surface, over the V-shaped die and under the V-shaped ram. The ram is then forced down onto the sheet metal; the ram presses the metal into the die, forcing the metal to take the V-shape. The ram is then withdrawn, allowing for the sheet metal to be removed from the working surface or bent again if necessary.