Everything You Need to Know About Metal Bending

Bending is a critical step in the metal fabrication industry, which should consider the physical characteristics of the material being bent to achieve the best outcome for the project.

So, what is bending?

Simply put, it is the process of altering the shape of metallic workpieces, including sheet metal and tubes by applying force controlled by specific machines via different processes.

Elastic VS Plastic Bending

Plastic bending or deformation is the ultimate goal of metal fabricators, as this means the change is permanent, however, this is not achieved with every force applied, leading to elastic bending, which is only temporary, and the bent material may then relapse to its original shape. This is determined by the type and strength of the material. To achieve plastic bending, the force applied must exceed the material’s yield strength.

Which materials can be bent?

While for the metal fabrication companies bending is usually referred to as metals, many different materials that can also be used in the industry can be bent, such as plastics, wood, and alloys.

Bending metal or stainless steel requires knowledge of the strength of the material and how much load should be applied for successful bending.

Note: the type of metal can be crucial.

Types of bending machines

These have evolved with multiple variations that were initially operated manually, but have since transitioned to automation with the introduction of CNC bending machines for mechanical bending, thanks to their degree of precision and fast results.

Some materials can still be bent without machines with the aid of mobile bending devices. Manually operated pipe benders, bending devices, or bending pliers can also be used.

Common shapes in sheet metal bending

There are many shapes that metal fabricators and benders can achieve, with the right (90°) and acute angles (0° to 90°) being the most common.

Bending Techniques

Die bending (folding) or swivel bending are usually the most popular techniques, while roll bending also plays an important role.

If you are looking for metal benders and fabricators for your next project, contact the team at Ogis Engineering today and discuss your requirements with us, no project is too big.