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The purpose of this report is to provide a mathematical treatise concerning developed
bend length equations. The equations have been rearranged to solve for inside bend
radius, metal thickness and bend area neutral axis. Although the equation for bend
developed length is available in many texts, worked equations for required bend
radius, metal thickness and bend area neutral axis variables are not to be found in
any publications.
Main
All metal bending is characterized by material stressed beyond the elastic limit.
Tension occurs along the outside of the bend and compression along the inside of
the bend. The neutral axis actually moves toward the compression or inside of the bend.
The width of most bending processes is usually much greater than the thickness
of the metal being formed. The greater width resists plastic flow due to compressive
forces. Compressive stress causes additional tension on the opposite side of the bend.
The increased tensile stress results in thinning of the sheet metal at the bend (see Fig.1.)
In most cases the neutral axis will move between 0.5 and 0.3 times the thickness of the
material as measured from the inside of the bend. For most calculations the neutral axis
is taken as 0.4, however 0.4 is not always an accurate assumption.
Empirically established bend lengths have been experimented with by various small
metal fabricators who consider their data proprietary. A Statistically curve fitted
equation could be developed using various bend lengths and radii. Assuming that an
equation with a correlation coefficient above 0.98 can be established the calculations
would improve developed length accuracy.
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 2 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
A
L 2 R 0.4t equation-1
360
where:
L Length of bend
A Angle of Bend (the angle through which metal is bent)
t metal thickness
If the radius (R) was required for a known developed length, material
thickness and radius through which the metal is bent, then equation-1 would be
rearranged as follows:
A
L 2 R 0.4t
360
cancel common factors by dividing by 2
A
2 R 0.4t
A
L 360 R 0.4t
2 180
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 3 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
multiply A by :
A A R 0.4t
L R 0.4t
180 180
Example-1:
As a check for equation-2 the following bend will be calculated first using equation-1:
Metal thickness = 0.06” (t)
Radius of bend = 0.5” (R)
Bend Angle = 900 (A)
L = Developed length of bend
A
L 2 R 0.4t equation-1
360
90
L
360
2 0.5 0.4 0.06 0.823"
Some other mathematical forms were worked out for calculating required bend radius
assuming neutral axis to be 0.4 are:
2 450 L A t
R equation-2a
5A
R 57.296
L 0.006981 A t equation-2b
A
R 57.296
0.823 0.006981 90 0.06 0.5 by equation-2b
90
Considering the fact that varying metal thickness, types of metal, and different
bend radius are normally involved it is more meaningful to take the neutral axis
as a variable (N). Modifying the original equation-1 to introduce 0.4 as the N variable:
A
L 2 R N t equation-1a
360
where:
N Neutral Axis
Solving for N:
A
L 2 R N t
360
2
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 5 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
Use of equation-3 or 3a in concert with empirical data can yield the exact
location of the neutral axis on any bend.
Substituting N for equation-1’s 0.4 neutral axis and solving for R the following
equation can also be used:
1
L A N t
180
R equation-2c
A
Rearranging equation-1a from page 4 to solve for t, required metal thickness to satisfy
known values of Bend Radius R, Developed length of bend L and Angle A through which
bend occurs :
A R 180 L
t equation-4
AN
Graphs- Graphs could be developed for each material and neutral axis condition.
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
Bend Radius
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.4 0.55 0.7 0.85 1 1.15 1.3 1.45 1.6
Developed Length
trace 1
1.75
1.5
1.25
Bend Radius
0.75
0.5
0.25
0
0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5
Developed Length
trace 1
Graph -2 Bend Radius and Developed Length
Assuming Neutral axis as 0.4 with 90 degree bend for 0.125” material thickness
2.5
2
Bend Radius
1.5
0.5
0
0.5 0.875 1.25 1.625 2 2.375 2.75 3.125 3.5
Developed Length
trace 1
Graph -3 Bend Radius and Developed Length
Assuming Neutral axis as 0.4 with 90 degree bend for 0.1875” material thickness
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 8 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
Developed Bend
Length Radius
Tabulation tables are available in many texts however using empirical data and
developing curve fitted equations tailored to specific company operations could
afford excellent accuracy and speed developed length calculations.
The table above is given as an example but is developed from the original
Equation-1a found in texts.
A
L 2 R 0.4t equation-1
360
A
2 R 0.4t
360
multiply A by 2 to get 2 A and cancel the common factors:
2 A R 0.4 t
360 180 A R 0.4 t
2 180
d A R 0.4 t
dR 180
chain rule of a composite function find the derivatives of each portion
of the function
d Au d
R 0.4 t
du 180 dR
d
add 0 to 1 to get 1 and R 0.4t 1
dR
A A
form the derivative 1
180 180
d A R 0.4 t A
dR 180 180
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 10 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
Rate of
Change
Of developed
Length Angle of Bend
y2 y1
m
x2 x1
1.571 1.396
m slope 0.018
90 80
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 11 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
A
L 0.71t 1.57R equation-5
90
where:
L Length of bend
A Angle of Bend (the angle through which metal is bent)
t metal thickness
R Bend Radius
90
L 0.710.06 1.57 0.5 0.828
90
90
L
360
2 0.5 0.4 0.06 0.823
t
L 0.0175 R A equation-6
3
And any radius greater than twice the thickness as:
t
L 0.0175 R A equation-6a
2
Check of equation 6a compared to 5 and 1.
0.06
L 0.0175 0.5 90 0.835
2
“Mechanical Details For Product Design” also gives equations for developed length
of double bends on page 4 and (3) pages of developed length charts on pages 5 through 7.
Aspects Of Metal Developed Bend Length Page 12 of 12
William Greco w2gre@verizon.net- Warrington,Pa.
September 23, 2010
Also note that “Marks’ Standard Handbook For Mechanical Engineers” 7th Edition
McGraw-Hill Copyright 1967 page 13-27 uses equation-1.
“Manufacturing Processes and Materials For Engineers” 2nd Edition By Doyle, Keyser,
Leach, Schrader, and Singer McGraw-Hill Copyright 1969 page 280 also
references equation-1,
Conclusion:
As stated earlier a statistically curve fitted equation may be developed using various
empirical test data referring to bend lengths, bend radii and material thicknesses.
“Manufacturing Processes and Materials For Engineers” 2nd Edition By Doyle, Keyser,
Leach, Schrader, and Singer McGraw-Hill Copyright 1969 pg. 280
Rearrangement of equation-1 note that end results gives the 0.0175 coefficient
found in “Mechanical Details For Product Design” by Douglas C. Greenwood,
McGraw-Hill 1964
A
L R 0.4t equation-1
360
2 57.296 360
multiply both sides of equation-1 by 2 57.296
A
L2 57.296 2 R 0.4t 2 57.296
360
Cancel all common factors and multiply 2 57.296
A
L114.592 2 R 0.4t 114.592
360 180
A 114.592
L114.592 R 0.4t 114.592 0.636622
180 180
therefore
114.592 L 0.636622 2 A R 0.4t
Divide by
2
114.592 L 0.636622 A R 0.4t
Divide by 114.592
114.592 L 0.636622 A R 0.4t
114.592 114.592
0.636622
0.005556
114.592
L 0.005556 A R 0.4t
multiply 0.4 0.005556 0.4 0.005556 0.002222
L 0.002222 At 0.005556 AR
multiply0.002222 and 0.005556 0.006981 and 0.017453
L 0.006981At 0.017453AR equation-1b
where:
L Length of bend
A Angle of Bend (the angle through which metal is bent)
t metal thickness
R = Bend Radius