L # (0.64t # 1.57R) A/90 (3.

1)
where:
L # length before bending
t # metal thickness
R # bend inside radius
A # bend angle in degrees
The material stretches at the outside of the bend and compresses on the inside
of the bend, but because aluminum stretches slightly more readily than it
compresses, the neutral axis is slightly closer to the inside surface than the
outside surface. In this equation, the neutral axis is located approximately
40% of the material thickness from the inside surface. This location depends
on several factors, including the material and the angle of bend, so for other
materials the coefficient of t is not necessarily the same as that used in Equation
3.1.
Example 3.1: Determine the outside dimension (w) of the top flange of the
cross section shown in Figure 3.17 for a section made from 60 in. wide 5052-
H36 sheet 0.09 in. thick.
First, determine the radius to be used for making the six bends in the cross
section. The Aluminum Design Manual. Part VII, Table 6-1, Recommended
Minimum Bend Radii for 90 Degree Cold Bends, doesn�t show the 0.09 in.
thickness, but the recommended radius for the next thicker sheet ( in.) is 1�8
2 t. If we use this conservatively, the bend radius will be 2.5 # 0.09 # 0.23 1�2
in., which we�ll round up to 0.25 in. for convenience.
At each bend the difference between the outside dimensions and the length
of the formed sheet will be (see Figure 3.18):
2(t # R) # (0.64t # 1.57R) 90/90 #
2(0.09 # 0.25) # [0.64(0.09) # 1.57(0.25)] # 0.23 in.
The sum of the outside dimensions of the cross section is:
2(1.875 # 3 # 7.5) # w # 24.75 # w
The material width of 60 in. will equal the sum of the outside dimensions
less the difference between the outside dimensions and the formed sheet at
each of the six bends calculated above:
60 # 24.75 # w # 6(0.23)
w # 36.63 in.
When designing a section to be fabricated by bending, you must consider the