CHAPTER 4

PROCESS AND PART ANALYSIS

4.1 Process Analysis

In folding process, there are few process analyses that can be made. In
this task Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) need to be followed in order to run
the process in a correct and safe condition. Generally, this process needs the suitable
raw material to be prepared. The unsuitable material for the process might resulting
defects on the final product. Folding is one of the most important processes and can
also be called bending, edging, braking, die bending or flanging.
In preparing the raw material, the size of the metal sheet that want to be fold
need to be in correct parameter. This is including the width, length and thickness
of the raw material. Besides that, the size of the folding, fold radius, angle of the
fold, curvature of the fold and the folding location on the workpiece. The maximum
length and thickness of the raw material depend on the limitations of the product
used. Generally, the range of thickness are between 3mm until 25mm.
In this process, there are two main tools which is top tool called as punch and
the bottom tool called as die as shown in Figure 4.1. The punch tool is pressed into the
die in a controlled way. The metal sheet metal folding is performed cold but sometimes
the work may be heated, to either warm or hot working temperature. Usually, sheet
metal folding process involve a punch die setup. There are lot of different punch die
geometries, fixtures and setups. The type of tool can be identified in specific
folding
 process with desired angle of the fold. The material for the die typically gray iron
or carbon steel depending on the type of the workpiece material.

Figure 4-1: Example of metal sheet folding machine

One of the most common type of sheet metal folding process is “V” folding as
shown in figure 4.2. The “V” shape punch forces the work into the “V” shape die and
hence fold it.

Figure 4-2: Example of V shape folding process

4.2 Part Analysis

In part analysis, four (4) products have been produced with same folding angle
and same type of material. All product produced by different person with the
same prototype. This shows that folding machine produced constant shape of product
even with different operators. The user-friendly machine which operator just need to
set the thickness of the material at the machine computer before folding the workpiece.
This method gives the same result of the shape with 900 folding angles.
Figure 4.3 shows the finish product of the folding process which made by different
person. The machine that operates with computer can produced constant shape of the
product.

(a) (b)
Figure 4-3: Metal sheet folding products
 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS

At the end of this practical, we can conclude that there are few factors need to
be considered when bending the sheet metal. It is an easy process but if the distance
of the punch to the sheet metal or parts is not correctly in place, it will give an impact
towards the final result. Moreover, students also need to slowly turn the screw to
moves the punch downward since the folding process is done manually. It is because
the speed needed to be controlled manually, then only the part will be not accurately
bent at the required position
The final result shows different angle for each of the part is obtained even the
angle is set equally which is 90 degree in considering of tolerance. This is because
during setting up the product, the length of the punch towards the sheet metal is not
correctly in place. Therefore, it will affect the produced parts. Someone uses it need
to be aware about the thickness of the sheet metal that is used so that the distance
between the punch and parts can be easily calculated in order to overcome this
problem.
The objectives of this practical are achieved where students correctly followed
the procedure and instruction and also aware of the safety precaution when handling
it. Students also be able to identify the main cause of parts defects happen during
folding process and able to identify the potential solution to overcome the problem.