Bending Aluminum Sheet With Heat

Proper bending can be done with annealing the aluminum first although it s not an ideal candidate for formed parts.

Bending aluminum sheet with heat.

Clinton aluminum offers a variety of products each covering a wide range of applications and processes. Keep in mind that many kinds of fabricated metal have extremely high melting points and applying your torch injudiciously could cause damage or do harm to your sheet metal or equipment. But the question remains the same which alloy is the best product for bending. When bending aluminum know that the smaller your inside bend radius the larger the chance that cracking will occur in the part.

Heat the part uniformly until the black soot goes away. A bending brake will be best suited for shaping flat square sheets of light gauge aluminum. Highly formable and one of the best kinds of aluminum to bend. With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet.

From non heat treatable 3003 and 5052 to the heat treatable 2024 6061 and 7075 you have many options from which to choose. Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. Heavy gauge aluminum bars or rods must be heat bent using an acetylene torch and vice. This should anneal the 6061 t6 or other t into a t 0 material.

In the event that you are bending a thick piece of sheet metal you can apply heat from a blowtorch along the seam of your bend line to facilitate your bend. This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.