Design principles for cost-effective sheet metal parts
| Parameter | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Minimum Bend Radius | 1x material thickness (aluminum), 1.5x (steel) |
| Minimum Hole Diameter | 1.2x material thickness |
| Minimum Slot Width | 1.5x material thickness |
| Minimum Flange Length | 3x material thickness + bend radius |
| Distance Hole to Bend | 2x material thickness + bend radius |
Bend allowance = (0.017453 x Bend Angle) x (Inside Radius + K x Thickness)
K-factor for air bending: 0.33-0.42 depending on material and tooling.
Standard K-factor for steel: 0.42. For aluminum: 0.45.
| Material | Common Gauges | Max Thickness (Bending) |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Rolled Steel (CRS) | 18ga - 11ga (1.2-3.0mm) | 6mm |
| Stainless Steel 304 | 20ga - 14ga (0.9-2.0mm) | 4mm |
| Aluminum 6061 | 16ga - 8ga (1.5-4.0mm) | 8mm |