Calculating K Factor For Sheet Metal

The k factor is the most important and elusive variable of bending because it varies both as a function of the material and according to parameters such as angle and tooling.

Calculating k factor for sheet metal. Input material thickness and and inner radius to get the data of k factor y factor neutral layer. Then input the bend angle to get the arc length bend allowance and bend deduction. While modern bend deduction charts now are reasonably accurate historically bend calculation charts both for bend allowances and bend deductions were notorious. K factor in sheet metal bending is a constant that is used to calculate sheet metal flat length.

Like previous scenarios let s start by calculating leg length 1. And by having t and the sheet thickness t we can calculate the k factor as follow. When sheet metal is bend the inside bending surface is compressed. As shown in figure 1 below k t t.

Best way to calculate k factor in sheet metal is by reverse engineering. Then input leg length a and b to get the flat size of the sheet. K factor plays a key role in understanding the limits a material can handle during sheet metal bending. This change in sheet length depends on the position of neutral axis or k factor.

The k factor is fundamental to designing precise sheet metal products. For example if the value of k factor for given material thickness and bending machines is known. In order to find the k factor you will need to bend a sample piece and deduce the bend allowance. Typically the k factor is going to be between 0 and 5.

As a result overall sheet length increases. Therefore using k factor there is no need to calculate sheet metal flat length manually. Sheet metal flat length can be calculated using cad softwares. The k factor is defined as a constant that is greater than 0 and less than 1.

Bending angles greater than 90 degrees. To calculate the neutral axis distance from the inner face t we can subtract inside bend radius from r. The k factor is the ratio between the distance from the neutral layer to the bent inner surface and the thickness of the sheet metal. Since the k factor is based on the property of the metal and its thickness there is no simple way to calculate it ahead of the first bend.

Calculate k factor bend allowance and y factor for sheet metal bending. The k factor is defined as the ratio between the material thickness t and the neutral fibre axis t i e. Whereas the outer surface is stretched.