Bending 6061 Aluminum Sheet

This is generalizing as there are ways to bend 6061 but for general bending you use 3003 or 5052 grain direction bend line should go across the grain for the best bend having said that a typical sharp 90 bend on a piece of 1 8 aluminum sheet should be a minimum 1 8 inside radius use either 3003 or 5052 ideally the bend line should go.

Bending 6061 aluminum sheet.

The 6061 t6 aluminum sheet has stable performance and high hardness is widely used in industry such as trucks buildings ships vehicles furniture machinery moulds etc. When you are forming aluminum if the radius is sharp small in relation to the material thickness you will overwork the material making it harder more brittle and much more likely to fail. Steel american iron and steel institute 1 see aisi s fabrication guidlines for cold bending thk 6061 t6. The minimum bend radius data shown in these charts is measured to the inside of the bend.

From non heat treatable 3003 and 5052 to the heat treatable 2024 6061 and 7075 you have many options from which to choose. Aluminum where necessary 5052 h32 may be bent to 1t and 6061 t6 to 1 1 2t. In my 40 plus years in the trade i have bent quite a lot of 6061 t6 aluminum. The bend radii listed are standard minimum if manufacturing for aircraft and aerospace applications.

But the question remains the same which alloy is the best product for bending. Chances are that you ll never make it to 90 degrees much less make it to an external angle of 100 degrees. Since commercial sheet metal bending can be done with less concern for stresses caused during forming operation the radius can be near zero for thin sheet metal. What about the 6061t6 aluminum plate bending 90 degrees compared to the 3000 series and 5000 series.

1 8 in. 3003 and 5052 does work harden. 1 32 in. 1 4 in.

I agree that i would not heat 6061 to bend but i disagree with 6061 work hardening i ve been manual spinning aluminum mostly 6061 0 for 40 years and can form drastically 6061 0 with no noticeable work hardening. Will 6061t6 aluminum plate will be cracked at 90 degrees. 1 2 in. 1 16 in.

Clinton aluminum offers a variety of products each covering a wide range of applications and processes. 6061 aluminum sheet plate offers a combination of higher strength good corrosion resistance and machinability making the 6061 grade the most widely used aluminum sheet and plate grade available for all types of fabrication projects the general purpose 6061 aluminum sheet plate is heat treatable resists cracking due to stress and is easy to weld and machine but limited on formability. Recommended minimum bend radii for 90 degree cold forming of sheet plate temper 1 64 in. That is it gets stronger and harder by working bending it.

Just like all sheet metal aluminum work hardens during the forming process. 3 16 in.