K Factor Definition Sheet Metal

To figure this out the reason why the k factor can t exceed 0 5 you first need to know what the k factor is.

K factor definition sheet metal.

In sheet metal the k factor is the ratio of the neutral axis to the material thickness. So if the thickness of the sheet was a distance of t 1 mm and the location of the neutral axis was a distance of t 0 5 mm measured from the inside bend then you would have a k factor of t t 0 5. I d like to review k factor and how k factor applies to your sheet metal designs. The boundary inside the metal between these two is the neutral radius.

Most cad systems that have sheet metal design tools will allow you to input a k factor that the software uses to calculate the unfolding to give an accurate blank or flat pattern. When a piece of metal is being formed the inner portion of the bend compresses while the outer portion expands see figure 1. In flat metal this boundary evenly bisects the material s thickness. Sheet metal flat length can be calculated using cad softwares.

When metal is bent the top section is going to undergo compression and the bottom section will be stretched. The location of the neutral axis varies and. The location of the neutral axis varies and is based on the material s physical properties and its thickness. The k factor is fundamental to designing precise sheet metal products.

The line where the transition from compression to stretching occurs is called the neutral axis. K factor a constant determined by dividing the thickness of the sheet by the location of the neutral axis which is the part of sheet metal that does not change length. The k factor is the ratio of the neutral layer position thickness t of the sheet metal to the overall thickness of the sheet metal material t i e. In sheet metal design the k factor is used to calculate how much sheet metal one needs to leave for the bend in order to achieve particular final dimensions especially for between the straight sides next the bend.

K factor and y factor in sheet metal both look at how bending affects the material and how much bending the metal will allow. Here is a book definition of k factor. Use the known k factor and the known inner bending radius to calculate the bending radius of the neutral line. For example if the value of k factor for given material thickness and bending machines is known.

When sheets of metal bend the top surface compresses and the bottom expands. While modern bend deduction charts now are reasonably accurate historically bend calculation charts both for bend allowances and bend deductions were notorious for their inaccuracies. So for a very large radius bend where the neutral axis lies right in the center of the material the k factor would be exactly 0 5 or half the thickness. It allows you to anticipate the bend deduction for a large variety of angles without having to rely on a chart.

K factor in sheet metal bending is a constant that is used to calculate sheet metal flat length. Definition of the k factor. The k factor in sheet metal working is the ratio of the neutral axis to the material thickness. The line where the transition from compression to stretching occurs is called the neutral axis.

K t t why the k factor cannot exceed 0 5.