Help calculating force required to bend

In summary, the conversation discusses the amount of force required to bend a 2mm thick piece of 6063 T5 aluminum in a U shape. The piece is bolted to an immovable object and a 30" aluminum tube, and the question is whether it can be bent by hand. The width of the piece is a critical dimension and the material is not very flexible.
  • #1
bendo112
4
0
Can anyone help me figure out how much force would be required to bend a 2mm thick piece of 6063 T5 aluminum?

The end product is a little difficult to explain so I think the following is the best way to visualize the situation:

Imagine a U shaped piece made out of 2mm thick 6063 T5 aluminum. One of the arms of the U is bolted down to an immovable object and the other arm of the U is bolted to an aluminum tube that is perpendicular (for the purposes of the exercise assume the tube will never bend) to the arm of the U. The tube is 30" in length. Assuming the force is applied to the end of the 30" tube for max leverage, how much force would it take to bend the U shaped object?

Is it something that would be able to be bent by hand?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
Draw it .
 
  • #3
Give me a lever long enough and a place to put it and I can move the world... Short answer, yes, you can bend anything by hand...

One critical dimension you're leaving out is how wide the 2mm piece is. Just going by the experience I have with 5252 T8 aluminum in 3/16 (~4mm), I can quite easily bend a 4" wide piece with a 30" lever in a vice... I've done some work with 6063, and used to bend 4" wide strips of 3/8" routinely with about a 48" lever. 6063 isn't terribly friendly to bending though, it'll crack if you bend it too tight.. take care about that
 

1. What is the formula for calculating force required to bend?

The formula for calculating force required to bend is F = M * d / L, where F is the force in newtons, M is the bending moment in newton-meters, d is the distance from the bending axis in meters, and L is the length of the bending material in meters.

2. How do I determine the bending moment?

The bending moment can be determined by multiplying the force applied to the material by the distance from the bending axis. This can be calculated by using the formula M = F * d, where M is the bending moment in newton-meters, F is the force in newtons, and d is the distance from the bending axis in meters.

3. What is the difference between bending moment and torque?

Bending moment and torque are both measures of the force required to bend a material, but they are calculated differently. Bending moment is calculated by multiplying the force applied to the material by the distance from the bending axis, while torque is calculated by multiplying the force applied to the material by the distance from the axis of rotation.

4. How does the type of material affect the force required to bend?

The type of material can greatly affect the force required to bend it. Materials with higher tensile strength and stiffness, such as steel, will require more force to bend compared to materials with lower tensile strength and stiffness, such as aluminum. The thickness and shape of the material will also play a role in determining the force required to bend it.

5. Are there any other factors to consider when calculating force required to bend?

In addition to the material properties and geometry, there are other factors that can affect the force required to bend a material. These include the speed and method of bending, the temperature of the material, and any pre-existing defects or imperfections in the material. It is important to take these factors into account when calculating the force required to bend a material accurately.

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