Neutral Factor Sheet Metal

The location of the neutral axis is specified with the k factor.

Neutral factor sheet metal.

When you bend sheet metal the neutral axis shifts toward the inside surface of the bend. The k factor is a constant determined by dividing the material thickness of the sheet by the location of the neutral axis. Mathematically k factor value is equal to the ratio of position of neutral axis and sheet thickness. It is the fraction of material thickness from the inside of the bend to the neutral axis.

Use the known k factor and the known inner bending radius to calculate the bending radius of the neutral line. Bending angle is 90. Our design engineers typically use a factor of 0 4 for our air formed press brake parts. The k factor in sheet metal working is the ratio of the neutral axis to the material thickness.

To calculate the bend allowance the k factor and the derived coefficient called the y factor insert the thickness and initial length of the sheet into the cells on the left. 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. This is defined as the length of the neutral fibre from the beginning to the end of the arc generated by the bend. When metal is bent the top section is going to undergo compression and the bottom section will be stretched.

Flat blank dimensions are calculated by determining the path length along the neutral axis. In this article we will discuss sheetmetal bend deduction bend allowance k factor y factor and sheet metal flat pattern calculations. The line where the transition from compression to stretching occurs is called the neutral axis. 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 1 0 5.

The location of the neutral axis varies and is based on the material s physical properties and its thickness. The area within the sheet defined as the neutral axis does not get compressed on the inside of the neutral axis or expanded on the outside. K factor in sheet metal bending is a constant used to calculate sheet metal flat length or flat pattern. I had a question on k factors for our 3 d modeling software.

For example the following part that has a 90 o bend. The neutral axis does not suffer any change of length during a bending operation.