Best Grade Of Aluminum Sheet For Bending

Ideally part designers should know that when it comes to aluminum grades 3003 and 5052 will bend 6061 will not.

Best grade of aluminum sheet for bending.

But the question remains the same which alloy is the best product for bending. The type of aluminum grade you choose ultimately depends on how you intend to use the metal. Aluminium alloy 6063 is a good choice for example while 6082 is more difficult. Aluminium alloy 3003 excellent for bending.

The 5000 series grades of aluminium are non. That is it gets stronger and harder by working bending it. Also know that for the best results and fewer cracks on the outside of the bend the bend line should go across or diagonal to the material grain when and where possible. 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.

The best series for forming and thus for bending are the alloy series 3xxx 5xxx and in some cases 6xxx. Just like all sheet metal aluminum work hardens during the forming process. Clinton aluminum offers a variety of products each covering a wide range of applications and processes. Aluminum comes in many different shapes and grades.

1050h14 is an extremely ductile grade of aluminium and therefore it is most commonly used by fabricators and sheet metal workers who will bend and form the sheet into a requested shape. If your project does not have any physical or structural demands and the aesthetics are not important then almost any aluminum grade will do the job. Your intended use allows you to rank the characteristics of each grade from most important to least important. The top 3 aluminum alloys for being are the 3003 which has medium strength and the best cold workability the 5052 which is the highest strength alloy of the more common non heat treatable grades and the 6061 which is one of the more.

In most cases it can be difficult to choose the correct aluminum grade for your intended application. Magnesium is the main element used in the composition of the 5000 series grades of aluminium. This will help you narrow down the list of suitable grades.