Previous in Forum: Underwater Training Center In California or Indian   Next in Forum: Sin 30 Equals What?
Close
Close
Close
3 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Commentator

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, USA
Posts: 98

Bending Aluminum Tube/Pipe

01/23/2014 4:09 PM

Sooo... I need to bend some aluminum tubing. It has relatively low structural requirements (I can explain that further later). We are working with 1.25" schedule 40 with 1.66" od, 6061-T6 (open to suggestions on preferable alloy, wall thickness etc). the final piece is akin to a right triangle where the hypotenuse has three radius bends that are tangent to each other toward the center with no straight between the bends, either end bent one direction and the center bent the opposite direction. For the prototype, we used two pieces of the tubing, three formed weld on elbows to make the right part of the triangle, bent cut and welded the three bends together to make the 'wavy' hypotenuse.

I want to make a die set that will bend this in one shot. One static and one hydraulically assisted. Here's where it gets fuzzy for me. How do I calculate the over bend so that I get as close as possible to exactly what I want when it springs back. Assuming some trial and error is inevitable.

Who knows, Happy Gilmore said it's just easier to put the ball in the hole in one shot!

__________________
My dad always said "Son, if ya aint got what ya gotta have, ya gotta improvise"
Register to Reply
Pathfinder Tags: #funktionart
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".
Guru
Hobbies - CNC - New Member Hobbies - DIY Welding - New Member Engineering Fields - Electromechanical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 23647
Good Answers: 420
#1

Re: bending aluminum tube/pipe

01/23/2014 4:15 PM

in reality, that may be empirical information...... i.e. do it in a couple of try's to get it right.

not quite Happy Gilmores philosophy

__________________
“ When people get what they want, they are often surprised when they get what they deserve " - James Wood
Register to Reply
Commentator

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, USA
Posts: 98
#2
In reply to #1

Re: bending aluminum tube/pipe

01/23/2014 4:32 PM

I'll aim at perfect until it is close enough!

Considering starting with 1/4" hardboard layered to match up to the tube in section and then draw in bolt holes etc. and mount on adequate substrate with a hyd cylinder to push it.

maybe start with 10% overbend?

__________________
My dad always said "Son, if ya aint got what ya gotta have, ya gotta improvise"
Register to Reply
3
Guru

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern Kansas USA
Posts: 1503
Good Answers: 128
#3

Re: Bending Aluminum Tube/Pipe

01/24/2014 12:35 AM

Stolisma,

I have bent a fair amount of Sch-40 aluminum conduit with a standard Greenlee brand motorized bender and its shoes. As others have said, finding the correct amount of over-bend to allow for spring-back is mostly trial and error. However, once you have found it, then this is fairly reliable for subsequent bends. I suspect you will find for 90-deg it is going to be about 7-deg; for 30-deg it will be close to 3 or 4-deg.

Your original post has lots of words but I am having trouble visualizing the final shape. If you are making zig-zag bends, then your tool will have to allow for the fore-shortening of the material from each bend. Therefore doing them one at a time will probably be much better than attempting to make a jig or tool to do all at once.

If your desired radius fits with electricians' bending shoes, then that part is easy; if it is tighter, then you may have to make custom shoes. Find a commercial or industrial electrical contractor--if he/she is friendly, you may be able to experiment without too much expense.

--John M.

Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 3)
Register to Reply 3 comments

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

jmueller (1); phoenix911 (1); STOLISMA (1)

Previous in Forum: Underwater Training Center In California or Indian   Next in Forum: Sin 30 Equals What?

Advertisement