Aluminum is being used increasingly in manufacturing and metal fabrication for its lightweighting and noncorrosive properties. As with any metal, fabricators must be vigilant in preventing cracking in the bends, and need to take measures to reduce or eliminate galling.
How can press brake tooling help resolve challenges with performing sharp bends in aluminum without cracking?
Steven Brown, Wilson Tool: "What's the best way to bend aluminum?” is a common question. Because bending is forming, the query can best be answered if it includes which grade of aluminum you want to form. Each grade has distinct qualities that will drive the tooling decision. If the question is, “How can I bend 5052-H32?” now, that is valuable information that allows us to provide an answer.
This article originally appeared on thefabricator.com.
March 10, 2023