aircraft aluminum tubing bend radius chart

This alloy is primarily alloyed with manganese and is one of the most commonly used aluminum alloys for bending applications. Now let’s discuss which alloys offer the best bendability and when you should use them. For example, 1XXX series aluminum generally has poor mechanical properties and is not suited to structural applications. However, the different properties offered by each may make some more desirable than others.

Some 6XXX series alloys are fairly bendable as well. Generally speaking, aluminum alloys from the 1XXX, 3XXX, and 5XXX series demonstrate better bendability than other aluminum alloys. We explain this in our article on aluminum alloy designations and tempers. The system for naming them uses four digits, with the first digit representing their chemical composition. Numerous metal alloying agents can be combined with aluminum to produce different aluminum alloys. 3 of the Best Aluminum Alloys for Bending It has very high bendability relative to other alloys. You’ll see that annealed aluminum alloy 3003 (shown as AA3003-O) has a very high percent elongation (strain %) of roughly 35%. Take a look at the stress-strain curve above. Like the other properties, the percent elongation varies for each alloy. This results in better overall aluminum bendability. The more ductile aluminum alloys can experience more significant plastic deformation with small increases in applied stress. It is also known as plastic strain or stain applied beyond the yield strength limit of a material. Percent elongation represents the ability of the material to be plastically deformed under tension. The Deformation of Clad Aluminum Sheet Produced By Direct Chill Casting – Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. We can use them to learn which alloys have better baseline formability. We can use these tests to establish a formability “ranking” for different sheets of alloy. That said, there are standardized tests, such as the ASTM E2218: Standard Test Method for Determining Forming Limit Curves. However, changing the shape of the part or the physical properties of the starting material will change the amount of force that needs to be applied. In other words, we can measure the forming force to produce a specific part from a particular starting material. It also depends on factors such as the shape of the part and the thickness of the starting material. For example, the applied force necessary to shape a product depends on more than just the strength and ductility of a material. Generally speaking, formability is a relative term and not a specific value. Permanent deformation is also known as plastic deformation in the materials science world. NX One-step Formability Analysis by Siemens PLM Softwareįormability is the ability of a given material to experience permanent deformation without the forming process cracking or tearing it.

Aircraft aluminum tubing bend radius chart