If you’re looking to make your own products, you have numerous options regarding the materials that you can use for fabrication. There are many different factors you must consider when determining what material is best for your product, and it is important to find opportunities to streamline your manufacturing processes with the materials you choose. You must evaluate how the material will behave under stress, over time, and when it’s subjected to chemicals or environmental conditions. You must also consider the nature, function, and performance of your project; its end-use will play a large role in dictating what material you use to build it. When you take the proper time to ensure you select the right material for your product, you’ll save both time and money.

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A current popular material option is plastic, and casting metal also has some positive benefits. However, there are several reasons (depending on your project) why sheet metal could prove to be the superior material choice.

Strength and Durability

Sheet metal is strong and durable, and sheet metal parts are often able to withstand greater pressure and heat than those made with plastic. In addition to this, aluminum, stainless steel, or surface-treated steel are all resistant to pressure, corrosion, and wear and tear. While a method like casting will share these benefits, plastic will not hold up as well with the passage of time.

Malleability

In addition to being durable, sheet metal is also malleable. With the right equipment, it can be bent into numerous shapes, while still retaining its strength and structural integrity. Sheet metal also has the ability to be compressed or stretched without breaking or cracking. When a part is cast or molded, you get a very specific shape, but you also had to pay for a very specific, and usually expensive, mold. If you decide to change your part at all, it can be very expensive to invest in a new mold, and tooling for plastic can be very expensive as well. With sheet metal, it’s as simple as bending the part in a different place to create a new and unique shape. The malleability of sheet metal allows it to be effectively and efficiently used in custom, complex, or highly specialized applications.

Replaceability

One of the biggest advantages of using sheet metal is that the parts are replaceable. If several metal parts are used to make an assembly, instead of making the whole part out of one substance, the individual components can be removed and replaced without having to replace the entire assembly. This can save money on repairs and even allow for modifications and upgrades.

Sustainability

As far as materials go, metal is by far one of the most sustainable materials. Metal is a natural resource that is both environmentally and economically strategic. When the parts are no longer needed, they can be recycled indefinitely and turned into other parts. Plastic has a limited ability to be recycled and cannot be easily and safely disposed once it reaches its end point. Metal manufacturing is a much more responsible and sustainable option.

Cost-Effectiveness

Tooling costs for plastics can be very expensive, making sheet metal a more economical choice. Many companies move from cast or molded parts to sheet metal because of the overall reduction in costs and material waste. Material lifespan and longevity must also be considered when evaluating the cost of material. The cheapest material is not necessarily the most cost-efficient option if it will not serve you well for a long period of time and has to be consistently replaced or maintained. The strength and durability features of sheet metal make it a more cost-effective option.

Partner with Estes

Deciding if sheet metal is right for your project is a complex decision with many factors to consider. Before you invest time and money in design or tooling, work with an experienced partner like Estes Design and Manufacturing. With decades of experience and cutting-edge fabricating equipment, Estes will ensure the right material is used for your project and is manufactured with consistent quality and competitive pricing. Our experts are here to help you make the right choices for your products. Contact us to find out if sheet metal is the right material for your project and learn how we can take your product to the next level.

Aluminum bending

Minifaber’s technical office will guide you through every step of the aluminum bending process, from the very beginning until the very end, making sure that you pick the right alloy that best answers your needs.

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How does aluminum bending work?

The process of bending aluminum is made extremely easy by this metal’s well-known characteristics. In high purity forms, aluminum is soft, ductile, malleable and light. These features allow to bend aluminum, without the risk of breaking it and causing cracks.

However, in many occasions pure aluminum isn’t sufficient (even if it’s easier to bend), and it’s presented the need for aluminum alloys.

So, which alloys are best suited for bending?

If you’re interested in Minifaber’s aluminum bending process, contact us! We will assist you with a personalized assistance.

Bending aluminum alloys

In order to be able to answer that question, we need to consider 3 things:

1.Formability

Aluminum has a wide range of different alloys, with different chemical compositions, which make them applicable in various fields of metal processing. Let’s take a look at all the different series of aluminum alloys:

• Series 1: these are the alloys that have 99% of pure aluminum. They are very ductile and have excellent corrosion resistance
• Series 2: here aluminum is mixed with copper. These alloys have limited cold formability and less corrosion resistance than other alloys, which is why they are anodized prior to usage.
• Series 3: here aluminum is mixed with a 1% of manganese. These alloys have good corrosion resistance and very good formability.
• Series 4: these alloys present the addition of silicon, which lowers the melting point, and this is why it’s used entirely for manufacturing welding wire.
• Series 5: these alloys are mixed with magnesium. They exhibit a very good combination of high strength, resistance to corrosion, formability, and good weldability.
• Series 6: these alloys are made of a mixture of aluminum, magnesium and silicon. They exhibit great strength, good corrosion resistance, and ease of formability, and are mainly used in architectural applications.
• Series 7: this series includes alloys made of aluminum, zinc and magnesium, and also alloys made of aluminum, zinc and copper. They exhibit very high strength, which makes them very difficult to form.

2.Thickness and bend radius

When bending aluminum, there is something else that needs to be considered: during the process of bending, aluminum hardens and strengthens by reason of the working effect. Therefore, the thickness of the aluminum sheet and the bend radius are also critical factors that must be taken under consideration.

3.Level of elongation

Lastly, a third factor that needs to be considered is the percentage of elongation of each alloy and the difference between yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. On this percentage depends the level of formability of the aluminum alloy.

According to this mechanical rule: the higher the elongation value (meaning, the wider the range between yield and tensile strength), the better the forming ability of the alloy.

So, after applying this rule to the aforementioned alloys’ characteristics, it looks like the best aluminum series for bending are series 3, 5, and in some cases 6. Series 2 and 7 should be avoided due to the fact that, being extremely strong, they are difficult to form in any way.

Essential machinery for aluminum sheet bending

When it comes to bending aluminum sheets, there are several types of machinery that are specifically designed for this purpose. One of the commonly used machines is the press brake, which utilizes a powerful hydraulic system to exert controlled force on the aluminum sheet, creating precise bends. Another popular option is the roll bending machine, which utilizes a set of rollers to gradually bend the aluminum into the desired shape.

These machines offer versatility in terms of bend angles, thicknesses, and sheet sizes they can handle. Whether you are working with small-scale projects or large industrial applications, Minifaber has the right machinery for to meet the specific requirements of your needs.

If you’re interested in Minifaber’s aluminum bending process, contact us! We will assist you with a personalized assistance.

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