"How is sheet metal bent?"
If once the bending of metals in the form of sheets was carried out manually by expert blacksmiths, today cutting-edge technologies and machinery are used, which allow for greater speed of operation and consequently a more consistent production.
But how does this bending work? Below we will talk about plastic deformation of metal sheets.
The bending of the sheet is carried out by deforming the plastic, a process that allows to create sufficiently tight curves on pieces of variable dimensions, while maintaining the same thickness as the starting sheet.
For bending, special machinery is used - the bending presses, which require proper maintenance and lubrication, so that they can operate continuously using the same bending radius and correctly applying the force on the press plate.
Applications of plastic deformation
The mechanical characteristics of metal materials represent a very important resource for the manufacturing of building elements in many fields of application, in which the intervention of plastic deformation is obviously also required through the use of the press.
The are numerous sectors where the bending process is required, ranging from building and architecture, to furnishings and light carpentry, up to the metal working sector and large naval carpentry.
The increasing demand and diffusion, however, has led to an ever greater diversification also of the manufacturing machinery, with more and more differences and particularities, which also involve a greater stress on the components, with ever higher risks of damage and breakage, in case of failure if they are not properly cared for and preserved.
To do this, it is important to have specific lubricating solutions that fully meet all the needs of your machinery.
Plastic deformation: which lubricant solution to adopt?
The shaping of a metal through the use of plastic deformation is now an increasingly widespread practice, allowing for significant savings in time, materials and labor.
Obviously, its performance is strongly influenced by the lubrication used, in terms of methodology but above all of the solution used.
To be suitable for plastic deformation, the lubricant must act adequately on your machinery, creating a resistant film between it and the material being processed, in order to help sliding and avoid seizing or friction that damage not only the final product, but also the machinery itself.
For this you need a specific product, with the right adhesiveness and consistency, which ensures sealing for all steps and manufacturing processes.
Depending on the degree of deformation, the required radii of curvature or the thickness of the raw sheet, it is possible to adopt different lubricating solutions:
- evaporable oils: typically used for light deformations
- lubricating greases: more suitable for forming and creasing of medium complexity
- lubricating pastes: for high sheet thicknesses and very narrow bending radii required
Correct lubrication during plastic deformation can bring numerous advantages, such as:
- friction reduction
- wear reduction
- realization of the required surface finish
- temperature control; control of shape change
- greater distribution of stress in the product
- increase in the life of punches and tools used for deformation
Do you have problems with the cold forging of your parts? Do the materials become weak or lose their original structural properties?
Request our consultancy fort a first product sampling. Together we can study and find the most suitable lubricant solution for you!
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