Before the invention of CNC sheet metal working equipment, which uses robotics, manufacturers used the traditional sheet metal bending machine to complete various sheet metal working processes for various industries. Nowadays, modern manufacturers use robotics to automate the bending operations, but there are still smaller manufacturers that use the manually-operated sheet metal bending machine.
There are some challenges of using the manually-operated sheet metal bending machine. First, you will need to know how to operate the machine manually, which includes putting the sheet metal on the feed and pressing the bend equipment by yourself. Second, mistakes can still happen, because you are not running the machine with precise calculations. Third, you will need to pay more for the human workers.
However, despite all these challenges, the manually-operated sheet metal bending machines are still preferable to use in small-scale production, such as in various home-based sheet metal working processes. It can also offer various other benefits for your manufacturing operations.
Preliminary Design Calculations for Manual Sheet Metal Bending Machine
In sheet metal bending, it’s important for you to calculate various aspects of the design requirements for the materials you are working on. Whether the machine you use is manually-operated or automatic, it is always important for you to determine the design requirements for each of your projects.
Here are the preliminary design calculations for manual sheet metal bending machine:
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Look at the specifications of the machine
Every sheet metal bending machine has their own specifications that will allow you to work within a certain range of operations. Be sure to understand what your bending equipment is capable of doing, such as knowing about the maximum thickness of the sheet metal materials it can handle, the variety of bending operations it can perform, and so on.
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Sheet metal thickness
Next, you need to use only the sheet metals with the thickness that corresponds with the specs of the machine. Don’t force your machine to work with sheet metals that are thicker than its recommended requirements, as it might damage the equipment and render your bending operations unsuccessful.
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Bending radius
Bending radius is the measurement you will need to make to determine how long the bend area of the sheet metal material will be. Bend radius should at least be the same as the sheet metal thickness, and it shouldn’t be smaller than that, as it will result in material damages. Keep in mind to prevent assigning bend radius too large, as it can diminish the quality of the sheet metal bends.
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Tolerances
Tolerances will affect the overall accuracy of your bend, so tighter tolerances mean more accurate bends for you. However, tighter tolerances may not be required in many sheet metal bending processes, unless you need to create very precise parts or components. It’s best to follow the international standards to apply the tolerances for your sheet metal bending process.
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Bend angle
Bend angle will affect how you position the pressing equipment against the sheet metal material, and different bend angles will give you different results in your sheet metal bending process. It can be useful to apply different bend angles based on how you would like to build your components, but it is also recommended to keep all bend angles the same, so you can have a uniform bend style that works with all other components.
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Bending allowance
How much will you allow for the bends in your sheet metal working process? You will need to calculate this by measuring the bend allowance. Smaller or larger bend allowance will allow you to apply smaller or larger bends for the sheet metal materials.
Benefits of Using a Manually-operated Sheet Metal Bending Machine
Sometimes, manual operation doesn’t mean that it is worse than the automatic version. The manual sheet metal bending machine can also offer various benefits for your sheet metal working and sheet metal prototyping processes.
Here are some benefits of using a manually-operated sheet metal bending machine:
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Lower machine cost
The primary benefit of the manual sheet metal bending machine is that it is much cheaper than the CNC or automatic version. With the lower machine cost, you don’t need a big initial investment if you want to start your sheet metal working operations for the first time.
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The manual equipment can bring the same result as the automatic version
The good thing about the manually-operated sheet metal bending machine is that it works the same way as the automatic version, minus the CNC and computerization features. You can also get the same results when you are working with your manually-operated sheet metal bending equipment.
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You can work with each metal sheet more closely
.With an automatic sheet metal bending machine, you will send programmed commands to the machine and look at the bending process from a distance. Meanwhile, the manually-operated sheet metal bending machine will allow you to work with each sheet metal more closely. It is also easier for you to work on it while following your design requirements without having to deal with the complicated computerization.
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Best for a small or home-based production
Manual sheet metal bending machines are available at much cheaper prices when compared to the CNC version, and anyone can order these machines from both offline and online retailers. So, it’s perfect for small-scale production or if you want to have this machine ready for you at home for your own personal projects.
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Simpler machine operations
For many people, CNC or automatic sheet metal bending operations can be very complicated to set up and perform. In contrast, the manual sheet metal bending machine offers you simpler bending operations without the programming complexity of the automatic bending machine.
Conclusion
Manual sheet metal bending machines will offer simpler operations for you, so it is suitable for small-scale production, whether you own a small factory or want to work on the sheet metal materials at home. You will have to follow the design guidelines according to your bending machine specifications to get the best results out of your sheet metal working processes.
TEAM Rapid provides various manufacturing services, which include sheet metal bending and prototyping services. Our factory in China can help you to complete your sheet metal working projects based on your requirements, for the best results.
