The yfactor is used, as far as i know, solely by ptcs proengineer, now known as creo elementspro. Three of the most commonly used options are using a kfactor value, a bend allowance value, or a bend deduction value. Kfactor is a ratio that represents the location of the neutral sheet with respect to the thickness of the sheet metal part. In this article we will discuss sheetmetal bend deduction, bend allowance, k factor, y factor and sheet metal flat pattern calculations. Sheet metal design software ironcad cad software solutions. All sheet metal workers know the importance of an accurate kfactor or bend allowance when it comes to design. Bend deduction explained with formula and calculator. Sheet metal bend allowance calculations with solidworks.
Learn practical sheet metal design with a strong theoretical understanding of underlying design principles. It is only one of the ways bend values can be determined. There are standard charts available with sheet metal design handbook for calculating k factor ideally it should be 0. The bend table also contains values for bend radius, bend angle, and.
Catia has really good features and quite easy to use. May 29, 20 so for a very large radius bend where the neutral axis lies right in the center of the material, the k factor would be exactly 0. Solidworks tutorials sheet metal 2012 what is k factor. Live stream sheet metal was just released in fusion 360. We produce a lot of sheet metal work using invento and use 0. If you design your bent sheet metal parts in cad software that has a special sheet metal environment, use it. Its not always neccessary that our neural axis lies at the middle of the sheet.
We did a quick study and determined the kfactor for one condition we. You can specify the bend allowance or bend deduction values for a sheet metal part in a bend table. At form2000, we have a sheet metal engineering suite in our factory in melbourne, and we are equipped with 3d design and simulation software, which enables our team of expert engineers to reach the optimal machine selection and order of operations required to efficiently manufacture your sheet metal product. I had a question on k factors for our 3d modeling software. Now lets see how we can obtain these values for a specific sheet. Bendtech sm is a simple and powerful sheet metal design software that is geared towards the hobbyist, school, prototype shop, maintenance facility, or performance shop. Dec 27, 2016 we are now ready to use these sheet metal gauge tables. Added 4 design projects mechanical design of simple sheet metal brackets using auto desk fusion 360 for specific problem statements. Subsequently you can use the k factor to extrapolate allowances for new angles and radii. Mathematically k factor value is equal to the ratio of position of neutral axis and sheet thickness. So for a very large radius bend where the neutral axis lies right in the center of the material, the k factor would be exactly 0. Teaches you about the kfactor, a principle fundamental to bending your sheet metal parts. This will give a set of surfaces placed on the neutral axis.
Oct 12, 2018 the computeraided design software you are using may employ a y factor instead of a k factor when calculating for ba and the bd, enabling you to create a more precise flat pattern for your sheet metal part. Just like ba and kfactor, sheet metal bend deduction is also a very crucial part of sheet metal design terminology. Use the known kfactor and the known inner bending radius to. In my previous post i talked about kfactor, bend allowance and bend deduction and what they mean in sheet metal design. When making bends, it takes material specifications into account. Which is the best sheetmetal modelling cad software. The software can flatten the finished part and you have the dimensions of the sheet metal before bending. Aug 27, 2009 the plastics stretch more than sheet metal, so i assume that the bend allowance andor k factor would need to be adjusted. The computeraided design software you are using may employ a yfactor instead of a kfactor when calculating for ba and the bd, enabling you to create a more precise flat pattern for your sheet metal part. I came across a community sponsored application that will aid any sheet metal designer. First of all, let me explain why and where you need to use this bend deduction. Fractorys platform offers sheet metal fabrication services online.
So for a very large radius bend where the neutral axis lies right in the center of the material, the kfactor would be exactly 0. Calculate k factor, bend allowance and y factor for sheet metal. You are in strange waters on this one, start enteringchanging kfactor numbers until you get what you want. The solidworks application also comes with a k factor bend table in microsoft excel format. Hence all of the sheet metal designing software use kfactor, in order to provide an accurate design of the flat pattern of the sheet metal component. In sheet metal, the k factor is the ratio of the neutral axis to. Get answers fast from autodesk support staff and product experts in the forums. Thank you the problem in using sw sheet metal module to design plastic formed parts will be that plastic behaves different that metal when bending, therefore you will need to use correct parameters. Sheet metal fabrication in uk custom metal parts fractory. Hybrid design we can now create wireframe and surface features within the same.
When you select kfactor as the bend allowance, you can specify a kfactor bend table. In this article we will discuss sheetmetal bend deduction, bend allowance, kfactor, yfactor and sheet metal flat pattern calculations. It is a k factor calculator developed by the new zealand company knac solutions. So, if you got k factor value now, you can easily calculate bending allowance. The k factor is used to calculate flat patterns because it is related to how much material is stretched during bending. This is useful if you are transitioning from hand layouts to an advanced design software. If a customer brings a design to my shop for fabrication, i often see that the developed pattern is incorrect and must make adjustments in house to produce the results they desir. Certificate program, which is held at locations across the country. The flat pattern can be used to document and manufacture associatively as the design changes. Since the kfactor is based on the property of the metal and its thickness there is no simple way to calculate it ahead of the first bend. Following dfm guidelines for working with sheet metal. For most of our sheet metal this resulted in flat pattern differences of less than. Learn sheet metal design, processes and practical design considerations along with design projects. Suppose that you have designed a sheet metal component for fabrication.
Because of this, it is often used by design software such as solid edge, solid works, and proengineer, though proengineer uses a variation called the y factor. Sheetmetal software design2fab is a standalone hypertherm application for those creating hvac duct, mechanical, kitchen, industrial, roofing, or specialty fitting layouts. Calculating bend allowance, bend deduction, and kfactor. Subsequently you can use the kfactor to extrapolate allowances for new angles and radii. Cad software often comes preloaded with a nominal kfactor value if it has a sheet metal environment. As you create flanges and add bends, the sheet metal design software will accurately represent the flat pattern required. Apr 25, 2018 we produce a lot of sheet metal work using invento and use 0. It refers to the method of using computer software to create virtual models of proposed products. Design guide for bent sheet metal this guide discusses how the bends are made, what thicknesses of sheet metal are commonly used. The value of the k factor should range between 0 0,5.
The art and science of bending sheet metal hackaday. Most cad systems that have sheet metal design tools will allow you to input a k factor that the software uses to calculate the unfolding to give an accurate blank, or flat pattern. Learn what a kfactor is in sheet metal forming, learn how kfactor is used, and learn how to calculate. Can anyone tell me how do we generally locate our neural axis. Nov 25, 2009 k factor is used in defining the bend allowance, thus by using bend allowance tables it is possible to automatically set the kfactor for defined materials see gauge tables.
A reader wrote me asking me about the kfactor and calculating bend allowances. If you have any questions about solidworks or sheet metal design, please contact us. If you design your bent sheet metal parts in cad software that has a special sheet. Because of the specific properties of any given metal, there is no easy way to calculate that value perfectly, hence the chart in figure 2. The bend radius of a sheet metal design will be based on the wall thickness of the part and the tooling that is available in house. Cad software like solidworks makes sheet metal design quick and cost effective. Sheet metal addon for freecad open source cad software. This is fusion 360 and we will chat about your comments and questions.
Let me make it clear that it is a very important term used in sheet metal design. Sheet metal k factor inventor autodesk knowledge network. Engineered to dramatically reduce the time it takes to develop and lay out flat patterns, design2fab provides you with the ability to create complex custom fitting layouts. Engineers can turn out sheetmetal designs that are both highly functional and easy to make by following design. Therefore it is important to have the value correct in cad software.
We will start by creating a simple sheet metal design with a threeline sketch. The k factor can be customized by excel spreadsheets and the bend radius can be set after the part has thickness by editing the sheet metal feature in the browser bar. It is used to calculate sheet metal flat length flatpattern. If you noticed there is no library of material for the k factor and you were not prompted for the bend radius. Note that there are material specifications where you can find recommended neutral factors for specific materials.
The solidworks application also comes with a kfactor bend table in microsoft excel format. I had a question on kfactors for our 3d modeling software. The kfactor is fundamental to designing precise sheet metal products. Searching the net for sheet metal design k factor gives lots of good info like this calculating bend allowance, bend deduction, and kfactor as for your specific. K factor is a ratio that represents the location of the neutral sheet with respect to the thickness of the sheet metal part. Aug 10, 2017 live stream sheet metal was just released in fusion 360.
It ultimately allows you to estimate the amount of stretch without knowing what type of material you are bending. Most cad systems that have sheet metal design tools will allow you to input a kfactor that the software uses to calculate the unfolding to give an accurate blank, or flat pattern. This will be presented in a pull down in the bend property manager. It is used to calculate bend allowance and bend deduction which are further used to calculate the flat pattern. When you select k factor as the bend allowance, you can specify a k factor bend table. Because of this it is often used by design software such as solid edge, solid. In sheet metal design, the k factor is used to calculate how much sheet metal one needs to leave for the bend in order to achieve particular final dimensions, especially for between the straight sides next the bend. Dont know if you can get this out of the sheetmetal environment. Sheet metal design software considers the fabrication methods needed for manufacturing. Design in 3d and then unfold a part or assembly into 2d for production, or work in 2d and use ironcads 3d visualization capabilities to communicate better with customers.
As there is no special support for it in freecad, it tends to take time to design sheet metal parts, as i need to manually add sketches, extrude walls, and add fillets. However, this doesnt work well for our parts that go into a hand transfer stamping press. You will no longer need to spend your money on the expensive, highend solid modeling cad systems to be able to design sheet metal parts. The k factor is defined as the ratio between the material thickness t and the neutral fibre axis t, i. You can also specify kfactor values in their own kfactor bend tables. In sheetmetal the neutral is just off of the middle of the part. Sheet metal bending design tips, bend allowance, k factor, etc. These calculations will determine the length of the flattened pattern shape.
A cad program equipped with a suite of sheet metalspecific tools, ironcad acts as a powerful sheet metal software. Bending calculations using kfactor, bend deduction, and bend allowance. Teaches you about the k factor, a principle fundamental to bending your sheet metal parts. Just like ba and k factor, sheet metal bend deduction is also a very crucial part of sheet metal design terminology. In solidworks there are several options for sheet metal bend allowance calculations.
Coming from a manufacturing environment, one thing that i see often is that a. Simple threeline sketch to test our sheet metal gauge tables. Several software packages and online calculators are available to calculate the setback. Sheet metal k factor with calculator and formula guide by tips. As i mentioned in my last post you need to do some tests to calculate these values for a specific sheet. Use the known k factor and the known inner bending radius to calculate the bending radius of the neutral line. Our wide range of manufacturing partners all over the uk provide high quality laser cutting and metal folding services. To work with sheet metal and part design, you need to start your object with part design. The flat pattern can be used to document and manufacture associatively as.
The bend command only works on the surface closest to the bend line, no kfactor is used. Mar 07, 2018 the k factor is defined mathematically as tmt, where t is the neutral axis location and mt is the material thickness. When working with sheet metal design software, such as nx sheet metal, the neutral factor can either be tied to a material library or by simply entering an explicit value. Of course, if you design a part using cad, you can just read the.
Our sheet metal design will use the following specifications. May 18, 2016 the art and science of bending sheet metal. It is a kfactor calculator developed by the new zealand company knac solutions. Calculation mode according to din, machine data and position of the neutral line. You can then place sketches on faces and add holes. All this information is necessary when making a flat pattern for laser cutting. You then unfold these surfaces to get your flattened part. But the most accurate way to find out k factor is reverse engineering of a small but same sheet metal sample piece. When you bend sheet metal, the neutral axis shifts toward the inside surface of.
Bending calculations using kfactor, bend deduction, and. This course gets you up to speed with the sheet metal tools in solidworks, and takes you on a trip to the factory floor to see the final manufactured results. Solidworks sheet metal tools are relatively straight forward, but may not be clearly understood. Jun 11, 2015 your model was probably created outside the part design workbench. All sheet metal workers know the importance of an accurate k factor or bend allowance when it comes to design.
Value is shown in the property manager and is applied to the part. He has been working with solidworks software since 1998 and has been providing training. In sheet metal design, the kfactor is used to calculate how much sheet metal one needs to leave for the bend in order to achieve particular final dimensions, especially for between the straight sides next the bend. Having an accurate idea of your kfactor is key to designing good parts because. Standard kfactors can be found from your sheet metal supplier, online, or through real world testing. The solution specifically addresses the needs of companies involved in the design and manufacture of sheet metal parts and assemblies. It significantly increases the number of readytomanufacture products and makes the design process instant, resulting in dramatic time savings between concept and the testing of actual parts. Since the k factor is based on the property of the metal and its thickness there is no simple way to calculate it ahead of the first bend. And, you have all the dimensions of the final component in your design. Start with part design, create a new body, then add a sketch and pad it as the base of your box. Design and customize a sheet metal box in minutes using emachineshops metal box design wizard. Mathematically k factor value is equal to the ratio of. The k factors mentioned are to suit our own press and tools of course.
For more tutorials on cad software, audio engineering software and programming software. The setback chart is a quick way to find the setback and is useful for open and closed bends, because there is no need to calculate or find the kfactor. Kfactors, yfactors, and press brake bending precision. This is free text corresponds to the pull down in the property manager under sheet metal parameters. You can use a yfactor in a chart, like the one published in. It all depends on your needs whether or not to go to that level of detail. How to set up sheet metal gauge tables engineers rule. In sheet metal, there is a powerful bend constant known as the kfactor. You can use a y factor in a chart, like the one published in the march 2018 bending basics. In sheet metal, there is a powerful bend constant known as the k factor.
Hence all of the sheet metal designing software use k factor, in order to provide an accurate design of the flat pattern of the sheet metal component. In sheet metal, the kfactor is the ratio of the neutral axis to. Aug 16, 2012 solidworks tutorials sheet metal 2012 what is k factor. Analyzing the kfactor in sheet metal bending the fabricator.