K Factor Calculator:
Enter the values of distance from the inside radius, D(cm) and thickness of the material, T(cm) to determine the value of K factor, K.
K Factor:
The K factor is a key concept in sheet metal forming, particularly for determining the bend allowance during the process of bending a sheet of metal. It is a constant used to represent the relationship between the neutral axis and the bend radius.
When a metal sheet is bent, the material undergoes stretching on the outside of the bend and compression on the inside. The neutral axis is the plane within the material that experiences no elongation or compression.
The K factor is used to calculate the neutral axis’s distance from the inside radius of the bend, and it helps in determining how much material will be needed for the bend.
In practical applications, the K factor is used to compute the bend allowance, which is the length of the sheet metal that will be consumed in the bending process. The K factor varies depending on the material type, thickness, and the bend radius.
It typically ranges between 0.3 and 0.5 for most materials, but the exact value should be determined experimentally or from material data.
K factor, K is calculated by dividing the distance from the inside radius, D(cm) in centimetres to the neutral bend line by the thickness of the material, T(cm) in centimetres.
K factor, K = D(cm) / T(cm)
K = K factor.
D(cm) = distance in centimetres, cm.
T(cm) = thickness in centimetres, cm.
K Factor Calculation:
- A metal sheet with a bend radius of 8 cm and a thickness of 2 cm is bent. The distance from the inside radius is 4 cm. Calculate the K factor.
Given: D(cm) = 4cm, T(cm) = 2cm.
K factor, K = D(cm) / T(cm)
K = 4 / 2
K = 2.
- A metal sheet has a K factor of 0.4 and a material thickness of 3 cm. Calculate the distance.
Given: K = 0.4, T(cm) = 3cm.
K factor, K = D(cm) / T(cm)
D(cm) = K * T(cm)
D(cm) = 0.4 / 3
D(cm) = 1.2cm.