Protocase Resources

The information below is intended to be helpful for customers who wish to learn more about enclosure design. Also, please use our online support if you have questions for our expert design staff.

   

Bend Radii & Minimum Bend Sizes

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Bend Radii & Minimum Bend Sizes

It is most economical to use a single bend radius throughout the design, but if necessary, you can utilize multiple radii.

Use this document to choose values that are both manufacturable and meet your needs. If you need help choosing a value, contact us at info@protocase.com or 1-866-849-3911 and we can help. Alternatively, you can design with any value, and we can adjust it for you later in the process.

The tables below show bend radii and minimum bend sizes for materials and tooling combinations stocked by Protocase. It is possible to choose other bends, but tooling charges may apply.

To use the tables below:

  1. Refer to table(s) for your choice of material.
  2. Refer to the first column to choose your material thickness.
  3. Consider what minimum bend size you require (Only consider lines that meet your minimum bend requirement).
  4. You may choose any bend radius on this line(s).
  5. If you have multiple options, optimize your choice.

Optimizing your Choice

If you have multiple options that will achieved your design goals, we recommend optimizing your choice:

  1. If possible, choose a value that can be achieved on both folder and press brake. In doing so, Protocase Engineering and Design Services will opt to use folding due to the equipment's ability to produce superior dimensional tolerances. If the geometry of the part precludes use of folder, then we can seamlessly move to press brake.
  2. If choosing radii/ bends that are bent with the press brake, you should choose values in blue, as they allow use of a wider variety of tooling.

It is not critical that you meet these criteria as we can produce anything in the tables. However, should you be able to meet them, it will give us more flexibility when manufacturing your job.

Folder

Folding is the most accurate way for Protocase to bend parts. If you can stick with folder radii, it will get your parts through our manufacturing process faster with the most precise dimensions.

Press Brake

However, if folder radii do not work for you, we can manufacture parts using our press brakes. In fact, press brakes are more flexible and can bend certain parts that the folder just cannot do.

Minimum Bend Dimension

Geometry of tooling imposes a minimum bend dimension. The diagram shows one such mechanism. Refer to the chart for values for folder as well as various press brake tooling combinations.

Tip: Use the minimum bend dimension values in the charts below for your minimum closeness of cutout to a bend.


MATERIAL, BEND RADII AND MINIMUM BEND SIZE CHARTS


Folder

Material & Thickness

Minimum Bend
Includes Minimum Closeness of Cutout to Bend

Radius
(Refers to Inner Radius)

Cold Rolled Steel - 14 gauge ( 0.075" | 1.91mm )

0.415"

0.07"

Cold Rolled Steel - 16 gauge ( 0.060" | 1.52 mm )

0.33"

0.05"

Cold Rolled Steel - 18 gauge ( 0.048" | 1.22 mm )

0.265"

0.05"

Cold Rolled Steel - 20 gauge ( 0.036" |0.91 mm )

0.18"

0.04"

Galvanneal - 16 gauge ( 0.064" |1.61 mm )

0.288"

0.05"

Galvanneal - 18 gauge ( 0.052" |1.32 mm )

0.26"

0.05"

Galvanneal - 20 gauge ( 0.040" |1.01 mm )

0.2"

0.05"

304 Stainless Steel - 14 gauge ( 0.078" | 1.98 mm )

0.351"

0.078"

304 Stainless Steel - 16 gauge ( 0.063" | 1.59 mm )

0.285"

0.05"

304 Stainless Steel - 18 gauge ( 0.050" | 1.27 mm )

0.25"

0.045"

304 Stainless Steel - 20 gauge ( 0.037" | 0.94 mm )

0.23"

0.04"

Aluminum 5052-H32 - ( 0.040" | 1.02 mm )

0.18"

0.04"

Aluminum 5052-H32 - ( 0.051" | 1.30 mm )

0.255"

0.04"

Aluminum 5052-H32 - ( 0.064" | 1.63 mm )

0.32"

0.04"

Press Brake

Cold Rolled Steel - (CRS A1008 CS TP B) (4ftx8ft sheets)

Gauge

Minimum Bend
Includes Minimum Closeness of Cutout to Bend

Radius
(Refers to Inner Radius)

11 gauge (0.120" | 3.05 mm)

.5"

.045", .06", .085", .115"

1.375"

.375"

12 gauge (0.105" | 2.67 mm)

.5"

.065", .085"

13 gauge (0.090" | 2.29 mm)

.375"

.04", .045", .055"

.5"

.06", .065", .075", .08"

1.375"

.375"

14 gauge (0.075" | 1.91 mm)

.275"

.04", .045", .055", .07"

.5"

.125"

16 gauge (0.060" | 1.52 mm)

.2"

.03", .04", .045"

.265"

.05", .055", .062"

.375"

.075"

.5"

.125"

18 gauge (0.048" | 1.22 mm)

.2"

.03", .04", .045"

.265"

.04", .05", .062", .065"

.375"

.090", .125"

.5"

.105", .12"

1.375"

.375"

20 gauge (0.036" | 0.91 mm)

.2"

.035", .04", .05"

.265"

.055", .065"

.375"

.07"

1.375"

.375"

22 gauge (0.030" | 0.76 mm)

.2"

.04", .05"

.265"

.055", .065"

Aluminum - (5052-H32) (4ftx8ft sheets)

Gauge

Minimum Bend
Includes Minimum Closeness of Cutout to Bend

Radius
(Refers to Inner Radius)

0.250" |6.35mm)

1.375"

.375"

0.188" |4.78mm)

1.375"

.375"

8 gauge (0.1285" |3.26mm)

.5"

.04", .05", .125"

1.375"

.225", .375"

10 gauge (0.102" |2.59mm)

.375"

.062"

.5"

.04", .045", .07", .125"

11 gauge (0.091" |2.31mm)

.375"

.04", .045", .05", .062"

.5"

.05, .125"

1.375"

.375"

12 gauge (0.081" |2.06mm)

.275"

.04", .062"

.5"

.04", .045", .05"

1.375"

.375"

14 gauge (0.064" |1.63mm)

.2"

.035", .04", .045"

.265"

.035", .04", .062"

.375"

.04", .06"

.5"

.04", .05", .125"

1.375"

.4"

16 gauge (0.051" |1.30mm)

.2"

.035", .04", .045"

.265"

.035", .04", .05", .062"

.5"

.04", .05", .125"

18 gauge (0.040" |1.02mm)

.2"

.035", .04"

.265"

.04", .05", .062", .07"

.375"

.045"

.5"

.04", .06", .125"

1.375"

.45"

20 gauge (0.032" |0.81mm)

.2"

.035", .04"

.265"

.04", .045", .05", .062", .07"

.375"

. 055"

.5"

.04", .06"

1.375"

.4"

Stainless - (A240 TP304 2B) (4ftx8ft sheets)

Gauge

Minimum Bend
Includes Minimum Closeness of Cutout to Bend

Radius
(Refers to Inner Radius)

11 gauge (0.120" |3.05mm)

.5"

.07", .08", .09", .1", .125"

14 gauge (0.075" | 1.9 mm)

.275"

.05", .055", .062", .07", .075"

.375"

.07", .105"

.5"

.09", .11", .115", .12"

1.375"

.4"

16 gauge (0.060" | 1.52 mm)

.2"

.035", .05"

.265"

.05", .055", .075", .08"

.375"

.07"

.5"

.105", .12"

18 gauge (0.048" | 1.22 mm)

.2"

.04", .045", .05"

.265"

.06", .07", .08", .085"

.375"

.1", .125"

.5"

.115", .12"

20 gauge (0.035" | 0.89 mm)

.2"

.05"

.265"

.06", .07"

.375"

.095"

22 gauge (0.029" | 0.74 mm)

.2"

.05"

.265"

.04", .08"

24 gauge (0.024" | 0.61 mm)

.2"

.04"

.265"

.08"

Galvanneal - (A653 CS TP B A01) (4ftx8ft sheets)

Gauge

Minimum Bend
Includes Minimum Closeness of Cutout to Bend

Radius
(Refers to Inner Radius)

14 gauge (0.078" |1.98mm)

.275"

.04", .055", .06", .062", .08"

.5"

.08", .09"

16 gauge (0.064" | 1.61mm)

.2"

.035", .04", .05"

.265"

.05", .055", .062"

.5"

.10", .08", .125"

18 gauge (0.052" | 1.32mm)

.2"

.04", .05"

.265"

.04", .05", .055", .062" .07"

.5"

.125

1.375"

.375"

20 gauge (0.040" | 1.02mm)

.2"

.04", .05"

.265"

.04", .055", .062", .07"

.5"

.08", .09"

Copper Stocked in 36" x 96" (914.40mm x 2,438.40mm) sheets

Gauge

Minimum Bend
Includes Minimum Closeness of Cutout to Bend

Radius
(Refers to Inner Radius)

0.064" | 1.63mm

.2"

.035"

.265"

.04", .045", .055"

.5"

.125"

1.375"

.375"

0.093" | 2.36mm

.375"

.04"

.5"

.05", .115"

0.125" | 3.18mm

.5"

.06", .08", .125"

0.250" | 6.35mm

1.375"

.375"