K Factor Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the K Factor is:

\[ K = \frac{BA - (\pi \cdot T \cdot \left(\frac{A_r}{\pi}\right))}{\pi \cdot T \cdot \left(1 - \left(\frac{A_r}{\pi}\right)\right)} \]

Where:

\(BA\) is the bend allowance (mm)
\(T\) is the material thickness (mm)
\(A\) is the bend angle (degrees)
\(A_r\) is the bend angle in radians
\(K\) is the K Factor

What is a K Factor?

The K Factor is a ratio that represents the location of the neutral axis with respect to the thickness of the sheet metal being bent. It is a critical value used in sheet metal design to predict how the material will deform during bending. The K Factor varies depending on the material, the type of bending operation, and the specific machinery used.

Example Calculation

Let's assume the following values:

Bend Allowance (BA) = 5 mm
Material Thickness (T) = 2 mm
Bend Angle (A) = 90 degrees

Using the formula:

\[ A_r = \frac{90 \times \pi}{180} = 1.5708 \text{ radians} \] \[ K = \frac{5 - (\pi \cdot 2 \cdot \left(\frac{1.5708}{\pi}\right))}{\pi \cdot 2 \cdot \left(1 - \left(\frac{1.5708}{\pi}\right)\right)} = 0.59195 \]

The K Factor is 0.59195.