Aluminium Bending

Aluminium Bending Gallery

• Highly experienced team
• Almost any section is bendable.
• Little or no marking of section and plates surface
• One off, batches or thousands
• Saw cutting to length
• Clean non-ferrous bending areas
• ISO 9001:2015, audited by SCCS
• Massive range of swiss precision machines and the largest specialist aluminium bending machine in the UK.
• Advanced filling system

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS FOR ALUMINIUM BENDING INCLUDE:

• Automotive – trucks, buses, coaches, caravans
• Aerospace
• Construction
• Curtain walling
• Office and interior
• Rolling stock
• Medical & Leisure
• Marine
• Architectural

The process

To bend Aluminium sections, the process is near identical to that which is used for mild steel sections, the difference being that in general, Aluminium extrusions require higher levels of accuracy and control due to the different properties of the metals.  When Bending aluminium, it has a tendency to work-harden and crack if the correct methods are not used.  Aluminium comes in a number of grades and tempers. The most commonly used aluminium alloy is 6063 T6.  6063 T6 has good formability, weldability and corrosion resistance. 6082  is often used for architectural applications. This grade is highly corrosion resistant and has good formability. Greater formability for bending aluminium tubing can be achieved through an annealing process where aluminium can be brought to a zero temper. 

The bending takes place between three points. As the diagram shows, no bending takes place until the section touches all three points or rollers.  It is important to fully encapsulate the section at the point of bending where possible to give the best possible result.  Barnshaws have the most advanced Swiss bending machines all with CNC controls to produce high levels of accuracy.

Surface finish

You can expect a high quality surface finish on sections, formed at Barnshaw Aluminium Bending. Virtually all tooling is non-marking and on most sections and tubes we guarantee no scratching of the surface.

The standard service for aluminium bending is 5-7 working days to your works. Upon request we can turn around work in 24, 48 or 72 hours. Aluminium is formed in a separate area to the steel bending.

Saw Cut Ends

Barnshaws Aluminium Bending can supply the extrusions; saw cut and de-burred to size. Digital positioning and automatic clamping is used for accuracy.

High-speed CNC aluminium bending production

Utilising the most advanced aluminium extrusion bending equipment available; extrusions can be quickly and economically formed to a wide range of shapes. Set up time is very quick so small batches are economic.

Applications for aluminium extrusion bending

Typical applications for aluminium bending include:

• Automotive – trucks, buses, coaches, caravans
• Aerospace
• Construction
• Curtain walling
• Office and interior
• Rail
• Medical & Leisure
• Marine
• Architectural

CE Marking

Barnshaws is the first metal bending company in the UK to have achieved total compliance with En1090-1; Requirements for conformity assessment of structural components, covering the supply of curved components to Execution Class 4 (Exc4). All our induction bent products are therefore fully CE marked for traceability.

Successfully assessed by SCCS, Barnshaws is able to assure customers that it has systems in place to ensure that all materials used in manufacture are correct for purpose, with a traceable audit path and that the Barnshaws product in question is fully compliant with its expected end use.

The CE Mark also confirms the competence, knowledge and skills of manufacturing staff and that manufacturing equipment is properly maintained and calibrated (where necessary).

Barnshaws invested a six-figure sum to achieve accreditation. Particular emphasis was placed on both the tensile and yield strength of products in the performance assessment of every aspect of the product range, using hundreds of samples fabricated to a variety of different radii.

The company has involved its entire supply chain in the CE Marking process, to ensure that all product components acquired from third parties are in full compliance in terms of measurement and performance.

All of Barnshaws’ five UK operations have been audited by SCCS during the accreditation process.