V-Groove Plate
V-Groove plate is ideal for fabricating decorative architectural panels and wall systems where appearance is the primary concern. It allows for tight bend radii that look perfect without cracking or warping.
The grooves should be cut using cutters that match the required internal bend angle, plus a small amount of additional cut angle to compensate for springback. The cut depth should never exceed 0.031 in.
Bending
V-grooving is an effective method for producing crisp, clean bend dimensions and angles that look great. It can also reduce springback, which causes stress cracking on the inside of a bent part. However, thinning the material at the bend radius with V-grooving can weaken the bend, V-Groove Plate so it is not a good option for applications where the strength of the bend is essential.
A V-groove machine cuts a series of V-shaped grooves into the surface of the metal sheet. These grooves are usually straight or curved, depending on the design of the cutter. This process is very efficient and can be used with conventional bending machines. It also requires a smaller tonnage than other forming processes, which helps save money and energy.
V-groove bending can reduce the maximum arc radius of the workpiece, making it easier to meet technical requirements such as small arc radii and no bending marks for decorative surfaces in high-end settings like hotels, banks, commercial centers, and airports. The process can even make it easy to bend long, narrow flanges without the lateral tensile stresses that often cause discoloration on the outside of the bend.
Another advantage of grooving is that it reduces the thickness of the workpiece at the bend line, which in turn reduces the deformation force when the part is being bent. This means that thicker plates can be bent on a standard bending machine, which saves money and energy.
Welding
The V-groove process makes it easy to create decorative surface panels for projects like bank lobbies, airport terminals, shopping malls and hotels. Using this bending method, manufacturers can produce sharp corners that are easily interlocked and welded together to create the appearance of a seamless unit. This type of bending process also helps avoid bottoming or coining that can cause workpiece damage and reduce the overall quality of a finished product.
When welding, it’s important to use a high-quality electrode and apply sufficient heat to the weld area to ensure a strong weld. It’s also important to minimize the amount of slag that accumulates on the back side of the weld. This will help to prevent corrosion and increase the life of the weld.
In addition to having a high-quality electrode and applying enough heat, it’s important to use a low current for the weld. A lower current will reduce the chance of spatter and allow for a more precise weld location.
Another key factor when preparing for V-Groove welding is the choice of which side to prepare. The side the welder is going to be welding should have an arrow on it that indicates which side will require preparation. This will allow the welder to know which side should be prepped according to their knowledge. This will save time and ensure that the weld is a good one.
Cutting
Using a V Grooving machine, we create manufacturing fiber optic passive components a precise ‘V’-shaped groove in metal sheets, with a depth and angle that are meticulously controlled. This allows us to bend the metal in the bending process and achieve very tight bend radii, something that’s important in applications like decorative architectural panels or metal cladding where appearance is as much a consideration as structural integrity.
For welded structures, the welder must prep the metal for welding to ensure full-penetration. This is especially important when working with a double V-Groove since this type of joint has the same dimensions on both sides and it’s easy to miss one of them, which can compromise the weld.
To prevent this, you must first set up the cutting tool to match the specified groove depth and angle. This involves properly securing the sheet of metal to avoid shift during the cutting process and ensuring that it’s free from coatings or debris. Once you’re ready to start cutting, be sure to maintain a stable cutting speed and pressure. It’s also important to perform routine maintenance on the cutting equipment, such as lubricating the knives and cleaning up the work area. This will help ensure that you get consistent, quality cuts every time. The result is a metal piece that will have an excellent finish and look great in your application.
Finishing
Before V-grooving and modern CNCs teamed up, workshops used a planer to cut a series of parallel V-shaped lines on metal sheet material. These were often referred to as “V-cuts.” But a V-cut alone cannot produce a quality part, especially one that needs to bend with minimal deformation.
During bending, the center of the V-shaped line experiences tensile stress. This causes the outside bend radius to shift slightly in the width direction, forming a concave on the center of the line. The smaller this center-concave, the better the product will look.
To avoid a center-concave, the V groove should be produced at a minimum of half the degree of the internal bend angle. The groove cut depth should also be set based on the material thickness. To control burrs and protect the tooling, the first grooving pass should never exceed 0.031 in.
The V-grooving process works well with a variety of materials. PVD coloured stainless steel is ideal, as it can be V-grooved without any damage to the appearance of the coating. This makes it a great choice for high-specification applications such as retail fixtures, facades and curtain-walling. It is also an excellent alternative to solid, or bar, metals where it saves cost without compromising on aesthetic. It can be used in place of brass, bronze, copper and gold.