Recommended aluminum for bending?

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My friend has an aluminum can on his car made out of 6061 and the bracket has broke due to all the vibrations. I was going to put a new bracket on for him and bent up a piece of .100 6061 and the bend started to crack. So I did it again but this time preheating it the torch. Didn't crack but you can see where it's starting to stress out.What type of aluminum can be bent and welded easily to 6061 and not crack. I have only welded 6061 so not sure how any other aluminum would welds.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:exhaust can or catch can?Hobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:Catch can.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:I dunno, instead of bending, just cut/weld it? does he use a rubber grommet around the bolt for vibe protection too?Hobart EZ-Tig newbie.
Reply:I like 5052 H32.  Bends great.  6061 T6 can be bent on a larger radius without cracking, but  the HAZ goes dead soft on any aluminum so the weld area is the weakest part.MILLER 330 AB/PMILLER GOLD STAR 130KUBOTA BX24CASE MINI HAY PRESSBENCH MILLHYPERTHERM 45BABY HOSSFELD
Reply:How can you tell where the HAZ is on aluminum?Is there any general rule of thumb with aluminum and numbers like higher number means softer or harder or anything like that?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Here is some 2024 aluminum that I welded, and cut.  See where the cut part is a different color near the weld (looks darker there)?  That's where the structure of the metal changed from the heat ("heat affected zone")You can't always see it this easily, there is a more complicated "etching" process involving polishing the metal and using acids that is more typically performed to see it. Attached Images
Reply:I'm not sure why, but 2024 alum. is not recommended for welding.  Also 7075.MILLER 330 AB/PMILLER GOLD STAR 130KUBOTA BX24CASE MINI HAY PRESSBENCH MILLHYPERTHERM 45BABY HOSSFELD
Reply:The 2xxx and 7xxx aluminum alloys are both heat-treatable alloy families, and are sometimes referred to as 'aircraft aluminum'.2xxx family is principally alloyed with copper.7xxx family is principally alloyed with zinc, sometimes also has magnesium and/or copper as well.Both alloy families are usually considered as Not-Weldable, mostly because of crack sensitivity and/or hot cracking issues.  Only a very few specific alloys in those families are considered weldable (2014, 2219, 2519 weldable with 4043 filler, 7005 with 5356 filler usually, except use 4043 filler if welding 7005 to cast alloys like 356).2024 and 7075 are specifically listed/considered as Not-Weldable.re: bending aluminum.  A good bit depends on just how tight of a bend you are trying to do.  Minimal, large radius bend may be done with several different aluminum alloys.But for  a 'hard' tight bend, you really need a pretty ductile ('bendable') alloy.  Like the mentioned 5052.  Or you have to anneal the aluminum pretty much to the level of 'dead-soft'.  Note though that such soft aluminum is also not very strong.  Catch-22 there sometimes.  General anneal temp for non heat-treatable aluminum alloys is 650-700F.  Note that annealed or welded noheat-treated aluminum is pretty much back to the "O"  or dead-soft level and is thus about as weak and ductile/bendable as the alloy can get.Also note or be aware of anodizing issues with different alloys and fillers (4043 anodizes to dark grey/black) and service temp limits (150F for most 5xxx alloys because of  stress corrosion cracking issues at higher temps).Aluminum is not steel.  Fab, welding, and overall properties are different between the two metals.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:3003 aluminumTim Beeker.
Reply:Can 6061 be bent and not cracked if it's heated to temp?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRise2024 and 7075 specifically listed/considered as Not-Weldable.
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleCan 6061 be bent and not cracked if it's heated to temp?
Reply:Originally Posted by riley mcmillanGet a carburizing flame and keep it moving, watch the flame bouncing off the surface and when flame bounces off orange, it is annealed.  Don't linger or it will melt.  I've done this many times, a long time ago.
Reply:Originally Posted by riley mcmillanGet a carburizing flame and keep it moving, watch the flame bouncing off the surface and when flame bounces off orange, it is annealed.  Don't linger or it will melt.  I've done this many times, a long time ago.
Reply:Im working on aluminum project this week (i already asked some questions in other thread about that) and one part of this project is FB 1/2 X 4'' X 13'' long, wich i had to make a 90 Degs bend (to make a L Shape) i had this pieces to make arround 12X.We don't have a good brake to do this so my boss does make them by a sheet metal place where they bend stuff for us.they all cracked at the outside corner of the bend and for time, cost and not heavy force will be on this part we choose to weld the crack and buff it!I notice the aluminum grade on the part was marked as 6061 T6, i also notice that the bend was really tight. probably the minimum radius (wich, i think its a wierd choice from a company where they do bending all the time anyway). At night i asked my step father about that because he's a regular worker of aluminum, i talk to him about that problem and he tell me about what he's company use for bending is called ''Utility Grade Aluminum''what about this Utility Grade Aluminum ?at the end, when i notice those cracked on my parts the first day, i tried to heat a 1/2 Plate (same as used on my parts) and tried to bend it on my table, its worked really good without any cracks, just a wierd finnish on the aluminum similar to orange skin where the flame was, i also heat the part with the same flame setting i use for cutting material because i've not understand the right setting as mentioned for heating!Calculator > Bevel Square