BRITISH STANDARD

Metallic materials
Bend test

The European Standard EN ISO 7438:2005 has the status of a

British Standard

ICS 77.040.10

12&23<,1*:,7+287%6,3(50,66,21(;&(37$63(50,77('%<&23<5,*+7/$:

BS EN ISO
7438:2005

BS EN ISO 7438:2005

National foreword
This British Standard is the official English language version of
EN ISO 7438:2005. It is identical with ISO 7438:2005. It supersedes
BS EN ISO 7438:2000 which is withdrawn.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted by Technical Committee
ISE/NFE/4, Mechanical testing of metals, to Subcommittee ISE/NFE/4/2,
Ductility testing, which has the responsibility to:

aid enquirers to understand the text;

present to the responsible international/European committee any

enquiries on the interpretation, or proposals for change, and keep UK
interests informed;

monitor related international and European developments and

promulgate them in the UK.

A list of organizations represented on this subcommittee can be obtained on

request to its secretary.
Cross-references
The British Standards which implement international or European
publications referred to in this document may be found in the BSI Catalogue
under the section entitled International Standards Correspondence Index, or
by using the Search facility of the BSI Electronic Catalogue or of British
Standards Online.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
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Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, the EN ISO title
page, the EN ISO foreword page, the ISO title page, pages ii to iv, pages 1 to 8,
an inside back cover and a back cover.
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the
document was last issued.
Amendments issued since publication
This British Standard was
published under the authority
of the Standards Policy and
Strategy Committee
on 21 October 2005
BSI 21 October 2005

ISBN 0 580 46375 3

Amd. No.

Date

Comments

EN ISO 7438

EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPENNE
EUROPISCHE NORM

June 2005

ICS 77.040.10

Supersedes EN ISO 7438:2000

English version

Metallic materials - Bend test (ISO 7438:2005)

Matriaux mtalliques - Essai de pliage (ISO 7438:2005)

Metallische Werkstoffe - Biegeversuch (ISO 7438:2005)

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 13 June 2005.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official
versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION

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Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36

2005 CEN

All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved

worldwide for CEN national Members.

B-1050 Brussels

Ref. No. EN ISO 7438:2005: E

EN ISO 7438:2005

Foreword
This document (EN ISO 7438:2005) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 164
"Mechanical testing of metals" in collaboration with Technical Committee ECISS/TC 1 "Steel Mechanical testing", the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of
an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by December 2005, and conflicting national
standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by December 2005.
This document supersedes EN ISO 7438:2000.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of
the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 7438:2005 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 7438:2005 without any
modifications.

EN ISO 7438:2005

INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD

ISO
7438
Second edition
2005-06-15

Metallic materials Bend test

Matriaux mtalliques Essai de pliage

Reference number
ISO 7438:2005(E)

ii

EN ISO 7438:2005

Contents

Page

Foreword............................................................................................................................................................ iv
1

Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 1

Symbols and designations .................................................................................................................. 1

Principle ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Test equipment ..................................................................................................................................... 2

Test piece .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Procedure .............................................................................................................................................. 5

Interpretation of results........................................................................................................................ 7

Test report ............................................................................................................................................. 7

Annex A (informative) Determination of the bend angle from the measurement of the
displacement of the former.................................................................................................................. 8

iii

EN ISO 7438:2005

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 7438 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 164, Mechanical testing of metals, Subcommittee
SC 2, Ductility testing.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 7438:1985), which has been technically revised.

iv

EN ISO 7438:2005

Metallic materials Bend test

Scope

This International Standard specifies a method for determining the ability of metallic materials to undergo
plastic deformation in bending.
This International Standard applies to test pieces taken from metallic products, as specified in the relevant
product standard. It is not applicable to certain materials or products, for example tubes in full section or
welded joints, for which other standards exist.

Symbols and designations

Symbols and designations used in the bend test are shown in Figures 1 and 2 and specified in Table 1.
Table 1 Symbols and designations
Symbol

Designation

Unit

Thickness or diameter of test piece (or diameter of the inscribed circle

for pieces of polygonal cross-section)

mm

Width of the test piece

mm

Length of the test piece

mm

Distance between supports

mm

Diameter of the former

mm

Angle of bend

Internal radius of bend portion of test piece after bending

mm

Displacement of the former

mm

Distance between the plane including the horizontal axis of supports

and the central axis of the rounded portion of the former before test

mm

Distance between the vertical planes including the central axis and the
vertical axis of each support and the vertical plane including the
horizontal central axis of the former after test

mm

degrees

Principle

The bend test consists of submitting a test piece of round, square, rectangular or polygonal cross-section to
plastic deformation by bending, without changing the direction of loading, until a specified angle of bend is
reached.
The axes of two legs of the test piece remain in a plane perpendicular to the axis of bending. In the case of a
180 bend, the two lateral surfaces may, depending on the requirements of the product standard, lie flat
against each other or may be parallel at a specified distance, an insert being used to control this distance.

EN ISO 7438:2005

4
4.1

Test equipment
General

The bend test shall be carried out in testing machines or presses equipped with the following devices:
a)

bending device with two supports and a former as shown in Figure 1;

b)

bending device with a V-block and a former as shown in Figure 2;

c)

bending device with a clamp as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1

Figure 2

EN ISO 7438:2005

Key
1
2

clamp
former

Figure 3

4.2

Bending device with supports and a former

4.2.1 The length of the supports and the width of the former shall be greater than the width or diameter of
the test piece. The diameter of the former is determined by the product standard. The test piece supports and
the former shall be of sufficient hardness (see Figure 1).
4.2.2

Unless otherwise specified, the distance between the supports, l, shall be:

l = ( D + 3a )

a
2

(1)

and shall not change during the bend test.

4.3

Bending device with a V-block

The tapered surfaces of the V-block shall form an angle of 180 (see Figure 2). The angle is specified in
the relevant standard.
The edges of the V-block shall have a radius between 1 to 10 times the thickness of the test piece and shall
be of sufficient hardness.

4.4

Bending device with a clamp

The device consists of a clamp and a former of sufficient hardness; it may be equipped with a lever for
applying force to the test piece (see Figure 3).
Because the position of the left face of the clamp could influence the test results, the left face of the clamp (as
shown in Figure 3) should not reach up to or beyond the vertical line through the centre of the circular former
shape.

EN ISO 7438:2005

5
5.1

Test piece
General

Round, square, rectangular, or polygonal cross-section test pieces shall be used in the test. Any areas of the
material affected by shearing or flame cutting and similar operations during sampling of test pieces shall be
removed. However, testing a test piece, the affected parts of which have not been removed, is acceptable,
provided the result is satisfactory.

5.2

Edges of rectangular test pieces

The edges of rectangular test pieces shall be rounded to a radius not exceeding the following values:

3 mm, when the thickness of the test pieces is 50 mm or greater;

1,5 mm, when the thickness of the test pieces is less than 50 mm and more than or equal to 10 mm
(inclusive);

1 mm when the thickness is less than 10 mm.

The rounding shall be made so that no transverse burrs, scratches or marks are formed which might
adversely affect the test results. However, testing a test piece, the edges of which have not been rounded, is
acceptable, provided that the result is satisfactory.

5.3

Width of the test piece

Unless otherwise specified in the relevant standard, the width of the test piece shall be as follows:
a)

the same as the product width, if the latter is equal to or less than 20 mm;

b)

when the width of a product is more than 20 mm:

5.4

(20 5) mm for products of thickness less than 3 mm,

between 20 mm and 50 mm for products of thickness equal to or greater than 3 mm.

Thickness of the test piece

5.4.1 The thickness of test pieces from sheets, strips and sections shall be equal to the thickness of the
product to be tested. If the thickness of the product is greater than 25 mm, it may be reduced by machining
one surface to attain a thickness not less than 25 mm. During bending, the unmachined side shall be on the
tension-side surface of the test piece.
5.4.2 Test pieces of round or polygonal cross-section shall have a cross-section equal to that of the product,
if the diameter (for a round cross-section) or inscribed circle diameter (for a polygonal cross-section) does not
exceed 30 mm. When the diameter, or the inscribed circle diameter, of the test piece exceeds 30 mm up to
and including 50 mm, it may be reduced to not less than 25 mm. When the diameter, or inscribed circle
diameter, exceeds 50 mm it shall be reduced to not less than 25 mm (see Figure 4). During bending, the
unmachined side shall be on the tension-side surface of the test piece.

EN ISO 7438:2005

Dimensions in millimetres

Figure 4

5.5

Test pieces from forgings, castings and semi-finished products

In the case of forgings, castings and semi-finished products, the dimensions of the test piece and sampling
shall be as defined in the general delivery requirements, or by agreement.

5.6

Agreement for test pieces of greater thickness and width

By agreement, test pieces of a greater width and thickness than those specified in 5.3 and 5.4 may be
subjected to the bend test.

5.7

Length of the test piece

The length of the test piece depends on the thickness of the test piece and the test equipment used.

Procedure

WARNING During the test, adequate safety measures and guarding equipment shall be provided.
6.1 In general, tests are carried out at ambient temperature between 10 C and 35 C. Tests carried out
under controlled conditions, where required, shall be made at a temperature of (23 5) C.
6.2 The bend test shall be carried out using one of the following methods as specified in the relevant
standard:
a)

a specified angle of bend is achieved under an appropriate force and for the given conditions (see
Figures 1, 2 and 3);

b)

the legs of the test piece are parallel to each other at a specified distance apart while under an
appropriate force (see Figure 6);

c)

the legs of the test piece are in direct contact while under an appropriate force (see Figure 7).

EN ISO 7438:2005

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7
6.3 In the bend test to a specified angle of bend, the test piece shall be placed on the supports (see
Figure 1) or on the V-block (see Figure 2) and bent in the middle between supports by the action of a force.
The angle of bend, , can be calculated from the measurement of the displacement of the former as given in
Annex A.
For the three methods (Figures 1, 2 and 3), the bending force shall be applied slowly so as to permit free
plastic flow of the material.
In case of dispute, a testing rate of (1 0,2) mm/s shall be used.
If it is not possible to bend the test piece directly to the specified angle in the manner described above, the
bend shall be completed by pressing directly on the ends of the legs of the test piece (see Figure 5).
In a bend test requiring parallel legs, the test piece may be bent first, as indicated in Figure 5, and then placed
between the parallel plates of the press (see Figure 6), where it is further formed by application of a force to
obtain parallelism of the legs. The test may be carried out with or without an insert. The thickness of the insert
shall be as defined in the relevant standard or by agreement.
An alternate method of test is that of bending over a former (see 4.4).

EN ISO 7438:2005

6.4 If specified, the test piece, after its preliminary bending, shall be further bent between the parallel plates
of the press, by application of a force, to obtain direct contact between the legs of the test piece (see Figure 7).

Interpretation of results

7.1 The interpretation of the bend test shall be carried out according to the requirements of the product
standard. When these requirements are not specified, absence of cracks visible without the use of magnifying
aids is considered as evidence that the test piece withstood the bend test.
7.2 The angle of bend, specified in product standards, is always considered as a minimum. If the internal
radius of a bend is specified, it is considered as a maximum.

Test report

The test report shall include the following information:

a)

a reference to this International Standard;

b)

identification of the test piece (type of material, cast number, direction of the test piece axis relative to a
product, etc.);

c)

shape and dimensions of the test piece;

d)

test method;

e)

any deviation from this International Standard;

f)

test result.

EN ISO 7438:2005

Annex A
(informative)
Determination of the bend angle from the measurement
of the displacement of the former

This International Standard specifies the determination of the bend angle, , of a test piece under force. The
direct measurement of this angle is complicated. For this reason, the method of calculation of this angle from
the measurement of the displacement, f, of the former is proposed. The bend angle, , of the test piece under
force can be determined from the displacement of the former and the values given in Figure A.1, as follows:

sin

cos

p c + W ( f c)
p 2 + ( f c) 2
W p c ( f c)
p 2 + ( f c) 2

(A.1)

(A.2)

where

W =

p 2 + ( f c) 2 c 2

c = 25 + a +

D
2

(A.3)
(A.4)

Dimensions in millimetres

Figure A.1 Values for the calculation of the bend angle,

blank

BS EN ISO
7438:2005

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