Need help coming up with an equation for a bend angle calculation

In summary, the distance from the laser to the tube is 100mm and the angle is less than 90 when the distance is greater than 100.
  • #1
nddwind
5
0
Apologies if this is the wrong forum.

I have an application where I need to measure the bend angle of a tube and display the resulting angle on a screen. I am using a laser mounted in a fixed location which reports distance back to my controller, (scaled to millimeters.) I am measuring from 92 degrees to 88degrees with 90 degrees being nominal. Is there a formula for converting a distance measurement to an angle? I am aiming to achieve .05degree resolution, so 90.05degrees, 90.1, 90.15, etc.. At first I thought that because the distance and range that I was measuring was so short I could use a simple linear equation to scale my distance to an angle but it seems that the rate of change between each degree is much higher than I thought. Also if it helps I'm about 18 inches away from the bend radius.

I am pretty terrible at math, and I'm not even sure if this would be described as a differential equation that I am looking for.

I've attached a picture if it helps.

Thank you for your time.
 

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  • #2
More information is needed. Is 18 inches the horizontal distance from the laser to the tube at ##90\deg##? What is the vertical distance from the tube pivot point to the laser intersection point?
 
  • #3
Vertical distance from pivot point to the point on the tube that the laser hits is roughly 311mm, horizontal distance is 100mm from tube at 90 degrees. (the 18inches I provided was way off)

Thank you
 
  • #4
Try angle=atan2d((100-x), 311) + 90, where x=distance from laser to tube in mm and the angle is less than 90 when the distance is greater than 100.
 
  • #5
Thank you for the reply, how would I use atan2d, or how could I enter that equation into a online calculator like desmos
 
  • #6
Think I got it, thank you
 
  • #7
Is there another way to write the atan2d function? Or write the equation you gave without using the atan2d function? My controller doesn't have that math option

Thanks for all the help

My controller does has atan and atan2 instructions
 
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  • #8
I believe the only difference between atan2 and atan2d is the first is in radians and the second is in degrees
 

FAQ: Need help coming up with an equation for a bend angle calculation

How do I calculate the bend angle of a material?

To calculate the bend angle of a material, you will need to use the equation: bend angle = (arc length / radius) x (180/pi). The arc length can be measured using a protractor or by taking a measurement of the curved section of the material. The radius can be determined by measuring the distance from the center of the bend to the edge of the material.

Can I use this equation for any type of material?

Yes, this equation can be used for any type of material as long as you have accurate measurements of the arc length and radius.

Is there a specific unit of measurement that should be used for the arc length and radius?

The unit of measurement used for the arc length and radius should be consistent. It is recommended to use either inches or centimeters for both measurements.

What if the material has multiple bends?

If the material has multiple bends, you will need to calculate the bend angle for each individual bend using the same equation. You can then add the individual bend angles together to get the total bend angle for the material.

Can I use this equation for both convex and concave bends?

Yes, this equation can be used for both convex and concave bends. However, it is important to note that the bend angle will be positive for convex bends and negative for concave bends.

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