Hello from Houston

[B T Dudley]

My name is BT and I live in Houston, Tx. I have a very unusual requirement for louvers on an aircraft engine cowl. The louvers need to be formed on a 5" W x 22" L piece of 18ga aluminum. The workpiece will have a 6.5" radius perpendicular to the long axis and the louvers will be stamped into this curved panel. Wish me luck.

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by B T Dudley

My name is BT and I live in Houston, Tx. I have a very unusual requirement for louvers on an aircraft engine cowl. The louvers need to be formed on a 5" W x 22" L piece of 18ga aluminum. The workpiece will have a 6.5" radius perpendicular to the long axis and the louvers will be stamped into this curved panel. Wish me luck.

Hi BT,
Good Luck.
(ps, are these "innies" or "outies"?)
I see a lot of louvers on old aeroplanes.

[B T Dudley]

These will be "inies".

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by B T Dudley

These will be "inies".

Good images.
The rearward angle helps reduce the curve. Helpful.

I've made louvers using several diff. methods, cars, planes.
I think .... for me .... modified Pullmax louver dies .... for this application.


Tricky to arch the louver flange inwards ... on outside curve.

Cut/punch dies ideal .... time-consuming to get right.

[B T Dudley]

The 22" long x 5" wide louver panels (one left and one right) are pre-cut with 1/16" slits for each of the 16 (per panel) louvers. The dies don't need to pierce the panels. The panels are then curved (radiused) using a pinch roller. The louvers are then stamped. Note that there needs to be both a left and right die..just to make things more difficult.
I'm working with a shop that says they've had success using 3D printed (PLA) dies. With pre-cut slits, the force required to form the louvers is much reduced so they say.
To date, I've cut and slit the panels, had the panels rolled to the 6.5" radius, and sent everything to the shop to be stamped. They are working on the CAD/CAM design for the 3D printer. Will advise.