Definition
A metal-forming process in which sheet metal or tubing is bent to a desired shape at room temperature, without heating the material before or during the bend.
Plain English
Bending metal into shape while it is cold, instead of heating it first to make it easier to bend.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance and sheet-metal repair when brackets, panels, tubes, or other metal parts are shaped or repaired.
Derivation
Straightforward: 'cold' refers to the metal being at normal shop temperature, and 'bending' is the forming action. The term exists to distinguish it from hot bending, where the metal is heated first to soften it.
Why Pilots Care
Cold bending work-hardens the metal at the bend, which can lead to cracks if the bend radius is too tight or if the material is bent and straightened repeatedly. Mechanics and owners need to recognize when cold bending is acceptable and when a part must be heat-treated or replaced.
Analogy
It is like bending a paper clip without warming it first: it can be shaped, but if you bend it too sharply or too many times, it weakens and may break.
Intuition Check
Cold does not mean the metal has been chilled or frozen here. It means the metal is bent without adding heat first.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic cold bent the aluminum tubing to fit the new fuel line routing.
Example Sentence 2
Cold bending preserves the strength of the material when making minor adjustments to brackets.