That said, metal fabrication puts metal through various processes, such as folding and cutting. Today, we will share with you the various processes in metal fabrication to help you understand what it takes to turn plain sheet metal into the products we use today:
1. Folding
This process is done when a metal sheet is placed on a moving table, called a press brake. The press brake uses enormous amounts of force to bend the sheet material. This process creates a “folded” piece of sheet metal, which has a precise shape and size.
2. Cutting
This process is the opposite of folding, where the metal is cut with a saw into precise shapes, sizes and forms. The metals used in fabricating the products we use today are often cut into specific shapes and sizes to fit better the purposes they are going to serve.
3. Stamping
A form of metal fabrication that is used to form metal using dies and tools, stamping is a process used to cut out multiple individual parts that are identical in shape, size and direction.
4. Punching
This is another commonly used process in creating finished products, particularly in the auto industry. The process of punching involves cutting a small hole into the metal, which is usually done with punches and dies. Punching is often used to create holes in parts of the vehicle body or even in the seats.
5. Bending
Bending refers to that process where a sheet of metal is placed on a moving table or a press brake, where force is applied to the sheet to change the angle of the sheet. This process is often used to create gentle curves in metal sheets.
6. Forming
Forming is more of a recent process wherein the metal is placed in a mould to change the shape of the metal. Usually, a form is used to mould the sheet into a cylindrical shape.
7. Welding
This process is a particularly handy tool used to join two pieces of metal together. Although there are many types of welding processes, the most common process involves heating the two pieces until they melt, then the pieces are joined to form one united piece of metal.
8. Finishing
This process involves various tasks, such as anodizing, painting and surface finishing. Anodizing, for instance, is the process where a protective coating is applied to the metal to prevent it from rusting. Painting is a similar process wherein additional layers of colour are applied to the metal.
Conclusion
As you can see, metal fabrication is a very intricate and meticulous process. Although it’s a time-consuming process, the finished products are incredibly durable, which is why metal fabricators need to be very precise in the details and measurements to ensure that the finished product is of high quality.
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