Sheet metal fabrication is a process of creating volume from flat sheet material for limitless application. It usually involves cutting, forming, rolling, or pressing the sheet metal. This process uses special tools to design specifications so that they can be assembled with other components to create finished products. Some of the common industrial and commercial items produced by sheet metal fabrication include:
Depending on the requirements of the design and application, there are numerous sheet metal fabrication techniques available; including forming, stamping, punching, rolling, laser cutting, and shearing.
Sheet metal forming is an effective method for producing sheet metal parts into complex three-dimensional shapes, using minimal material. The desired shape is achieved through plastic deformation, no machining is necessary.
There are two major categories of sheet metal forming: hot and cold forming. Hot forming is when the raw material is manipulated into shape while in a partially liquefied state; this can be achieved through localized heat from a torch, heated tooling, or specialized ovens. This becomes more necessary with thicker materials and more complex shapes. Cold forming is when metal is formed at/near room temperature through the use of high-tonnage presses and standardized tooling. This is more applicable to thinner materials and less organic shapes.
Robotics are applied to sheet metal forming to increase overall productivity and to cut down some of the upfront tooling costs; which are seen in other fabrication methods, such as stamping.
Sheet metal stamping is a forming process that creates three-dimensional shapes through permanent deformation. It employs a mechanical or hydraulic press and a custom-designed punch and die set to create stamped parts and is suitable for producing large quantities of high-precision metal parts at low costs. However, initial set-up costs are often very high and tooling life and maintenance can lead to hidden costs.
Sheet metal stamping is often used to create metal parts used in the automotive, household appliance, and medical industries.
Similar to stamping, Sheet Metal Punching uses heavy machinery and a punch-and-die assembly to put holes or indents into pieces of sheet metal. As the machine forces the punch component through the metal, the metal underneath the punch separates from the rest of the sheet. The cut metal is then collected in a container and saved for future use or recycling. Punching was the primary method for CNC sheet metal cutting for many years before the development of water and laser cutting tools and it still specializes in high-speed hole application and low-consumable production costs.
Sheet Metal Punching can create specific shapes and designs in finished parts and components, such as vent openings.
Sheet metal rolling passes the metal through three rollers to shorten one face of the material and elongate the opposite face causing a progressive curvature in the sheet. This can be done to create complete tubes or to roll to a specific profile. More advanced rolling machines form extremely complex tangential profiles with precision and repeatability. Some products made using this process include lock-seam pipes, welded pipes, and open-butt-joint pipes.
Laser cutting directs a high-powered laser through optical components to cut sheet metal into custom shapes and designs for industrial and commercial applications. Compared to similar processes, such as plasma cutting, it is more precise and uses less energy, and is suitable for cutting and engraving a variety of metals, including aluminum, copper, and steel.
For thicker material, water jet cutting may be better suited. Most laser cutters cannot cut above 1” thick material.
Shearing employs a set of upper and lower straight-edge blades to cut flat metal stock—such as aluminum, brass, bronze, and stainless steel—into separate pieces. The blades are typically offset from each other with the upper blade angled to facilitate the cutting operation. This process is usually used to cut sheet metal into smaller sizes to prepare it for further processing, rapid prototyping of simple parts, and is commonly used in A/C duct manufacturing.
There are many different techniques used in sheet metal fabrication. These techniques include stamping, punching, rolling, and shearing. Each technique has a distinct purpose and is used to create different shapes and components, these often require additional finishing and treatment processes following fabrication.
Pro-Type Industries, Inc. has been committed to providing customers with precision sheet metal fabrication services since 1969. Our team has the experience and expertise to get the job done properly and promptly. These qualities combined with some of the most advanced metal fabrication equipment available, allow us to provide exceptional quality.
Contact us today to learn more about how Pro-Type Industries can help you with your fabrication needs, or request a quote for your project.