{"id":5681,"date":"2020-01-28T18:03:46","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T15:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/?p=5681"},"modified":"2024-01-26T17:25:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T15:25:26","slug":"what-is-sheet-metal-fabrication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/what-is-sheet-metal-fabrication\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Sheet Metal Fabrication?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Updated 16 August 2023<\/h6>\n

Sheet metal fabrication is the process of forming metal sheets to the desired shape using different manufacturing methods<\/strong>. The completion of a product usually comprises of many steps – from cutting and bending to surface treatment and assembling.<\/p>\n

Often times a variety of fabrication techniques can be used to achieve a similar end result. But the right choice<\/em> still exists, depending on the costs and needs.<\/p>\n

Types of Metal Fabrication Processes<\/h2>\n

The journey from sheet metal to metal products starts with CAD engineering<\/a>. After making the models, each part goes through the necessary sheet metal fabrication processes. The most common ones are:<\/p>\n

Thermal Cutting<\/h3>\n

\"Laser<\/p>\n

Laser cutting is the preferred option for cutting sheets. A very quick and precise cutting method that guarantees good results.<\/p>\n

With thicker materials, plasma cutting<\/a> may be used because of its quickness. This advantage is only evident with thicknesses upward of 10 mm though.<\/p>\n

At the same time, cutting quality favours laser cutting. So we would advise you to rather go with laser cutting services<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mechanical Cutting<\/h3>\n

Shearing, or die cutting<\/a>, refers to a process that cuts sheet metal without burning or melting it. Also, it does not produce any chips. In essence, shearing is not too different from cutting with scissors.<\/p>\n

In shearing, a punch presses the workpiece against a fixed die or blade. The clearance between is such that the workpiece does not fit through, causing it to shear.<\/p>\n

It is a great and cost-effective method to cut sheets into size whenever complex cuts are not necessary.<\/p>\n

Punching<\/h3>\n

Punching<\/a> is another way of cutting holes into a sheet. A metal punch hits the sheet, perforating it. It is suitable for large-scale production but not cost-effective for smaller jobs. The reason lies in the need for a separate tool for different cuts.<\/p>\n

Bending<\/h3>\n

When it comes to actual engineering, there aren’t many metal components that elude the bending section of a fabrication shop. Press brakes are responsible for the folding of sheet metal parts.<\/p>\n

This is probably the most difficult step in metal manufacturing because of the complexity of some bends. An engineer must be well acquainted with the limitations of metal bending to things that are actually producible.<\/p>\n

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