To those unfamiliar with the field, metal fabrication is just another branch of construction or engineering. Sheet metal is fabricated by cutting, bending, and manipulating it to achieve the desired form. Sheet metal (in varying thicknesses) is frequently worked into finished products during manufacturing. Because of this, sheet metal fabrication is better understood as a set of related forming processes that, when brought together, yield a finished product.
Since sheet metal fabrication is a specialized field, working with a metal fabricator who is well-versed in all aspects of the industry can be extremely beneficial. A sheet metal fabrication company is a perfect partner when an industrial project calls for developing intricate sheet metal designs and components. The entire process of adding such a feature is time-consuming and demanding. For these types of projects, you’ll need the help of a team of specialists who can join the fabricated sheet metal with the rest of the building.
Presented here is an introduction to the fundamentals of sheet metal fabrication from the perspective of business and building. It’s crucial to make this distinction because most sheet metal fabrication occurs in garages, auto shops, and welding shops.
An Overview of Sheet Metal Fabrication
Scheduling
The first step in any construction project is to create plans and blueprints. If you were the project manager or specialist contractor, you’d also recognize the need for a sheet metal fabrication expert. Initial drawings for submission to a metal shop or metal supplier will be based on the sheet metal specifications determined by the engineers’ blueprints.
Most sheet metal fabrication must be done in a separate facility, away from the actual construction site, due to the necessity of using large, heavy machinery. The drawings need to be finalized quickly enough to be ready for installation and reviewed thoroughly to prevent any problems and avoid making changes after the metal has been fabricated and delivered to the site. Once the specifications for the finished product have been established, the metal fabricator will receive the final shop drawings.
Fabrication
Metal fabricators use various methods to bend and shape metal sheets. Metal fabrication works with various metals, including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and softer metals like copper and brass. Some of the most typical approaches to fabricating with sheet metal are described below.
For any parts that need to be made from 3D CAD files, sheet metal fabricators can offer fast and affordable sheet metal prototype fabrication solutions. They can typically be components in any quantity, from single units for prototyping to thousands for mass production.
Techniques Used in Routine Sheet Metal Fabrication
1. Cutting
Welding edges from previous projects can sometimes be rough when new sheet metal is delivered to the shop. The metal may have been salvaged from other projects, or the parts may have been scraps. Cutting is typically the first step in fabricating with sheet metal. To prepare for further processing, such as bending or punching, sharp, clean edges must be formed, and cutting accomplishes both goals. The fabricator will typically start with a rectangular metal sheet and cut it to the final dimensions per the blueprints. Metal fabricators of a certain size will use giant robotic machines to ensure perfect accuracy.
However, their exteriors may be pricey or inaccessible for the same reasons as these machines. If you need perfectly straight lines, don’t expect your local fabricator to use a plasma cutter; instead, they’ll probably use a stomp shear. To use sheer force, as in cutting, requires a shear. These machines are typically operated on foot and do not need electricity. Nevertheless, the final metal product’s size and the project’s scope may necessitate you to approach larger, industrial-scale businesses. Instead of shearing, metal fabricators with such a focus on precision will typically use laser, plasma, or water cutting to get to that 0.1-millimeter level.
2. Bending
Bending is just as important as cutting when working with sheet metal. Bending metal into the desired shape or angle is essential in every metalworking project. In the construction industry, more than a simple metal sheet is required. If they do, it’s probably in tandem with some other fabricated or bent parts. Here, the sheet metal is bent, as the name implies. On the other hand, sheet metal fabrication bends more like folding than actual bending.
U-bends are common, but V-bends and other angles are also used. Therefore, accurate bending techniques are extremely challenging and require a highly skilled manufacturer. The problem of “spring back,” which plagues sheet metal fabrication, only adds to the already high degree of difficulty. The manufacturer can counteract this effect by overbending the material to the point where it recoils and springs back into the desired shape.
3. Punching
Metal fabricators frequently use this method to make holes in sheets of metal. The process of punching uses a heavy punch and a strong force to make a hole of a specific diameter and depth in a piece of metal. Rather than cutting straight through the metal, punching can be used to make indentations for specific purposes.
4. Joining
After the sheet metal has been bent and shaped, any exposed, touching edges must be welded. Sheet metal fabrications can have their edges or sides joined in several ways. Welding is the most typical approach, but brazing, riveting, and adhesives may also be necessary, depending on the details of the project. To reduce potential dangers and create a clean, precise seam, welding calls for the expertise of trained professionals.
5. Finishing
After the metal has been cut and formed to the project’s specifications, it needs to apply a surface finish. This changes the appearance of sheet metal fabrication from rough metal to smooth precision. Painting, powder coating, silk screening, and applying sealants and other protective layers are all common finishing processes. Some of the properties of the sheet metal, such as its resistance or conductivity, can be improved through additional finishing treatments.
Conclusion
Sheet metal fabrication is both an art and a science. If your project needs formed sheet metal, you will need a skilled metal fabricator because there are many ways to do it.