Metal fabrication is the process of converting raw materials into machines or structures for industrial application. Metal fabrication is a core and indispensable part of the manufacturing industry. A sheet of metal can be fabricated into any shape, size and style imaginable to suit a given project. Considering their predominant role in manufacturing industry, it pays to get an insight on the working of metal fabrication for your better understanding.
Ways to Fabricate Metals:
The most common way to fabricate a metal is by cutting and burning them. Under this procedure, special band saws with hardened blades and feed mechanism are used to cut metals. This method is ideal to cut huge sheet of metals accurately without any chipping.
Drilling is another method used in fabricating metals. Drilling is mainly done to puncture holes or slots into beams and sections of metals. For high density drilling requirement, CNC machines are used. There are usually two types of CNC machines available: vertical and horizontal, which are further classified based on the number of axis attached.
Welding is another major procedure utilized in metal fabrication. In this process, pieces of metal are assembled together and tack welded into place. During the welding of metal, special precautions must be undertaken to prevent steel from warping due to excess heat.
The Popularity of Metal Fabrication:
Metal fabrication is an important service and operation in construction, transportation industry, and many manufacturing firms and industries. There are few skills which are as universally needed as this one is. Most people have some experience or have at least seen some form of this process. If you have ever seen metal being cut or being welded together, you have seen metal fabrication. There are many other things included in the process but those are some of the more common ones. In the modern world, it is done with more technology and tools. Metal fabrication, as a business activity, is among the lifeblood of many economies since it produces wide range of high value products and it also employs lots of employees.
Methods of Metal Fabrication:
When it comes to metal fabrication, there is a wide array of options available. Deep drawing, rubber forming, hydro forming, and high energy rate forming are some common methods to look for. Before you opt for any particular method, you need to first take into account the mechanical properties of the metal like yield strength, tensile strength, ductility, and thermal conductivity.
- Deep drawing is one of the most popular methods available in metal fabrication. Under the procedure, metal dice are used to fabricate sheet of metal into desired shapes. Deep drawing method is especially useful when it comes to producing high volume metal units as it substantially cuts down on production cost. The method is highly recommended for product geometrics that are not achievable in any other method of metal fabrication.
- Hydro forming is cost effective method available in fabricating ductile metals. This method of metal fabricating is most commonly used in automotive industry where there is a need to produce complex auto parts in diverse dimension. Generally, the fabrication process is classified in two distinct categories: sheet hydro forming and tube hydro forming. When compared to other metal fabrication procedures, hydro forming renders accurate and faster results, costs lower, and is highly reliable.
- High Energy Rate Forming also popularly termed as HERF are widely used to fabricate wide variety of metals including alloys, brass, aluminium, etc. This procedure is normally applied in aerospace and aircraft industry. Under the process, explosive forming chemical energy is used to process metals into desired configuration. The chemical energy that is used to process the metal is very small, but it is capable of exerting tremendous force that will fabricate the metal on real time basis.
The Bottom Line:
Metal Fabrication is a complex industrial process and comprises of several stages which can be broadly classified into two categories namely material removal and material deformation. The method of fabrication that you use to cut the metal can go a long way in determining the overall cost of production. You need to carefully assess your needs in order to make the right choice..