When people talk about sheet metal fabrication, they are discussing the process that is used to manipulate materials to create a component that will be used in an end product. It involves a material being cut, formed and finished. Sheet metal fabrication is used in pretty much every sort of manufacturing field, notably in medical equipment, computers, electronics and appliances. Essentially, anything that is constructed out of or contains metal will have gone through these processes:
Cutting
There are a number of ways that sheet metal can be cut into smaller pieces – shearing involves a cutting machine using shear stress to cut down a large piece of material into smaller ones; electrical discharge machining (EDM) involves conductive materials being melted with a spark from a charged electrode; abrasive cutting involves the use of grinders or saws to cut through material; and laser cutting involves the use of a laser for achieving precise cuts in sheet metal.
Forming
After the metal has been cut, it will be formed into what shape is desired for the component it is needed for. There are several techniques of forming that can be used – rolling involves flat pieces of metal being shaped over and over with a roll stand; bending and forming involves the material being manipulated by hand; stamping involves the use of tools to stamp designs into the sheet metal; punching involves holes being put into the surface; and welding involves one piece of material being joined to another using heat.
Finishing
Once the metal has been formed, it will be passed through a finishing process to ensure it is ready for use. This will involve the metal being sharpened or polished with an abrasive to remove or eliminate rough spots and edges. This process may also involve the metal being quickly cleaned or rinsed to ensure that it is completely clean when it is delivered to the factory for its intended purpose.
As you can see, sheet metal fabrication is highly important in the creation of any component that contains metal (from your laptop all the way through to the paperclips holding your files together). If you do not have the time or the resources to fabricate your own materials, you can employ a specialist fabricator to do this for you. Not only will this give you more time to focus on creating your products, it will ensure that you receive the best finish possible on your metal components.
Smflink will to support the best quality work for all the clients with experiences and sincerity. We can deal with mainly sheet metal and will meet your drawings standard with skill and cost control to help your business.