Introduction of Sheet Metal Fabrication
What is Sheet Metal Fabrication?
Sheet metal fabrication is the process of turning flat sheets of steel or aluminium into metal structures or products, by cutting, punching, folding and assembling. Sheet metal can be cut, bent or stretched into nearly any shape, which is generally done by cutting and burning the metal.
Metal sheet metal forming processes generally require the use of high quality molds to obtain the desired metal product.There are two main processing methods for sheet metal:
Non die processing: The process of sheet metal by digital punching, laser cutting, plate shearing machine, bending machine, rivet machine and other equipment, generally used for sample production or small batch production, with high cost. Short processing cycle, rapid response
Mold processing: through the fixed mold, the sheet metal processing, generally have the blanking die, forming die, mainly used for mass production, low cost. Early die cost is high, parts quality is guaranteed. The early processing cycle is long and the mold cost is high.
Application of sheet metal fabrication.
Sheet metal processing is one of the most important methods of metal fabrication. It can be used to create virtually any 2D sheet metal assemblies you can imagine. Brackets and fixtures are commonly manufactured using sheet metal processing because these components are often made from materials like stainless steel, copper, and aluminum, which can be quickly cut and bent without the need for molds. This ensures fast processing speeds, and professional sheet metal service providers can guarantee high precision.
Additionally, various metal panels and enclosures are manufactured using sheet metal processing. The ability to perform high-precision internal cutouts allows panels to accommodate hardware like displays and buttons with accuracy. Furthermore, our sheet metal processing includes engraving capabilities, enabling the integration of graphic elements into the finished product. This is particularly useful for panels requiring instructions or other important text.
Our sheet metal manufacturing services also include the production of various conductive terminals, such as metal power transition connectors, battery connectors, and more. In summary, our sheet metal processing services cater to a wide range of industries. If you have any needs, feel free to contact us.
Major Materials of Sheet Metal
Aluminium: Used for automotive parts, electrical devices, and cooking vessels. Offering numerous benefits including a good strength-to-weight ratio, and high conductivity.
Aluminised steel: This metal combines the high strength of carbon steel with aluminium’s superior corrosion resistance. Sheets of aluminised steel are used for products intended for high-temperature environments, such as kitchen appliances.
Carbon steel: Carbon steel is used in the industrial and consumer markets for a range of products. It is a steel alloy that contains carbon, resulting in the material increasing in hardness and strength when it undergoes heat treatment.
Copper: Examples of products made from copper are sinks, roofs, rain gutters, and doors. Copper features higher electrical and thermal conductivity in comparison to aluminium but can be more expensive.
Galvanised steel: Sheets of galvanised steel tend to be used for making automobile bodies, water pipes, fences, roofs, and staircases. It is made by coating steel with zinc through a hot dipping process, helping to make it more corrosion-resistant.
High-strength steel: Military armour plates tend to be made from sheets of high-strength steel. The material is produced by alloying steel with a range of elements such as carbon, manganese, and copper. This helps to improve its hardness.
Stainless steel: Used for kitchen vessels, storage tanks for chemicals and food processing machinery. Stainless steel offers superior corrosion resistance, fire and heat resistance, strength-to-weight ratio, and manufacturability.
Titanium: Typical products made from titanium include aviation parts, medical equipment, and construction elements. It is primarily used for its high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. It is also recyclable.