Unless you have access to a machine shop, you will need to seek the help of a professional for sheet metal fabrication projects. But what is sheet metal fabrication in Phoenix, AZ? How does it work?
About sheet metal fabrication
Sheet metal fabrication is a process used to manipulate materials into specific components to be used in an end product. This process involves cutting, forming and finishing a material. When it comes to sheet metal fabrication, you will find that it is used in various manufacturing fields, including electronics, medical equipment, computers and appliances. Anything that’s created out of or contains metal will have gone through the following processes.
Sheet metal cutting
There are several ways you can cut sheet metal into smaller pieces:
- Shearing: This cutting method involves a cutting machine using shear stress to piece out a large piece of material.
- Electrical discharge machining: EDM calls for conductive materials to be melted with a spark from a charged electrode.
- Abrasive cutting: Grinders or saws are used to cut through the material.
- Laser cutting: If you want precise cuts in sheet metal, you need to employ the laser cutting technique.
Sheet metal forming
The cut metal will need to be formed into the shape you want for the component it’s being used for. Sheet metal forming in Phoenix, AZ can employ several techniques:
- Rolling: This is when flat pieces of metal are shaped over and over with a roll stand.
- Bending and forming: This requires the material to be manipulated by hand.
- Stamping: This technique calls for specific tools that can stamp designs into the sheet metal.
- Punching: This is when holes are put into the surface of the sheet metal.
- Welding: Two separate pieces of material are joined to one another using heat.
Sheet metal finishing
Now that the metal has been formed, it’s time for it to go through a finishing process to make sure it’s ready to use. The metal will be sharpened or polished with an abrasive, which eliminates rough spots and edges. During the finishing process, the metal may also go through a quick cleaning or rinsing. This step ensures that the metal component is as clean as possible when it arrives at the factory, or is delivered or presented to the person who ordered it.
Although this is just a basic description, it should give you a better sense of what sheet metal fabrication is and how the process works. Sheet metal fabrication is a very important process in the creation of any component that is made of or contains metal, like your laptop or desktop computer, valves, pipes, metal signs and decor, vehicle parts and even small things like paperclips. When metal materials like these and others need to be fabricated, you may need to turn to a professional machine shop. They will have the time and resources to create the metal component you need, giving you more time to focus on other projects and products. Leaving it to the right professionals means you’ll receive an excellent finish on your metal components.
For more information about sheet metal fabrication in Phoenix, AZ, call the team at Metal Pro Inc. today!