The Basics of Sheet Metal Fabrication

Posted by Heiwhite on October 6th, 2023

Several common words that you may have heard in the manufacturing industry are sheet metal fabrication, precision metal fabrication, and metalworking. You have come to the right place if you are interested in understanding what these terms mean, and what techniques are involved here. Continue reading to learn more.

Fabrication of precision sheet metal

Sheet metal fabrication refers to the process by which raw metals, flat metal sheets, or aluminum are transformed into finished metal products or structures through a variety of techniques. Precision sheet metal fabrication refers to the process of creating precise metal parts.

The techniques involved in converting raw metal materials into finished metal structures vary from one manufacturing industry to another; however, the most common ones are punching, bending, cutting, welding, assembly, and others. The next section will discuss these processes in more detail.

A sheet metal fabricator can be used for a variety of applications on raw metal sheets, improving their resistance to corrosion, durability, functionality, and appearance. HVAC systems are usually made out of steel (stainless steel, carbon steel, tool steel, galvanized steel, and alloy steel) and aluminum. Custom HVAC systems or ductwork are built for homes and other buildings by HVAC sheet metal fabrication. Copper, brass, magnesium, and bronze, along with steel & aluminum, are also used in manufacturing industries.

What are sheet metal fabricators?

It is the process of converting raw metal sheets into finished metal products that involves the use of sheet metal fabricators as special tools. Various types of fabricators are used in various stages of the manufacturing process, from the design phase to the assembly process. Sheet metal fabricators include laser cutters, punching machines, press brakes, panel benders, robotic welders, folders, and more.

Sheet metal fabricators are used in the following processes

Several stages of fabrication require the use of sheet metal fabricators, including:

Designing

Design is the first step in precision sheet metal fabrication, no matter what the industry is like. This is where the final metal product or structure design is finalized, and all the subsequent processes take place in accordance with this design. In most leading organizations, specialized design software is used to determine the specifications and dimensions of the final product accurately.

Programming

Metal sheets are optimally used in this stage to optimize efficiency and prevent resource waste. The design of the final product is molded on the metal sheets in 2D, so that they can be loaded onto the appropriate machinery for the perfect shape.

The cutting

Precision sheet metal fabrication involves cutting metal sheets into the shapes that are drawn on them with laser cutters. This is one of the most crucial aspects of precision sheet metal fabrication since it determines how accurate the final product is.

Punching

When sheet metal needs to be punched or pressed into a certain shape, punching machines are used. These machines are used mainly in large-scale industries due to their cost and labor intensive nature.

Bending

The process of folding or bending metal sheets is a complicated one, whether it is done in manufacturing processes or HVAC sheet metal fabrication. Manual press brakes and automated panel benders are used to do this. Due to the importance of getting the exact curvature one needs to achieve the right shape of the final product, this technique is only performed by experts.

The welding process

After these techniques have been used to create all the metal parts, welding is used to attach them to one another. Engineers choose the welding method based on the functionality of the final metal product. Engineers use a variety of methods for welding metal parts, including straightening, cooling them with sand, applying sturdy fixtures, etc.

The assembly

A number of tests and simulations are run in this stage to verify that the final structure is efficient. These tests and simulations differ from industry to industry due to the metal parts used in them, and their usage. Once the final structure has been assembled, all necessary hardware parts are installed to ensure it works according to the requirements. Get more info about sheet metal fabrication service.

Powder coating

As part of the precision sheet metal fabrication process, electrostatic powder is applied to the assembled metal parts to improve durability and aesthetics. This is usually an automated process in large-scale industries, and several pre-treatments are used here, such as powder coatings, drying stoves, and others. A variety of finishing techniques, besides powder coating, are commonly used. Brushing (using a brush to remove defects from the surface), plating (doubling up on corrosion resistance) and polishing (removing oxidation layers to make the product shiny and smooth) are also commonly used.