Metal fabrication entails building structures and equipment using raw metal construction materials. Depending on the application, the process could involve specific processes such as cutting, bending, machining, and assembly to develop the end product. Metal fabrication is used to create a wide range of products such as machinery and heavy equipment.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the different types of custom metal fabrication services, their industry applications, and how you can locate the right services for your products.
Custom Metal Fabrication Services
Different applications will use different custom metal fabrication services to manufacture products. Each service features a unique process that manipulates workpieces and produces different results. These services can include:
Forming
Metal forming is a metalworking process that involves mechanical deformation to fashion metal objects and parts. Throughout this process, the workpiece undergoes reshaping without any addition or removal of materials, and the mass remains the same. Forming uses the plastic deformation materials science principle, which results in permanent deformation of the workpiece’s physical shape.
Bending
Metal bending is a process that applies force to the workpiece to deform it, causing it to bend into the desired shape. Oftentimes, the end result is a metal piece in the shape of a “U” or a “V.” The process uses a press brake to bend sheet metal, along with a punch and die.
Shearing
Shearing is another metal fabrication service that removes and trims unwanted metal material from metal sheeting. Equipment such as bench shears completes the process by precisely slicing through the metal workpiece. Shearing also takes place at room temperature or in cooler environments.
Rolling
During the rolling process, metal stock moves through one or multiple pairs of rollers, which allows for uniform thickness, reduced thickness, or the imparting of a particular mechanical property. The process may use either hot or cold rolling techniques, depending on the temperature of the metal when rolled.
Drilling
Drilling is a type of metal cutting process that involves the use of a drill bit to produce a hole in metal workpieces. The process typically involves a rotary cutting tool, which is frequently multi-point. When pressed against the metal, the bit rotates at up to thousands of revolutions per minute, cutting the hole into the workpiece.
Sawing
Also known as precision saw cutting, sawing can cut metal materials in tube, plate, bar, or pipe form. This process uses a saw blade to cut larger metal workpieces into smaller ones. The two main types of sawing methods include circular saw cutting, which uses a circular blade that spins and cuts, and band saw cutting, which uses a straight blade with metal teeth for uniform cutting.
Plasma Cutting
Plasma cutting melts workpieces with ionized gas at temperatures over 20,000° C, melting and removing unwanted materials. Throughout this process, an electric arc passes between the workpiece and an electrode, which serve as the anode and cathode, respectively. A cooled nozzle constricts the arc to form the plasma jet, which emits the intense heat needed to melt away the metal.
Welding
Another commonly used fabrication service is welding, which fuses two or more metal parts together through the use of heat, pressure, or a combination of the two. The welding process normally adds molten filler material to complete the weld. This material is often stronger than the base metal.
Industries That Use Metal Fabrication
Many industries use metal fabrication services of some kind to manufacture their products. These industries include:
- Aerospace
- Agricultural industries
- Alternative energy
- Automotive
- Construction
- Consumer products
- Military and defense
- Original equipment manufacturers
- Recreational vehicles
Custom Metal Fabrication Services in Ohio
If you’re looking for reliable custom metal fabrication services in Ohio, the experts at Advance Industrial Manufacturing, Inc. can give you the results you want. We can work with a wide variety of metal materials, including steel, and can employ many processes and machines to get the job done. Whether you need forming, bending, rolling, shearing, or other metal fabrication processes, we can meet your individual needs.
To learn more about our processes and capabilities, request a quote today.