Sheet metal is used in a multitude of various applications in the construction and fabrication industries. Sheet metal is used in the making of automobiles, medical devices, house siding, heating and cooling duct work, railway cars, traffic signs household appliances, and farm machinery among other items.

Sheet metal is processed by hand, operator run presses, computer assisted machines or automated assembly lines utilizing robotics. Depending on the type of application, sheet metal is formed and manipulated using various processes.

Rolling

Sheet metal is compressed to varying thicknesses called gauges. This is most often done by rolling the metal between two cylinders that draw the sheet out to a desired width. Sheet metal varies in gauges from 30 gauge to eight gauge. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the sheet metal. Different applications call for specific gauges of sheet metal. And exact measurements are required to ensure that the finished product will be suitable for other applications.

CNC

Most sheet metal cutting is performed by a CNC machine. This machine is an automated process that safely cuts the sheet metal into intricate designs according to a set of coordinates programmed into the machine’s computer. CNC machines can utilize laser cutters or punch presses that can be fitted with a variety of different tools.

Incremental sheet forming is a process where a CNC machine is used to create depressions in the metal in small incremental steps. This type of sheet metal formation is very easy to complete and therefore can be done quickly and repetitively for maximum productivity.

CNC machining has become a very popular form of sheet metal production
in most industries. Nearly every metalworking manufacturing plant, regardless of the type of product they produce, utilizes a CNC machine to complete the process.

Brake Forming

Brake forming is a process that is used to bend sheet metal into desired angles at set intervals. The process involves forcing the flat sheet metal into a pan brake, either manually or through hydraulics, resulting in the desired bending of the metal.

Drawing

Drawing is the process of forcing a piece of sheet metal into a preformed mold, causing the metal to conform to the desired shape. This is often used in producing automotive body panels.

Sheet metal assembly and manufacturing is an integral part of many of today’s industrial applications. The process itself can be performed in various ways, to produce specific results. These basic concepts of sheet metal manufacturing are the core metalworking.