Metal Fabrication

About Metal Fabrications and Metal Fabrication Services Including: Aluminum Fabricators, Metal Fabricators, Stainless Steel Fabricators, Steel Fabricators & Structural Steel Fabricators.

Metal fabrication services manufacture custom components that make up larger assemblies or end products. Fabrication encompasses a wide variety of operations that are performed on comparatively thin sheets of metal. Metal fabrication services typically fall into two categories: heavy fabrication (e.g. bridge, crane and ship structures) and light fabrication, such as automobile bodies, water tanks and metal chairs. Metal fabrication operations include stamping, cutting, bending, forming, laser cutting and welding. Metal fabricators have an understanding of metal structures, are able to read and interpret engineering drawings and can fabricate shapes using geometric development techniques. Other products manufactured by metal fabricators include enclosures, frames, brackets, panels, grills, cabinets, etc.

Metal fabrications start with metal stock that is cut to the required size through shearing, power hack, band or circular sawing or acetylene torch cutting. The metal stock is then formed into the desired geometries through the application of mechanical force. Common types of metal shaping equipment include press brakes, rolls, spinners and punches. The workpiece is given its final shape through machining operations, such as broaching, boring, twist drilling, turning, counterboring, spotfacing, countersinking, reaming, milling and grinding. Non-traditional machining methods are slower and require higher energy but are necessary for applications in which traditional methods are not effective. Non-traditional machining methods cover a broad range of mechanical, electrical, thermal and chemical processes.

Metal fabrications are capable of joining metal parts together through various processes. Welding is nearly always used in metal fabrications processes. Types of welding differ by heat source, pressure and filler metals. Heat and filler metals are used to connect metal surfaces in brazing and soldering operations. These joining processes do not melt the base materials as welding does. Metal parts may also be joined by applying adhesives and then curing or setting the adhesive.

Finishing processes are used by metal fabrication services to protect the metal workpiece from cracking, to improve machinability, relieve stresses, enhance mechanical properties, provide impact resistance or alter the electrical or magnetic properties of the surface of the material (substrate). Parts may be heat-treated at various stages of the fabrication process in a type of furnace that may be a salt-bath, vacuum, fluidized-bed, induction, laser or electron beam furnace. Case hardening, similar to heat treating, is a process in which the parts are heated with a thermochemical treatment that alters the chemical composition of the steel surface in order to impart certain surface characteristics. Quenching is a cooling process that a metal workpiece undergoes after heat-treating. Cooling media, which include air, oil, polymers, water and molten salts, may be applied in streaming gaseous form, liquid baths, fog or mist, in order to cool the metal workpiece at varying rates and to varying degrees. Polishing and buffing lathes, high-speed polishing machines or off-hand buffing and polishing pads are used to smooth and shine the substrate. Wet or dry tumbling and vibratory finishing processes use media, such as ceramics, stone, glass beads, metal shot, etc.. For cleaning purposes, oxide removal/descaling, brightening or edge-breaking and burr removal are used.

Types of Metal Fabrication

• Aluminum fabricators manufacture components for industrial machinery or other products.
  
• Laser fabrication utilizes a device that produces a bright and intense light beam. The high-powered laser beam, depending on the total power output and beam diameter, is capable of cutting, marking and welding a metal.
  
• Metal fabricating is the act of creating or modifying a metal product. Examples of metal fabricating include welding, bending, laser cutting, etc.
  
• Sheet metal fabricators create custom-shaped or molded goods from metal sheets. Sheet metal fabricators are responsible for making body panels for automobiles, aerospace and aviation parts.
  
• Stainless steel fabrication is the process of creating custom parts using various grades of stainless steel. Stainless steel offers excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and attractive aesthetic characteristics.
  
• Steel fabricators make or modify products made of steel. A steel fabricator offers varying services including steel bending, welding and cutting.
  
• Structural steel fabricators manufacture steel components for the construction industry.

Metal Fabrication Terms

Alloy Steel – A steel to which one or more alloying elements—with the exception of carbon and the commonly accepted amounts of manganese, silicon sulfur and phosphorus—have been added to attain specific physical properties. Common alloys include chromium, nickel, molybdenum, etc.

Aluminum – A nonferrous metal that is commonly used in the creation of light, strong and corrosion-resistant alloys. Aluminum is an element that is primarily found in bauxite.

Annealing – A process that involves the heating and cooling of a cold-rolled substrate, making it softer and easier to form.

Bending – The changing of the shape of sheet metal by utilizing pairs of forming rollers in succession. Bending changes the thickness of the metal only at the bend radius, at which point a slight thinning occurs.

Brazing – A high-heat, metal-linking method that uses a filler material to make a bond between two metals. The filler is melted to a temperature just below the melting points of the materials being joined.

Chemical Treatment – A solution of chemicals often applied to various metals in order to inhibit corrosion.

Computer Numeric Control CNC Machining – A manufacturing process that automatically shapes or forms metals or other materials into highly precise parts. CNC machines utilize specialized software in conjunction with CAD/CAM software systems to instruct the tooling to execute the exact movements necessary to create the part.

Cold-Rolled Product – A flat-rolled metal sheet whose final thickness was achieved by rolling it at room temperature.

Conversion Coating – A chemical film that is applied to a metal prior to the painting process.

Corrosion – The deterioration of a metal due to a chemical reaction or oxidation. Rust is a common form of corrosion.

Cutting – A process in which a metal is penetrated or opened using a sharp edge. Metal sheets are almost always cut from a larger source prior to fabrication.

Die Cutting – The application of a powerful die to a metal blank. Pressure from the stamping device is often applied by a mechanical or hydraulic press.

Ductility – The ability of a metal to endure change without fracturing. Hardness and the tensile strength of the metal often determine its ductility.

Forming – A term that encompasses many processes, which are used to shape or mold a metal piece into a desired configuration.

Hot Rolled Sheet – A metal sheet processed to its absolute thickness by rolling on a specialized hot-rolling machine.

Leveling – Eliminating distortions of a rolled sheet by flattening the material.

Powder Coating – The process of applying a powder consisting of solids to a material surface and then heating the powder above its melting point to create a uniform film.

Roll Forming – A process in which sheet metal is continually deformed by passing it through a series of rolls.

Stainless Steel – A wide variety of corrosion-resistant steel that contains at least 10% chromium and to which varying amounts of other elements, such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium and niobium, have been added.

Tensile Strength – Also referred to as “ultimate strength,” it is the maximum amount of stress a material can endure.

Welding – The joining of two metals accomplished by heating them enough to melt into one another. Welding differs from brazing in that it does not require a filler material to create the actual bond.