Metal Brackets
Metal brackets are simple supportive structures that are used for both fixed and flexible joints and project from a wall or a similar surface to hold or bear the weight of the projecting surface. Used for numerous purposes, metal bracket capabilities include connecting mechanical components, positioning items in correct locations and acting as a base in order to hold other parts. Additional applications for metal brackets include
conveyor brackets, conduit hangers, coupling guards,
machine guards, post protectors, OEM brackets and other types of industrial brackets. Often used for decorative purposes, metal brackets can be powder coated in colors such as black, white, gray and almond to be more aesthetically-pleasing. Often packaged as "rights" and "lefts", metal brackets can often be customized and are reversible. Typical materials that metal brackets are stamped from include aluminum,
brass, carbon steel, copper, hot and cold rolled steel, galvanized metals and stainless steel. A long list of industries benefit from metal brackets, including construction, automotive, electronics, telecommunications, defense, commercial, architecture, dental and aerospace.
Since metal brackets are made as part of one continuous process, they are typically shortrun stampings, and are produced at a high volume over a short timespan. Metal brackets are typically formed during two types of metal stamping processes: progressive stampings and fourslide stampings. Progressive stamping utilize presses with multiple stations which stamp different attributes into parts as a metal coil moves through the press; metal brackets are cut and separated on the final step. In the fourslide stamping process, presses with four moving slides are used, which allow the automated press to manipulate parts along both axis. This allows for multiple aspects of stamping, cutting and shaping on the metal brackets to be completed at one processing stage. There are quite a few different configurations of brackets, including L brackets, J brackets and box brackets. L brackets are the most common shape of metal bracket and are widely used in structural and decorative applications. J brackets are a simple construction and are often used in automotive applications as well as in conjunction with L brackets in structural applications. Box brackets, also called square brackets, are one of the strongest types of metal brackets.