When it comes to manufacturing parts in a wide array of industries, few solutions are better than working with sheet metal. This is true because of a variety of factors but the most important ones are as follows:
1. Parts produced from the sheet metal process are renowned for their durability. These parts are used for both prototype parts and for end-use purposes. The results are comparable to CNC machining, another great production method which is used for machining parts.
2. There is a wide selection of sheet metals to choose from. The different types of sheet metal have specific characteristics such as resistance to corrosion, a high degree of conductivity, and a propensity of strength. The sheet metal can also be picked from different strengths, all of which are dependent on what the parts will be used for.
3. Most sheet metal parts are built strictly to order. This ensures high-quality and scalability as they will be built to your specifications. They will not be a “one size fits all” inventory. The number of parts can vary from a single piece to numbers in the tens of thousands. It all depends on what you, the customer, needs.
4. With today’s technology, the turnaround on getting the parts from a sheet metal parts manufacturer is very rapid. No more does the customer have to wait weeks or even months for crucial specific parts to be made. This rapid turnaround is crucial to the c=success of so many of today’s cutting-edge businesses.
5. The finishes that sheet metal can possess can be quite varied as well. They can range from painting to plated with various types of metal to powder-coated. The end product is all up to the customer. There is no doubt they will be pleased with all of the various strengths the sheet metal has to offer.
The stages of sheet metal are fabricated in three different stages. Firstly, the material is removed and cut to the shape which is desired by the customer. The shape will be removed from the actual workpiece by a variety of tools or methods. This can all depend on what is being extracted and what the piece is shaped like.
Secondly, the metal piece is formed into a 3-d shape by either bending or forming the metal. This can be done with any actual removal from the workpiece. Just as with removal, this can be done by a variety of tools and processes.
The third and final step is to assemble the sheet metal into the required part. This usually requires the assemblage of several different parts, all of which will work in conjunction with each other.
One of the unsung benefits that sheet metal can present to the factory or the ordering company is the fact that it is so cost-effective. Due to being easy to perform in the right setting and the fact that it can be done on demand, which cuts down significantly on storage needs. The cost to store more traditionally made parts can be a great burden to businesses who are smaller in nature.
The sheet metal can be cut in a variety of ways and methods. The three main ways that sheet metal is cut is by plasma, which is used to cut through thick sheet metal. It is also cut by lasers. This method is best used when the metals are of an exotic nature. The sheet metal is also cut by water. This is known as hydro-cutting. This is used when the cut must be very precise in nature.
Some of the biggest end-use products that are manufactured from sheet metal are actually quite standard in nature. The most used products are as follows: Enclosed products such as device panels have long been made with sheet metal. They can be of the typical “L” or “U” shaped panels all the way to rackmounts. With enclosures, the sky truly is the limit with sheet metal.
Another end-use product that sheet metal is used to manufacture is bracketed. The brackets can be custom-made and paired with other sheet metal parts. In this case, sheet metal is effective because it is lightweight has a high-degree of corrosion-resistance. Any hardware which is needed and fasteners which are needed can be built directly into the bracket itself.
As can be seen, sheet metal can provide a great use when making parts. They are very reliable in nature, which is known widely throughout many industries and they are incredibly durable. The strength of sheet metal cannot be overstated. This is true no matter what the sheet metal is made from. The manufacturing process makes sure that the sheet metal ordered is the sheet metal that the customer will receive. You will not be disappointed.
