Sheet metal is one of the most popular forms of metal available for use. It is applicable in several industries and business set-ups, including automotive repair, aeronautical, processing and manufacturing plants, among others. The material could be anything from aluminium to toughened steel sheets fabricated to meet your specific needs. However, it is worth noting the quality of sheet metal you get depends on the fabrication methods used to make the sheets. What methods do the best fabricators use to deliver good quality sheets to you? Read on to learn more.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is one of the most versatile fabrication methods for sheet metal. It relies on precision laser beams to cut sheet metal based on a programmed computer specification. Typically, the fabricator can use CO2 lasers or Nd and ND-YAG lasers. The CO2 lasers need nitrogen, hydrogen and mirrors to direct and deliver the laser cut. On the other hand, the Nd and Nd-YAG lasers use a series of diodes to generate and guide the laser beam.
Laser cutting is ideal for fabricating sheet metal because of superior accuracy, cost-efficiency and speed. It also causes minimal distortion to the material undergoing fabrication.
Sheet Rolling
Sheet rolling is a technique that allows you to fabricate sheet metal from bulk pieces of metal. These pieces could be in the form of pipes or bars, and the fabricator passes them between robust rollers to flatten them out. Certainly, it is an economical method of fabricating sheet metal, considering that it allows you to recycle pieces of materials that you don't need. The best fabricators use CNC rollers for precision and fast-rate fabrication.
Metal Forming
The lightweight nature of sheet metal means that it welcomes various patterns and forms quickly. Therefore, fabricators can change its form without tedious cutting processes. Sheet metal forming uses CNC machines to bend and stress metal materials, modifying their shape into the specific thing you want.
Sheet Metal Assembly
Sometimes, your applications might need the combination of several pieces of sheet metal pieces before use. Sheet metal assembly is a fabrication method used to make such custom pieces. The formed, rolled or cut sheets of metal are joined through welding or riveting, creating complex and large pieces for ease of installation. Note that the joinery can create lines of weakness when you do not do it properly. Therefore, it is wise to work with professional metal fabricators. They understand the joinery needs of various sheet metal material to avoid disappointment.