There are several sheet metal fabrication techniques exist in the market. It is difficult to determine which one to choose and which not. This is because each technique is associated with different features and benefits. Also, the limitations associated with the different techniques are different.

Making the wrong decision tends to face inaccuracy, higher costs, and material waste. No one wants to experience these consequences. Suppose you want to avoid these consequences, fret not. This article offers insights into choosing the right fabrication technique for custom sheet metal fabrication per your project. Sounds intriguing? Continue exploring this article!

Different Types of Sheet Metal Fabrication Techniques

Multiple sheet metal fabrication techniques exist in the market. Some of the key ones are as follows:

• Cutting of Metal Sheet

The number one on the list is sheet metal cutting. You can cut the metal sheet in multiple ways depending on the thickness and required specs. The different ways you can employ to cut your metal are:

Water Jet

The waterjet is a metal sheet-cutting method which employs a water jet. This technique emits water through the nozzle at very high pressure. Using this set, you can cut various sheets with varying thicknesses.

Torch Technique

The metal sheet receives a cut through a hot flame in the torch technique. This is true for the steel sheets. It gets oxidised.

Shearing Technique

In this technique, the two offset blades perform the cutting task. It resembles a large pair of scissors. In the shearing process, you need to hold the metal flat,. The top blade moves downward while the bottom blade remains stationary. The force exerted by the top blade performs the cutting task. If the thickness of the sheet is too low, you can use the hand scissor for the project.

Saw Technique

The sawing technique makes use of circular saws to cut the metal sheet. They receive the rotational power from the motor and shaft arrangement. You can use it for highly thick materials which are difficult to cut by regular or conventional techniques. 

• Bending of Metal Sheet

Two different operations exist by which you can bend a metal sheet. These operations include:

Metal brake

In metal brake operation, you can bend any metal you want. To do so, you need to put the end of the metal sheet inside the gate. For the other end, you need to put it inside the bar in clamping form. The gate moves upward to bend the metal. 

Form Bending

In form bending, you need to hold an end of the metal on an edge or a shape. Then, using the hammer for repeated strikes, you can create a bend per your requirement. 

• Welding of Sheet Metal

This step plays a key role when it comes to the assembling of the components. Multiple welding operations can assist you in this regard. The specific type of method you can use depends mainly on the material, thickness, and welding equipment:

MIG Welding

This welding refers to arc welding. In this process, the continuous wire electrode passes through the weld gun and into the weld pool. A shielding gas is also utilised to eliminate the contamination.

TIG Welding

The thing which differentiates this method is the electric arc and the tungsten electrode. You can effectively use it for sheets between 8 to 10 mm thicknesses. 

Laser Welding

Laser welding uses higher-power solid laser resonators to melt the metal and fuse them. Using this technique, you can achieve higher quality and consistent results on the go.  

• Shrinkage of Metal Sheet

To facilitate the creation of the desired shape or remove the dents. You can use the sheet metal shrinking:

Heat Shrink

You can use the torch on the dented section. This plays a key role in overstretching the metal and leads to shrinkage upon cooling.

Tucking

In this technique, you can use a tucking fork and planishing hammer. This way, you can tuck out the edges and place them by hammering.

Shrinkage Machines

You can automate the shrinkage process by making use of the shrinking machines. The shrinkage machine uses jaws to grab the metal together and hold them with force in place. Later, it applies shrinking to form the desired shape. 

• Stretching of Metal Sheet

The stretching is opposite to the shrinking. You can accomplish this in multiple ways, such as:

Stretcher Machines

The stretcher machine comprises the jaws. These jaws hold the opposite ends of the metal sheet with a higher amount of force. Later, this machine stretches your metal sheet component to the desired shape.

English Wheel

English wheel works by pressing the metal against the anvil on the lower end and upper wheel. This process results in the stretching of the target metal sheet.

Anvil and Hammer

It is a more manual approach to stretch the metal sheets. In this technique, you will use an anvil and a hammer. You need to place the metal sheet component of the anvil and strike repeatedly with a hammer to achieve the desired stretch. 

• Metal Sheet Finishing

After completing the stretching, shrinking, cutting or welding, in the end, comes the finishing. There are three common finishing techniques:

Sand Blasting

In this process, you quickly shoot the abrasive materials or sand on the metal sheet. You can process the metal sheet before coating to this step. This technique results in matte finishing.

Buff Polishing

A cloth wheel plays a key role in this regard. It buffs the surface of the metal sheet to make it shine. 

Coating

You can apply different coats on the metal component in the coating process using chemical baths. This adds up to the durability, reliability, and corrosion resistance. 

Choosing the Right Sheet Metal Fabrication Technique

Keep in mind the following steps before selecting the specific sheet metal fabrication technique from the above description:

• Determine goal, budget, material, and project timeline
• Analyse various fabrication techniques 
• Cross-check the material properties and assess their compatibility with particular fabrication methods.
• Find out the precision level and the output quality
• Determine how much you can save in the long run
• Review the different fabrication experts and select the reliable one

Following these steps, you can optimally fulfil the efficient and effective sheet metal fabrication requirement.