Metal fabrication is an industry of innovative and progressive technology that deals with the production of metal objects by standardizing, cutting, bending, and assembling processes in various shapes and sizes. It is an added value-added procedure involving the production of machines, components, and constructions from different raw materials. Metal fabrication is carried out both at the local as well as the industrial level. A great variety of metal fabrication machineries and tools are available that can be used for various manufacturing applications. These machineries are often available as single-stage fabrication units or multiple-stage fabrication systems.
Most metal fabrication machineries use a combination of hand tools and computer controlled CNC mills to produce different types of final products. The most popular types of metal fabrication tools include welding equipment, such as electric arc welding machines (aka “shop vac” tools), laser welding machines (aka “lightpen” tools), and metal stamping equipment. Some of the hand tools used in metal fabrication processes include:
The process of metal fabrication generally begins with the selection of a metal material (also called the “hardening material”), which can either be steel or aluminum. The hardening material is then made into the form of a part, usually in the form of a fastener or bolt. This part is then cut into the final shape and cut into any number of different profiles, sizes, and profiles of differing thicknesses according to the specific requirements of the customer.
The next step involves shaping the metal components according to the design requirements of the customer. Many types of metal fabrication processes are commonly used in order to create the desired shape, size, and configuration of the metal components. The processes used include: metal stamping, bending, taper, bending / fatigue, crimping, turning, beading, deburring, forming, and drilling. These processes are also used in the production process for precision parts and products that require exacting tolerance levels and surface finishes. The final products are created by precisely controlled die cutting techniques that enable the fastening of intricate metal components with little to no distortion during the fabrication process.
Metal fabrication typically produces products with high levels of tolerance for welding, soldering, bending, etc… Most metal fabrication work is done in a CNC environment using computer numerical control (CNC) computer software to control the process. Computer numerical control (CNC) is a technique that allows computer generated (CNC) controls to be programmed for any manufacturing operation in a manufacturing shop. Computer numerical control (CNC) allows the operator to program the cutting parameters and other variables of the operations. This then enables the operator to execute the operations efficiently and effectively, even under high stress conditions.
There are many companies in the United States that specialize in metal fabrication and other forms of metalworking. Some of these companies are highly specialized and perform only a particular type of metal fabrication, e.g. others specialize in CNC machining and other processes, some focus on metals such as aluminum fabrication and others offer services for a range of metal fabrication processes. It is important to ensure that when looking for a company to perform a particular service that the services offered are within your project’s scope and budget and are experienced and well trained to do the job that you require.