The Step-by-Step Process of Sheet Metal Fabrication

In the current industrial society, the manufacture of sheet metal is an important process that is behind the erection of commercial buildings, HVAC systems, enclosures, commercial or industrial machine equipment, and an infinity of other applications. Whether you have spotted a silver and streamlined aluminum panel, a stainless steel duct or a tailor-made metal structure, chances are that it was created in a fabrication shop where raw metal was made into an accurate and useful part.

Finding a sheet metal fabrication company Des Moines may be the answer to quality, production, cost-effectiveness and long-term results. Companies seeking to be satisfied with a sheet metal fabricator can select a sheet metal fabrication company with which they can build a long-term relationship in the Midwest area. What, however, goes on between procurement of a sheet of metal and handing over a finished product?

Well, we are going to know what happens in the process of sheet metal fabrication, beginning with design up to delivery.

Step 1: Project Design and Engineering

Any sheet metal fabrication project is started with a plan. At this phase, a combination of clients and engineers collaborate to come up with comprehensive blue prints and three dimensional models of the finished product. Technical drawings are usually done on CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software to be precise.

Designing is very crucial since it will allow seeing the size, materials, strength and all other needs in the utilizations like cutouts, hinges and fasteners. A well-respected sheet metal fabrication company Des Moines may be able to help its customers with design optimization- giving advice to make manufacturability or lower cost with no loss in quality.

Involved in this step there is also the planning of tolerances, bends, and allowances so that once cut, shaped and put together the material behaves as expected.

Step 2: Material Selection

After settling on the design, the next procedure is to select the suitable kind and mass of the sheet metal. Various projects require varied metals- the most widely used and popular metals are:

·         Steel for strength and durability

·         Stainless steel for corrosion resistance

·         Aluminum for light weight and conductivity

·         Copper or brass for electrical and decorative applications

The choice depends on such aspects as the character of the conditions that the environmental setting demands, strength the work piece has to require and its look. Well-experienced commercial sheet metal Iowa fabricators will assist their clients in this selection process with a balance between performance and affordability of costs.

Step 3: Cutting the Sheet Metal

Cutting the raw sheet metal into the shape and size makes the first practical phase in fabrication. Innovative cutting techniques are employed in modern fabrication shops in order to get a clean, precise cut with minimum waste. Such means can be:

·         Laser cutting: Highly accurate, perfect when it comes to complex shapes

·         Plasma cutting - Thick metal and fast cutting

·         Waterjet cut Waterjet cutting: Cold-cutting technology that does not generate heat and cause distortion

·         Shearing Straight-line applications of mechanical power

When a project involves lots of parts (mass production) or near tolerance requirements, a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine takes over the cutting process and guarantees all the parts to be the same.

Step 4: Forming and Bending

The metal must be chiseled into its operational shape after cutting. This is done by a process known as forming and this involves bending, stamping, rolling, or stretching of the metal. The most popular machine used to bend a sheet metal with the desired angles is the press brakes.

At this step, flat panels are converted into 3D elements used in the sleek design such as ducts, cabinets, or brackets. High level tooling and operators are required to avoid warping, cracking or misalignment during this operation.

Practically all Des Moines sheet metal fabrication firms have custom forming services, enabling them to attend to the particular demands of construction establishments, businesses establishments, and manufacturing establishments.

Step 5: Joining and Assembly

The individual parts might have to be assembled to form the complete unit depending on the product. This may be by means of welding, riveting, screwing or adhesives.

One of the most frequently used joining techniques is welding and the nature of welding will vary depending on the material and intended end-use. Welding with TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) and MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding are common in commercial applications because of their values in terms of strength and adaptability.

My commercial sheet metal assembly is Iowa recommended assembly to achieve structural integrity particularly in applications where air-tightness is vital and time consuming to ensure such as in HVAC duct work or a custom barrier enclosure.

Step 6: Quality Control and Inspection

Quality control is a mandatory procedure in the production cycle. All products are meticulously examined through weld integrity, dimensional accuracies and presence of defects before they get out of the shop floor.

In a professional sheet metal fabrication company Des Moines, quality control teams apply calipers, micrometers, gauges and even non-destructive testing to ensure the product is produced as per all specifications of the design.

Even a slight deviation in the case of commercial and industrial projects is one that may result in poor performance or construction delays, and so a strict control of quality standards is the rule of the thumb.

Step 7: Packaging and Delivery

After the acceptance, the finished product is cleaned and safely packed and ready to deliver. On large or delicate items, individual wooden crates or cushioning can be employed so that goods are not damaged during transport.

The quality of a local provider of commercial sheet metal Iowa is that when the fabricated product has to be included in the regular construction, or manufacturing program, they know that timely damage-free delivery is very important.

There are companies which even propose on-site installing or organization of work with the contractors to create a flawless integration.

Final Thoughts

An art which is a combination of precision engineering, craftmanship and advanced technology, sheet metal fabrication is an amazing art. Even when you have a single sample that you want prototyped, or a large production run, knowing how it is done, in-depth, can guide decisions: what is the kind of design and materials that can be used, what sort of cutting, forming, and finishing processes.