Sheet Metal Forming Processes: Everything You Need to Know
21 October 2020The main purpose of sheet metal forming is to apply a force to a piece of sheet metal so that its overall geometry and properties change. This force is then responsible for the stretching of the metal beyond its yield strength and subsequently deforming it. The deformation that the metal experiences, however, is not enough to break or fail its properties. The sheet metal out of various forming processes may be either bent or stretched into a different set of shapes and structures.
There are numerous sheet metal forming processes that can be used by industries. Some of these processes are:
Bending
Bending entails the application of a force to a sheet metal until it bends to an angle and forms the intended shape and form factor. The bending activity of this process can cause deformation along one axis of the sheet metal. It can likewise cause some tension and compression in the same sheet metal. Once bent, the outside portion of the sheet metal experiences tension and stretches to great lengths. The inside portion, alternatively, compresses and shortens as the sheet metal undergoes bending.
Roll Forming
Roll forming is done by shaping a sheet metal through numerous bending operations. This metal forming process is usually achieved on a roll forming line that has different stations and roller dies. Once the sheet metal is being fed to the roll forming line, it easily deforms and bends to form the desired part and appearance. The roll forming process is maximised to create sheet metals with cross-section profiles. The sheet metals made from this sheet metal forming process typically have tolerances of around ±0.005 in. This process is typically utilised for products intended for industrial and commercial buildings.
Spinning
Sheet metals that have cylindrical shapes are typically made from the spinning process. This sheet metal forming process usually involves the rotation of sheet metal while forces are being applied to one of its sides. A sheet metal disc, alternatively, rotates extremely fast while the rollers press the sheet into a mandrel so that it can take the form of the required shape. The spinning process is normally maximised on a manual or computer numerical control (CNC) lathe. Some of the most common products out of the spinning process are cookware, satellite dishes, and musical instruments.
Deep Drawing
Another sheet metal forming process that is utilised by industries is deep drawing. During the deep drawing process, a special tool is pushed down on the sheet metal so that it is forced into a die cavity and takes the shape of the needed part. As the tensile forces are applied to the sheet, it will plastically deform into a cup-shaped part and obtain a wide variety of cross-sections with different types of walls. Products that are made from the deep drawing process include automotive parts and kitchen materials.
For more information about these sheet metal forming processes, you can always contact us at Kinetic Engineering. We are a proudly Australian-owned and family-run CNC machining and general engineering services company that was first established in 1984 with a vision to grow within the industry and produce quality Australian Made products for our customers.
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