Views: 2 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2023-07-05 Origin: Site
Regardless of the industry you're in, there's a high likelihood you're using fabricated metal products in everyday life. Whether you’re getting into your car, conversing on the phone, making coffee, or working in the office, you have material made using metal fabrication. This revolutionary procedure has changed the engineering world and, subsequently, how the world operates.
Metal fabrication is one of the oldest practices in human history. According to current historical data, metal fabrication has been in existence for more than 7,000 years. In recent times, metal fabrication has been used in making and modifying jewelry, metal coating, creating medieval armor, and the construction industry.
Metal fabrication and sheet metal fabrication are often used interchangeably. However, there are some differences between these two crafts. By understanding these differences, you’ll have a better idea of the craft best suited for your project.
So, how can you differentiate between these two processes, and how do you select the appropriate one for your project? Read on to learn more about the unique qualities of each and the right applications for each.
When most people hear about metal fabrication, they immediately think of welding. However, welding is just one small bit of the entire fabrication process. In broad terms, metal fabrication is the shaping of metallic material into different and specialized end products or parts. Almost any significant machine part you can think of is the result of metal fabrication.
From the above-mentioned, it’s clear to see why metal fabrication is a key component of today’s life. Countless industries rely on fabrication to meet their deliverables. Some of these industries include manufacturing, mining, construction, general engineering, and the automobile industry.
As formerly mentioned, many divergent industries rely on metal fabrication. Since the requirements are different, they end up using materials made from different steps of fabrication. These steps include cutting, bending, welding, and assembling.
A significant differentiating factor between these two fabrication procedures is the type of material used from the initial stage. In metal fabrication, the process starts with unprocessed raw materials. Some of the common raw metals used in metal fabrication include aluminum, steel, and copper.
The end products are customized and ready for use, whether it's a cog in a machine or a finished product. For example, in the construction industry, aluminum is fabricated and used in doors, windows, beams, the ceiling, and many other parts of the building.
Sheet metal manufacturing is a relatively modern procedure in which metallic products are forged using flat metallic sheets. This is done through various processes, including punching, welding, cutting, folding, and assembling even metallic material.
A key metric that separates the later process is the use of flat metals to create the final product. The materials produced through sheet metal fabrication have just as much divergent use as those produced using the metal fabrication process.
The most common metals used in sheet metal fabrication include aluminum, bronze, copper, steel, and magnesium. The final products produced by this process can be used in staircase railings, furniture, balustrades, garage doors, and surgical instruments.
From the text above, it's clear there's a wide use of products used in this process. There are numerous benefits of turning to sheet metal fabrication. Some of these include;
● Flexibility – The materials produced can be applied to suit different client needs without having to start a new fabrication project each time.
● Mass production – After creating a prototype, the design can be used to forge a large volume of products, which is often cheaper for end-user clients.
● Easy customization – Even materials produced in the same manner can be customized to fit different applications. This can be done by differently powder coating, galvanizing, plating, or painting the materials after fabrication.
Ideally, you would want to have the best-customized process that fits your needs and application. Firstly, you need to identify the end-use or final product requirements before choosing the right process. A great way to start is by consulting industry professionals on the project.
VASUCC Sheet Metal is a reputed industry leader in the sheet metal fabrication sector. With years of experience and highly trained experts, you can get all your items fabricated and delivered right to your project site. Contact VASUCC Sheet Metal today to learn more about metal fabrication and the best route to follow to end up with quality and lasting materials for your project.
