Metal Fabrication and Engineering
Metal fabrication refers to the process of producing structures or artifacts by designing, cutting, joining, and assembling of the raw metallic materials. The whole process seeks to add value and hence the designer should adhere to accurate engineering drawings.
It is the only way to end up with an appealing and durable final product that is within the required standards. The art of metal fabrication borrows a lot of things from the engineering principles. It explains why we prefer to handle metal fabrication and engineering under one subject line. The best company for this particular purpose is the Contract Manufacturing Specialists of Ohio.
We have the best team that will help you to work on virtually any type of project. Here is a brief look at the metal fabrication process.
We have clearly defined standards (Euro-codes, British Standards, etc.) and legislations that govern the design of all structures and engineering equipment. The standards are based on using the raw materials that are available in a certain geographical region as well as the prevailing environmental conditions.
Metal fabricators have the obligation of clearly defining these requirements and standards to their customers before the designing and fabrication process begins. It may entail taking the design calculations sheet to the municipal engineer for approval. We have experts who will make sure that you are adhering to all these design elements. The company works around the clock to help your design to meet the top standards in the first place.
When it comes to small scale metal fabrication and engineering, the experts mark out from the engineering drawings directly with the straight lines and square edges on the sheet metal that is being uses as the main points of reference. It is a process that calls for a high level of skill to be implemented successfully.
If you are dealing with large scale productions that are constructed from wood, special paper or metal are utilized depending on the type and number of products. One thing you have to make sure is that the cost of the templates is justifiable. You should also take while using formwork to make sure there is almost accuracy in their dimensions because a faulty template can result in huge losses. It means that the whole batch that you produce using it will be defective. It is because of this that you will need professional help throughout the process.
You can either cut sheet metal by shearing or thermal cutting. Thermal cutting is accomplished through the use of oxy-propone or oxy-acetylene gas. Even though propane is cheaper, it requires special cutting nozzles. To initiate the process, you heat carbon steel to 850 oC which results in an exothermic reaction that further increases the temperatures. The principle that thermal cutting applies is referred to as oxidation. Shearing is mostly accomplished by the use of the guillotine. You can either use power-driven or hand-operated guillotine depending on the metals’ thickness.
Experts use folding machines to bend metal sheets and this involves three main steps. The first thing is to firmly clamp the material and then pull the bottom folding beam to create the desired end. The last thing is to carefully remove your material from the machine.
Engineers use the press brake to bent heavy and thick metals. Press brakes primarily comprise of a top and bottom dye that for a broad ram press. You will get two major forms of press brakes in the market. The first one is the up-stroking brake that lifts the bottom tool to be able to meet a fixed top. The down-stroking press is the second one in which the top is pulled downwards to a bottom that is fixed.
In most cases, welding is used before joining. In metal fabrication, the most preferred process is the metal arc shielded. You connect the torch to a positive pole with a direct current power source. Filler wire is fed through the torch continuously as the shielding gas continues to pass on your workpiece.
After fully assembling the workpiece, experts check it for straightness, alignment, and dimensional accuracy to make sure that it is within the acceptable limits. The scope of metal fabrication comprises a broad range of methods. Engineers use high-powered presses in condensing the material, making tools to cut the metallic parts and other tools for buffing them for more consistent surfaces.
Several methods that depend on a circular motion to work on metal parts fall with the gamut of procedures that are used in daily metalworking shops. These continue to be developed continually as alternative fixes or choices for metallic pieces that have been formed sufficiently using other means.
Metal Spinning
For some of the metalworking processes, metallic parts benefit from the process of spinning them on the lathe tools or any other machine. This either assists with the structural formation or in the finishing. Metal spinning can assist in maintaining the integrity of the parts or strengthen the internal structures. It is a cost-effective way of machining the parts with the simplicity of motion that is needed to do this type of metalworking with metallic spinners.
Hydro-Forming
In other types of projects, spinning is never the case and hydro-forming comes in handy. This process applies hydraulic pressure to the non-spinning metal in a way that does not affect the metal parts consistency. The primary benefit of hydro-spinning is the creation of seamless parts via the pressure that it puts on the metallic pieces. Hydro-forming is a popular method in making a wide range of products such as the restaurant equipment.
Metal Spinning and the Hydro-Forming Methods
Suppliers of well-engineered metallic parts for industrial applications specialize in methods such as metal spinning and hydro-forming. These experts use the state of the art technology and highly tested techniques to get durability, consistency, and quality in the finished products.
Spinning Lathes, among other technologies, offer cutting edge metallic spinning solutions in shops that are specifically outfitted for cutting sturdy and smooth circular parts from bulky cylinders to small rods. The products are free of any defects and highly reliable to utilize in end products.
The Other Services
Hydro-forming and spinning are the front and center in a broad range of services that third-party metalworking shops provide to get metallic pieces rollout ready and into the shelves of their clients. However, business clients often require support for a broad range of pieces to help them assemble their creations.
Diversified metalworking centers utilize hydraulic high-pressure presses & stamping techniques together with shaping and shearing to manufacture both small and large metal pieces, rings, pins, delivering plates, and a broad range of customizable pieces for the specific use that customers have engineered in their product line.
How to Choose a Metal Fabrication and Engineering Shop
Most people are not aware of what they need to look for in a metal parts provider. Apart from examining the wealth of technology and tools on the floor of the shop, you should know whether the parts that you order will be finished to perfection. The part should be machined to the specific shapes and sizes that you need.
Communication is crucial when choosing a metal fabrication and engineering expert. The best metalworking shops showcase their best services and practices online and provide 24/7 support to their clients. It is a question of which service will deliver the best quality while listening to the preference of the customer. The designer must read incoming specs or templates so that not even one person will be surprised once the parts get to the client for assembly.
The other thing of essence is time. Reputable shops will give you estimates and calculate the speed at which their contributions will be shipped. You need reliable partners when it comes to the implementation of new growth and rolling out products. These tips will make sure that you are getting the best metal fabrication and engineering experts. One of the top brands in the region remains to be Contract Manufacturing Specialists of Ohio.
The company commands the largest customer base when it comes to all forms of laser cutting and metal fabrication projects. You can get your name on this list by simply consuming our contract manufacturing services.
Our core offerings and services at Contract Manufacturing Specialists of Ohio includes, but is not limited to, the following:
We service multiple cities throughout the state of Ohio. We provide all the services listed above, and much more in every city throughout Ohio.
If you don’t see your city listed or a specific service listed, don’t worry. All you have to do is contact us by either giving us a call or filling out our online contact form. Then we’ll discover what are some of the top solutions for you, your business, and executing a solid solution.
