Many people think that manufacturing is dead or that it has all been outsourced to foreign countries. However, that is not the case. In many industrialised countries, manufacturing has actually increased over the last few decades. However, due to improvements in processes, more advanced machinery and even the rise of artificial intelligence, a lot of manufacturing is no longer done by a human. However, it's still critical. If you are a consumer, a product developer, or even someone who works in the industrial and manufacturing industries, check out these posts. They explain and explore a lot of the reasons why manufacturing is still important and arguably more important than it has been in years.
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It is difficult to find pieces that match the size, shape and layout that you desire. Metal fabrication comes in handy for anyone who wants to put metal components to their best use. The process allows you to reconfigure the metal parts into sizes, shapes and forms that suit your peculiar needs. Usually, metal fabrication happens in several forms and steps. It involves cutting, bending, shearing and machining among others. The focus of this piece is on bending steel sheets, which have a range of uses today. Read the following information to understand the best practices for bending steel sheets. It will help you choose the best steel fabricators.
Focus on the Steel's Qualities
The first step to bending steel sheet successfully is to understand the specific steel type you are handling. Steel sheets can be made from various kinds of steel such as mild steel, spring steel, annealed and alloyed steel. Each of them will present a unique challenge to the fabricator during the bending process.
Thankfully, the best fabricators have all the necessary tricks up their sleeves. They can bend steel while it is cold because it is highly malleable. Spring steel sheets, on the other hand, must be annealed before bending. Heat treatment follows to restore its original qualities and no further bending should be done after the heating process.
Sharp Corners Are a No!
It helps to pay attention when bending steel sheets. Unlike other steel components, sheets limit the metal density that the fabricator can manipulate. The corners can easily be a line of weakness, so it is paramount that the fabricator doesn't make them excessively sharp. Sharp corners induce lots of structural stress even on the most malleable steel. Here, the best route is to have a radius on the bending tool to prevent weak spots and cracks resulting from overdone bends.
Heat the Heavy Bends
When working on steel sheets, heat comes in handy for hot forming and annealing. It helps for steel sheets that don't work well with lots of force when bending. Heating such metals allows you to bend them easily before letting them cool into the shape you desire. Usually, fabricators use this technique when making thick bends on carbon steels.
Protect the Steel Sheet
Any sections that will encounter the bending tool risk being damaged when force is applied. Therefore, the fabricator must protect it using masking tape before starting the bending process. It is essential for components where aesthetics is key. To learn more, contact a steel fabrication service.
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