Exploring the 3 Custom Metal Fabrication Processes

Metal fabrication is a significant industry that employs over 1.42 million individuals. Metal structures are created by manipulating, cutting, and assembling metal elements. Custom metal fabrication is used to create vehicle frames and fuselage panels for aircraft, roofing, building panels, and other items. While different metal fabrication businesses use various procedures, the majority depend on three main processes.

In this post, you’ll learn about the three custom metal fabrication processes and how they differ from other types of fabrication.

What Exactly Is Custom Metal Fabrication?

Metal fabrication is required when anything has to be manufactured out of metal, yet it may be as simple as using a portable cutting torch and an arc welder. Custom metal fabrication is required when you need anything created from metal to more precise specifications, whether it’s for delicate metal embellishments, steel building beams, or something in between.

Custom metal fabrication refers to the customised use of several manufacturing processes to manufacture a product. Unlike standard stock metal fabrication procedures, custom fabrication allows for the creation of application-specific goods.

Moreover, product specifications may differ across sectors such as automotive, military, and defence depending on the application requirements.

To meet the demands of these sectors, metal fabricators must employ a flexible fabrication technique. This method allows them to create and produce application-specific goods and ensures long-term performance and quality.

3 Custom Metal Fabrication Processes

To help you out in exploring the processes of custom metal fabrication, here are the three methods:

1. Cutting

Cutting is the initial step in metal manufacturing. The metal fabrication firm cuts one or more pieces of raw metal to be used in developing a new metal structure or product throughout this procedure. Cutting metal, whether iron, aluminium, steel, or any other common metal, needs specialised tools.

In addition, some metal fabrication businesses employ torches to cut metal, while others use numerical custom CNC machining services that use water jets or lasers. When completed, the firm will have clean, appropriately sized sheets or portions of metal to work with.

2. Bending

Metal fabrication businesses must bend raw metal once it has been cut. Again, several methods for bending metal after it has been cut. Some metal fabrication businesses shape the metal sheets or parts using hammers. 

Hammering may be done by hand or by machine (power hammering). However, several metal fabrication businesses have recently begun employing press brakes to bend their metal. When activated, this massive industrial equipment automatically presses metal sheets and pieces into a precise form. It clamps the metal between two punch dies, pushing it into the required form.

3. Assembling

Assembling is the third and last phase in metal manufacture. As the name implies, this procedure entails assembling the metal sheet or parts into the desired completed product. Welding is the most common method of assembly. However, you may use other methods as well.

Metal fabrication businesses, for instance, may crimp seams, put in fasteners or screws, and apply adhesive in addition to welding. The corporation will complete the product after assembling the metal before shipping and selling it to its consumers.

Custom Metal Fabrication vs. Stock Fabrication

Custom metal fabrication is preferable to stock fabrication for more reasons. The following tips can help you better comprehend the process’s advantages:

Increased Efficiency

A component may sometimes be created by combining two or more techniques. Custom fabrication enables the selection of the best fabrication procedure from among all available possibilities. Custom fabrication beats stock fabrication in terms of operational efficiency. 

Because custom metal fabrication enables compatible component production, losses caused by friction, wear, and tear, as well as component overlapping, may be avoided. Streamlining these procedures increases metal manufacturing efficiency.

Durable Product Lifecycle

Custom fabrication aids in the production of long-lasting goods. A fabricator may choose the material that best suits the application after consulting with the customer. The fabricator may consider potential stresses, strains, and external pressures, as well as the chemical processes involved in the process.

As a result, the product design is application-centred. In a short period, salt may damage the product. During custom fabrication, the metal fabricator can use stainless steel to extend the product’s shelf life.

High Component Compatibility

Metal or sheet metal manufacturing customisation allows for component compatibility. Because all components are specially developed and manufactured to particular standards, they are typically compatible with one another. In custom manufacturing procedures, factors like friction between two parts, dimensional fitting, and chemical surface responses are crucial.

Furthermore, custom fabrication allows for the construction of rings with precise dimensions, while stock manufacturing only allows for the selection of the closest-fitting size.

Custom metal fabrication is a major factor in the country’s rapidly expanding industrial sector. Although metal fabrication businesses utilise a variety of machinery and methods, they must rely on a three-step process that includes cutting, bending, and assembling. These three procedures enable metal fabricators to convert raw metal resources into new products.