Technology

Sheet Metal Fabrication

Sheet metal is metal formed by an industrial process into thin, flat pieces. Sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes. Solid sheet metal is one of the most versatile materials available to engineers. It can be made into a virtually unlimited range of products provided that certain processing conditions are met. Several properties, such as electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, vary widely depending on the composition and preparation methods employed; moreover, many factors such as ambient temperature influence its mechanical behavior.

The term sheet metal is used to describe a variety of metals, including copper alloy(s) or iron alloy(s), that have been formed by rolling or hammering. Sheet-metal products are varieties of structural material (including roofing, gutters, flashings, and downspouts) produced according to several engineering trade patterns into a wide range of merchant products.

Malaysia sheet metal generally consists of low-carbon mild steel (~0.3-1% carbon content). Depending on the combination of alloys used for the desired application, they may also contain other elements such as titanium, aluminum, manganese, chromium, zinc, or nickel.

Flat-rolled sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes. The International Organization for Standardization gives steel grades, specifications, naming conventions, numbering systems for flat-rolled products, and information on production standards via ISO standards 1000 to 1337. Large sheets of metal are sometimes known as the plate. Panels, smaller than the usual sheets but more significant than those produced from structural sections, are commonly called “coil stock” by those within the industry.

A Malaysia sheet metal company uses special processes for different alloys, where several alloys are more common than others. Many applications require specific alloys based on corrosion resistance, galvanic action, strength, low work function, non-magnetic properties, cost, and so on.

The following table below displays some of these alloy types along with what they are used for:

Heat treatment enables this dense material to maintain its flatness despite being formed into an array of complex shapes by rollers. It will become a rigid flat surface that resists being marked.

Another common way to increase the strength of the metal is by “work hardening.” When a piece of sheet metal is bent into a curve, for example, it will remain curved when it cools. Cold rolling both hardens and enables it to resist corrosion or rust better than annealed or soft rolled steel because the surface atoms become tightly packed. The tight packing makes the material stronger but also more brittle. It also increases its hardness from an average value of 200-300 Vickers (HV) to a 500-700 HV range, which means that the material can be harder to form without breaking parts.

Cold-rolled carbon steel has enhanced machinability than hot-rolled carbon steel, but not as much as stainless steel. Cold working also enables the material to retain its flatness by reducing its tendency to coil or sag. The metal can be worked easily after being cold rolled with minimal thickness loss between the initial roll and the final roll, which reduces waste. All annealed metals tend to bend, form, and move easier than cold-worked metals because they are more ductile.

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