Processes, Uses, Properties, Methods
Processes, Uses, Properties, Methods
Metals form the largest group in the periodic table and they are also defined according to their position in the
periodic table. They are grouped as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, heavy metals and rare
earth metals. On the basis of hardness, metals are also distinguished as used metals and non-metals. Usually
metals are extracted from their ores in the process called refining.
Metals are usually very strong, most durable and highly resistant to everyday wear and tear. As such, they have
been used since ancient times for a lot of things. And even today with advances in technology and a lot of other
things the uses of metals have broadened greatly. Metals even play a key role in the economy. Let’s look at some
of the important and popular metals uses.
Metals are the main component in the construction industry. Metals like iron, steel amongst others are the main
materials used in construction of buildings and even homes
In Electronics
Another important application of metals are in electronics. As metals are good conductors of electricity, they are
used to make wires and parts for equipment and gadgets that function on electrical current. Popular examples
include, TV, mobiles, fridge, iron, computers etc.
• Metal Physical Properties:
• Lustrous (shiny)
C2. Nibbling
Is a sheet metal operation in which a long cut is
made by punching a series of over-lapping
holes or slits in the workpiece.
C3. Slitting
Is a shearing operation that divides sheet or
coiled sheet metal into narrower widths.
C4. Blanking
involves cutting of sheet metal along a
closed outline in a single step to separate the
piece from the surrounding stock.
C4a. steel rule die blanking
A steel rule blade where the cutting edge is
centered in the middle of the thickness of
the die blade. Steel rule in a die to cut up
scrap in smaller pieces.
C4b. Dinking
Is similar to steel rule die blanking in that the
cutting is performed by a knife-like edge that
can bear against a flat surface.
C4c. Cutoff
A stamping operation to serve a part from a sheet or strip of stock,
normally with a single line cut.
C4d. Parting
Involves cutting a sheet metal strip by a punch with two cutting edge
that match the opposite side of the blank.
It is less efficient than cut-off in the sense that it result in some wasted
material.
C5. Punching
Often called Piercing, is a press working
operation used to produce holes in sheet
materials.
C6. Trimming
is a process in which the outer perimeter of a formed or flat part is
cut away to give the piece part its finished or partially finished profile.
The excess material, commonly called addendum or offal, often is
recovered, collected, and resold as scrap.
C7. Shaving
Is a secondary operation performed on sheet
metal workpieces after blanking or piercing.
Its purpose is to refine the edge finish or the
dimensions of the blank.
C8. Lancing
Is a sheet metal operation that makes a slit or
cut that is not long enough to produce a
separate piece.
C9. Fineblanking
A typical fine-blanking tool is a single-station
compound tool for producing a finished part
in one press.
C9a. Semi-piercing
Is piercing with a shortened punch stroke so that the piece that would
otherwise be removed from the part is offset rather than severed.
D. Press Bending and Forming Operations of Sheet Metal
D1. Bending
Is a manufacturing process that produces a v-shape, u-shape, or
channel shape along a straight axis in ductile materials, most
commonly sheet metal.
D1a. Press Break Bending
Is a machine pressing tool for bending sheet and plate material, most
commonly sheet metal.
D1b. V-die Bending
The most important die bending process is bending in a V-shaped.
D1c. Air Bending
(also known as Free Bending) is the most common way for bending
sheet metal because of its flexibility.
D1d. Punch Press (Bending Die) Bending
Follow the shape of an object.
D2. Forming
Bring together parts or combine to create something.
D3. Forming with Rubber Tooling
D3a. Rubber tooling Forming (Rubber Pad Forming)
Is a metalworking process where sheet metal is pressed between a
die and a rubber block, made of polyurethane.
D3b. Guerin Process
Is a sheet metal forming process that uses a rubber die that flexes to
force the sheet metal to take the shape of a form block (punch).
D3c. Rubber Diaphragm Forming
Also refferes to as a flexible forming process, employs a rubber material
and rigid die to form sheet metal into the desired final product.
D3d. Verson Wheelon
These presses use an inflatable bladder or fluid cell, to shape metal
parts.
D4. Drop Hammer Forming
Involves deep drawing forming or stamping using a pneumatic drop
hammer.
D5. Drawing (Sheet Metal Parts)
D5a&b. Shallow Drawing
Used to describe the process where the depth of draw is less than the
smallest dimension of the opening; otherwise, it is considered Deep
Drawing leads to wrinkling and puckering at the edge where the sheet
metal is clamped,. This is usually removed by a separate trimming
operation.
D5c. Redrawing Direct and Reverse
In Redrawing process cups drawn by conventional deep drawing are
utilized. In Direct Redrawing, punch is always in contact with the same
side of the cup. In Reverse Redrawing, the inner side of the original cup
becomes the outer side of the redrawn cup and vice versa.
D6. Coining
D6a. Drop Hammer Coining
A power hammer raised and then released to drop.
D7. Embossing
Are the processes of creating either raised or recessed relief images
and designs in paper and other materials.
D9. Beading
Form any design in a sheet of metal.
D10. Hemming and Seaming
Are two similar metalworking processes in which a sheet metal sheet
edge is rolled over onto itself.
D11. Edge Curling
Curling sheet metal is the process of adding a hollow, circular roll to
the edge of the sheet. The curled edge provides strength to the edge
and makes it safe for handling.
D12. Swaging
Is a process that is used to reduce or increase the diameter of tubes.
D13. Sizing
Is performed in an open die and only the surface where the die and
workpiece touch will be sized.
E. Multiple die stamping operations
E1. Progressive Die Operation
progressive die stamping, a coil of metal is fed through a machine that
consists of a series of stamping stations that perform simultaneous
operations. The metal strip moves through the drawing process, with
each progressive die station altering the configuration on the metal
from the previous station. Once the metal has gone through the entire
machine and all the stamping stations, the piece will be complete.
E2. Transfer Die (transfer press) Operations
a mechanical transport system transfers the part from station to station.
The transfer die can be a single die or part of several dies lined up in a
row. Transfer die stamping is used to perform operations on the part
free from the strip.
E3. Compound Die Operations
Compound Die Stamping is the process where the die separates or
blanks the part from a steel strip in one stroke. A Compound Die will
perform multiple cuts or punches in one stroke, as compared to multiple
strokes. This is a very cost effective method for stamping medium to high
volume parts while keeping labor and die costs down. Compound Dies
are often used to stamp simpler flat parts such as washers.
F. Sheet Metal Operations Performed on Equipment other than
presses.
F1. Rotary Swaging
also formerly known as swaging, is a process for precision forming of
tubes, bars and other cylindrical workpieces.
is a process for precision forming of tubes, bars or wires. lt belongs to the
group of net-shape-forming processes, of which one of the
characteristics is that the finished shape of the formed workpieces is
obtained without, or with only a minimum amount of further final
processing by machining.
F1a. Stationary Die Swaging
-is a variation in rotary swaging used when the workpiece does not have
a round cross section.
-The operation is the same as rotary swaging except that the dies do not
rotate and are configured to conform to a non-round workpiece shape.
F3. STRETCH FORMING
Stretch forming is a metal forming process in which a piece of sheet
metal is stretched and bent simultaneously over a die in order to form
large contoured parts. Stretching is achieved with two or more pairs of
gripping jaws equipped to provide a tension in the metal sheet.
F3a. STRETCH FORMING
Is stretch forming when a mating female die also engage the workpiece
on the form block.
F3b. Stretch Wrapping
Uses the stretch principle and a rotary table to make stretch-formed
parts without scuff marks on the workpiece surface.
F3c. Compression Forming
Is one of the family of stretch forming operation, but the force, instead of
being used to stretch the material, it is used to press it against the
forming block.
F3d. Radial-Draw Forming
It is similar to compression forming except that the workpiece is kept on
tension.
F4. Roll Coining
Similar to rotary embossing, in that the work is fed between two opposed
rollers that have the desired surface shape but normally it is done to
small parts produced in large quantities from metals of lower yield
strength.
F5. ROTARY EMBOSSING
It is a press operation, can also be performed by passing the work
material through a pair of opposed rollers that have a desired surface
shape.
F6. METAL SPINNING
Is an operation that forms a disc of sheet metal into various seamless
circular shaped by pressing it against a form while it rotates.
F6a. MANUAL SPINNING
Metal spinning performed manually as long as the metal used is thin and
ductile enough to respond to manually applied pressure.
F6b. POWER SPINNING, “FLOW TURNING” OR “SHEAR SPINNING”
Refer to a variety of methods that apply powered forming pressure to the
spinning process.
F7.ROLL FORMING
is a continuous bending operation in which a long strip of metal
(typically coiled steel) is passed through consecutive sets of rolls, or
stands, each performing only an incremental part of the bend until the
desired cross-section profile is obtained.
F7a. ROLL FORMING OF TUBING AND PIPE
Typically, 10 pairs of rollers are required to bend, finish and size the
tubing.
When tubing and pipe are made by roll forming, a welding unit is
incorporated in the process. The metal strip, as it moves through the
machine it is formed into a circular cross section.
G. WIRE FORMING OPERATIONS
G1.WIRE FORMING
Wire forming is a term that incorporates many shapes, textures and dimensions.
The forms are engineered in two or three dimensions and commonly generated
from metal wire and sometimes from tube. ... A wire form may be defined as
any length of wire that has had some force applied to it that changes the
shape of the wire.
H. TUBING AND SECTION OPERATON
H1. Tube Spinning
Tube spinning is performed on cylindrical parts. Tube spinning is
similar to shear spinning in that metal flow occurs within the
work. This metal flow acts to reduce the thickness of the metal.
While using tube spinning to reduce the thickness of the tube’s
length will be increased.
H1a. Forward Tube Spinning
sometimes called tube stretching, is a means for
increasing the depth of cooking pots or the length of
cylindrical parts of tubing.
H1b. Backward Tube Spinning
is the same as forward tube spinning except that the
forming tool moves in the direction opposite to that
of the expansion of the workpiece. Ie., its moves
toward the headstock of the spinning lathe and the
workpiece metal flows away from the headstock as
shown in Fig. 2H1b.
H2. Tube and Section Bending