Metal Fabrication

Simply put, metal fabrication is the act of manufacturing something out of metal.  As used in industry, metal fabrication is done by assembling, cutting or bending the metal.

The cutting part of metal fabrication can be accomplished using a variety of methods:

• sawing
• shearing (most common method)
• chiseling
• torching
• CNC cutters

The bending part of metal fabrication is accomplished mainly by hammering (this can be manual or powered) or by using tools such as press brakes.

The assembling part of metal fabrication is accomplished by using such methods as:

• welding
• adhesives
• riveting
• threaded fasteners

Typical components of metal fabrication are: structural steel, sheet metal, welding wire, flux, and then any needed fasteners that will join the cut pieces.  And, although, automation is used most often, many finished products also need to be handled manually at one point or another throughout the fabrication process.  Examples of commonly used metal fabrication raw materials are:

• plate metal
• formed and expanded metal
• tube stock, CDSM
• square stock
• sectional metals (I beams, W beams, C-channel...)
• welding wire
• hardware
• castings
• fittings

There are other processes similar to what we define as metal fabrication, but they are not classified as metal fabrication, although they may overlap in definition.  Metal fabrication, as a rule, concentrates on metal preparation and assembly.  Examples of processes that would not be classified directly as metal fabrication are:

• machining (although they do cut metal, they are most concerned with the machining of parts)
• metal stamping
• forging
• casting

On the other hand, processes that don’t use the term metal fabrication to define what they do, are in a very real sense, metal fabricators.  Examples would be:

• blacksmithing
• welding (main focus of steel fabrication)
• boilermakers
• millwrights
• ironworkers

A typical metal fabrication process is as follows:

The raw material has to be cut to size. This is done with a variety of tools, but most often accomplished by shearing.  Special band saws designed for cutting metal have hardened blades and a feed mechanism for even cutting.  Also used are chop saws and cutting torches.  There are also CNC methods where the cutting can be programmed.

The product is then “formed.”  The most common method of forming metal is to use hydraulic brake presses with v-dies.  Sometimes wing brakes and hand-powered brakes are also used.  Rolling machines are used to form plate steel into a rounded form.  Complex shapes sometimes require what is called an English Wheel or “wheeling machine.”

Then these formed and machined parts are assembled and tack welded into place.

Finally, once the welded fabrication has cooled it is typically sand-blasted, primed and painted.  Quality control practices for the company are followed and the fabricated product is ready for shipping.