This is a series of post that we will tackle about the common and important tools, machineries and techniques steel fabricators use. Here is what the series will look about:
Part 1: Metal Shaping (you are currently here)
Part 2: Metal Cutting
Part 3: Metal Shrinking
Part 4: Metal Fusion
Metal Shaping
There are only four ways in which you can change a metal - bending, cutting, shrinking and stretching. And these four ways are all forms for metal shaping.
Here are the common tools and techniques use to perform these tasks.
Bending Metal
Under bending metal we have: form bending, metal brake, cornice break, box and pan break, bar folder and press break,
Form Bending
- Simplest way to bend metal
- With this method, you are bending the metal over an edge that is located under the metal. Ex. You can push a flat piece of metal over the edge of a table to make a bend
- You could also use a hammer and shaping dolly to bend the metal around the shape that is desired
Metal Break
- Most common way to make a clean and precise bends in metal
- Works by placing the metal on a flat, gated surface and then clamping a flat bar on top of the metal and lifting the gated portion to bend the metal to the desired angle
Cornice Break
- Has a solid clamping bar, the full width of the machine; thus, it can only make straight bends
Box and Pan Break
- The clamping bar includes several removable blocks, which may be removed and rearranged to permit bending of restricted areas of a piece of sheet metal
- After bending, a box or pan form is then completed by screw, solder, weld, rivet or other meal fixing process
Bar Folder
- It is a simplified break
- Much smaller that cornice or box pan breaks
- Single handle both clamps the work piece and makes the bend in a single motion but the depth is usually less than what a cornice of a box pan can do
Press Brake
- More complex tool that performs bends by clamping the work pieces between a matching punch and die
Stay connected for the upcoming posts!
While waiting you can read Finding Your Metal Fabricator and What does a Steel Fabricator Do?
Looking for steel fabricators in the Philippines? Visit TKL at http://tkl.com.ph/