Secondary Metal Fabrication Processes
At TMS, our secondary metal forming processes consist of:Â
- Beading and Edge Rolling
- Trimming
- Welding
- Metal Finishing and Polishing
Each process can be done manually or automated, depending on the part.
Beading is very similar to edge rolling. During the beading process, a radius is added to the edge of a trimmed metal piece. Another form of bead is an impression into the metal around the part. An example of this would be a beaded lid.  A bead forming an impression circumferentially around a part allows for a gasket or rubber seal to set into the bead, which can be used for mounting to the mating part, preventing leaking of substances. Â
At TMS, we are able to place an automated bead on a part with our machine designed form trimming and beading. It can trim and place inward and outward beads. Similar to flanges and edge rolling, beads can increase the strength into a part by simply rolling an edge. Â
Trimming is done with a tool known as a cutter or an insert, and is performed when a part needs an edge to be smoothed out, and burrs removed. To be trimmed, the part is put on either a lathe, where it is manually trimmed by a skilled metal spinning, or it is put on a trim/bead machine, and the cutter will shave or shear off the part’s edge to run true. Manual trims can be done to be within 1/64th of an inch. A trimmed edge can be a straight off trim, or the trim can be radiused or beveled to make the edges safe for handling. Edges are also oftentimes trimmed prior to adding a bead or edge roll.
TMS can perform GTAW, GMAW, or Resistance Welding. Â
Longitudinal Seam Welding
Seam welding is achieved as an electrical current passes between materials, heat is generated at their gap. Because of the gap between the two materials, they heat up at the seam. This is common with metals because they easily conduct electricity and are able to withstand high pressures. Seam welding has a great reputation for building a clear weld with no filler needed. Seam welding is typically performed during the cylinder forming process due to its reputation of achieving a strong and dependable weld, every time. Â
Circumferential Seam Welding
Circumferential Seam Welding is used when welding two pieces of material that are geometrically round. This specific weld could be a butt weld, lap weld, or seam weld. The weld seam will join the two pieces together in a similar way to a spot weld. With this process, the weld seam would completely and continuously seal the joint. MIG or TIG processes are used for this type of seam welding. Â
Manual Welding
Manual welding is a very common technique and is very widely used across the manufacturing and metal fabrication industry. Manual Welding involves striking an arc between a covered metal electrode and the workpiece. The heat that is generated Â
The polishing process is done to create a smooth and shiny surface by utilizing abrasives or chemical treatment, and can be done by hand or robotic automation. Â
The purpose of adding a finish or polish is to improve the appearance by creating a nice, smooth, and shiny finish. Polishing also increases the part’s durability by removing any imperfections that may appear on the surface. Another benefit to adding a polish is the removal of oxidation and corrosion, allowing the products to be used in sanitary environments such as the dairy, food processing, medical device, or pharmaceutical industries. Sanitary-grade products must have the correct polish applied, or they may accumulate bacteria or corrosion. Â
Manual Finishing
Manual polishing requires a lathe to rotate the part at a high speed, while a trained and skilled polisher uses a specific amount of abrasive – desired by the customer – to add the finish to the rotating part. Manual polishing is a skill that requires a heavy amount of training, along with the knowledge and understanding of the differences between the various abrasives. Understanding how to avoid weld distortion is crucial to achieving a smooth and strong weld. Each type of abrasive affects the material differently, and it is crucial that the polisher has a keen understanding of which one to use and why. Once the part is finished, the correct abrasive pattern is recorded and saved for future use. Â
Robotic Finishing
A skilled robotic engineer will program the polishing robot to do what the manual polisher typically does. Robotic polishing can be very efficient and can result in a beautiful finish. The robots utilize an abrasive belt the same way a manual polisher would with a tool in hand. The automated polishing process is also recorded and stored for future use. Each part is then inspected for the highest quality result.Â
