Metal Fabrication is the process of creating structures and products by altering and assembling metal materials.
Metal fabrication is a major industry. In fact, according to the U.S. Economics and Statistics Administration, steel fabrication makes up 12% of all manufacturing employment opportunities in the U.S. Many companies across the United States, and the rest of the world, rely on metal fabrication companies for their products. A few major markets that utilize metal fabrication services would be automotive, aviation, infrastructure, and construction.
What does a metal fabricator do?
Metal fabricators do many different things all the way from interpreting engineering drawings and blueprints, plan well to reduce waste, set up and/or run metalworking machinery which may include rollers, presses, shears, lathes, lasers, milling machines, polishing equipment and more.
There are a few types of metal fabrication processes including:
With this being said, these are not the only techniques for metal fabrication. There are many different processes that fabricators use that can range from manual processes that are performed by hand, or extremely efficient and highly technologically advanced or automated processes.
Understanding and following safety regulations is another very important aspect of fabrication and manufacturing.
What trade is metal fabrication?
Below are some various jobs and trades that a metal fabricator may pursue:
Specific skills include: cutting, machining, metal spinning, welding, interpreting blueprints and drawings, measuring, equipment set up, and assembling pieces and components.
While these positions all seem very different, it is crucial to incorporate each of these roles into a manufacturing or fabrication business, and it is possible to learn multiple roles to increase your skillset.
Are there different types of metal fabrication?
Cutting, the removal of material from a component or final part to achieve a specific shape, is a foundational process in fabrication. There are many ways to cut material including laser cutting, plasma cutting, or manual cutting or trimming. Cutting circular blanks out of a sheet of material using a laser to later be put on a metal spinning lathe is a common example.
Bending is another foundational process in metal fabrication. Bending gives the opportunity to create complex shapes with angles or curves, a very versatile option for metal forming. Common bending techniques could be utilizing a press to apply pressure to bend a piece of material, or roll bending a blank into a cylinder or tank, followed by a seam weld.
Assembling components is another foundational piece to fabrication. Common assembly processes include welding or bolting. Using a melting process to fuse two pieces of metal together, welding is a very popular and durable assembly technique. Welding is an art in itself, with a variety of techniques to learn. A skilled welder is a key role of a fabrication team.
What is the difference metal fabrication and manufacturing?
Fabrication involves combining different parts and components to form a finished product. Manufacturing is when raw materials are put through various processes to create a finished product.
What do fabricators fabricate?
Fabricators manufacture, weld, assemble various metal components or structures. Metal fabrication can be a variety of processes to create or assemble various components made from different metals. Materials could be softer like aluminum or copper, all the way to stainless steel or silver. Metal fabrication has an extremely wide array of possibilities, which is what makes it so interesting! Not to mention that metal fabrication adds up to a very large sum of the United States economy and supply chain, while contributing millions of jobs each year. Metal fabrication is extremely important in the success of the United States, and affects our daily lives whether you notice or not! Look around you on a daily basis and you will certainly see many fabricated components and structures.Â
Deep Draw Metal Stamping for Strength and Efficiency The deep drawing sheet metal forming process is a cold-forming metal fabrication process that is conducted in a room-temperature environment. A metal blank is stretched around a die cavity, eventually conforming to the shape of the plug, shape of the die, and the depth of the draw.
What is the Trimming Process and How is it Performed? Trimming is a process used to remove excess material to achieve a desired shape, size, and finish, while removing burrs and smooths out sharp edges. To trim a part, it is put on a lathe and processed by a highly skilled metal spinner, or a
The Metal Finishing and Polishing Process The polishing process is a secondary metal fabrication process that is done to create a smooth and shiny surface by utilizing abrasives or chemical treatment, and can be done by hand or robotic automation. The purpose of adding a finish or polish is to improve the appearance by creating
Metal Fabrication: What is the Beading and Edge Rolling Process? Beading and edge rolling are the metal forming processes of adding a radius, raised edge, or indented ridge along the edge of a piece. This process is done to increase stability and durability of the part, and can also increase its functionality by allowing for
Secondary Metal Fabrication Processes At TMS, our secondary metal forming processes consist of: Beading and Edge Rolling Trimming Welding Metal Finishing and Polishing Each process can be done manually or automated, depending on the part. Beading and Edge Rolling Beading is very similar to edge rolling. During the beading process, a radius is added to
The Benefits of One-piece Constructions At Toledo Metal Spnning Company, we have been forming metals since 1929. With nearly a century of experience, we have mastered a wide range of processes including laser cutting, metal spinning, deep drawing, machining, rolling and seam welding, to build strong and durable high-performance parts. But what truly sets us
Laser Cutting 101 What is laser cutting and how does it work? The laser beam is a heat source which can melt metals rather quickly. When the concentrated beam comes into contact with the material, in this case, metal, the beam’s energy is absorbed into the metal, causing it to melt. However, the laser beam
Laser cutting produces efficient, precise cuts with smooth, uniform edges in both small and large runs on materials up to 1 in. thick. It’s no surprise that the process has become extremely popular, and manufacturers and fabricators now rely on laser cutting more than ever. Laser Cutting Basics A laser is a source of intense
