There are many different ways to create shapes from metal. One of the most common is metal machining, which starts with a solid workpiece and removes surface or internal material to create the desired shape.
Another option is to create parts through an extrusion process. This process uses molten metal forced through a die and cooled into a particular shape. This process can be used for simple to complex shapes and is ideal for high volume orders where internal shaping of the part or component is required.
A third option that neither adds or removes material from the metal is the use of custom metal forming equipment. This equipment is used to bend and shape the metal through the process of deformation. This is an ideal option for external shapes and can also be used to create internal shapes in the metal as well.
The Value in Custom Metal Forming
As metal forming requires no additional heat and does not use costly machining centers, it is a cost-effective way to form parts from a variety of different metals and alloys. Even sheet or plate metals can be used in custom metal forming to create angles, channels, and edges that are uniquely designed to meet the specific requirements of the OEM.
One of the most commonly used methods in custom metal forming is rolling. This involves the use of heavy rollers under pressure that shape the metal to the desired configuration. The final shape is exact and offers good production speed and very low waste in the process.
Brake forming is used to create a shape along a straight axis. With CNC brake forming these angles can be precise and used to create a range of different shapes based on the die or the form the metal sheet is pressed into through the process.
