Sheet metal is one of the most versatile materials in the world. It can be bent, cut and trimmed into almost any shape. Engineers turn to this material for prototypes and completing their final products. As the metal industry continues to evolve, it's critical to know about the types of fabrication that are available to professionals today. Explore sheet-metal fabrication and online options through 3D Hubs right now.
Breaking Down Fabrication Types
There are several fabrication choices for engineers, such as:
- Punching
- Shearing
- Folding
- Machining
- Welding
- Stamping
Each fabrication method changes the metal's shape in a certain way. A machine might punch out a shape, whereas another method simply folds the metal onto itself. Determining the proper method depends on the engineer's final vision.
Engineers typically rely on CNC machining in order to complete these fabrication techniques. Machines manipulate the metal until it has a specific shape with exact dimensions.
Sheet metal is relatively lightweight, and it can be used in almost any industry. Currently, fabrication is also being used in the 3D printing sector. Companies that include 3D Hubs can use metal in much the same way as plastic to print a part. The technology is growing in leaps and bounds, so engineers will want to keep up with the latest news to see how far their designs can go today.
Benefiting From Sheet Metal Fabrication
A product can rise above the competition with sheet metal fabrication. Metal continues to be the material of choice because of its strength, versatility, and forgiveness in the face of dimensional anomalies. An engineer might run a 3D printing or injection molding session for a prototype. The design, however, doesn't turn out as desired. The engineer can alter one area of the metal without compromising the robustness of the rest of the structure.
Both prototyping and final products can have sheet-metal structures. They're both functional and attractive to engineers and consumers alike. A product may have its prototype's identical structure because of the metal's usefulness in both applications.
Trying the Online Platform
Typically, engineers take their designs to a local, CNC machining shop. There may or may not be a backlog when they arrive. Skip the trip to the shop and go online. 3D Hubs is every engineer's resource for rapid prototyping and precision 3D printing.
Enter a design into the online platform. The system examines the data. In fact, it will report back any issues with the design before any material is cut. From an engineer's perspective, this feedback is priceless. They save time and money when any mistakes are pinpointed and fixed.
The system sends the perfected design to a shop that has no backlog. There are many different shops to choose from. Engineers can watch their designs move through the platform and know when the materials are ready.
Contact 3D Hubs for the latest fabrication options today. This company thrives on complex orders and completing them in record time. That next big idea can be visualized with the best metal and machining processes in the industry.
