INTRODUCTON:

SHEET METAL- Sheet metal has been formed into desired shape and size, by means of  cut, bent, roll or stamped into various shapes.

Material: Steel, Aluminum, Zinc alloy, copper alloy. 

Thickness Ranges: 0.5 to 6mm

OPERATIONS: 

1) Cutting / Shearing:

Sheet metal cutting include the Shear force applied to separate the metal sheet into designed shape and size with application on Punch and die

Fig B: Above image shows metal deformation due to cutting operation with application of Punch and Die 

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  • Blanking: With the application of punch the workpiece drawn from larger sheet metal part is our  final product called as blanking operation 
  • Punching/piercing: With the application of punch the workpiece drawn from larger sheet metal part the remaining larger sheet is the final product called as Punching operation 

  • Waterjet cutting, laser cutting, and plasma cutting: These cutting-edge techniques use a concentrated laser beam called as laser cutting operation and high-temperature plasma, 
  • High-pressure water stream (occasionally combined with abrasives) to precisely cut complex shapes.

     


 NOTE: Water jet Abrasives (Other abrasives like silicon carbide, sand, and glass beads are also used) 

  • Nibbling: These punching techniques are used to cut a complex shape with a sequence of overlapping punches Called as nibbling operations 
  • Notching- Remove material from the edge called as notching operation 
  • Slotting- Create rectangular holes Called as slotting operation 
  • Perforating- Create a pattern of numerous tiny holes called as perforating operations. 

  • Trimming / finishing- To remove the extra or unwanted material from the desired part called as Trimming and finishing operation . 


2) Forming Activities

These procedures, which usually involve applying force to induce plastic deformation, without removing material.

  • Bending: By using punch and die, force is applied to a specific area to deform sheet metal into a curved shape or angle represent as blanking operation. 
  • Embossing: By using punch and die, the recessed design or pattern is created on the sheet metal's surface with little alteration to the material's thickness represent as Embossing operation.
  • Rolling: Putting the metal through a sequence of rollers to flatten it, reduce its thickness, or produce a continuous, cross-sectional profile such as tubes represent as Rolling Operation.

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  • Deep Drawing: The Sheet is pushed by punch and drawn the three- dimensional hollow part like a car door panel or Storage containers called as deep drawing operation 

         The deep drawing part usually consider the depth of drawn part is equal to its diameter or more than 1 (i.e., ratio is 1:1 or more than 1)

    Sometimes its consider the depth of drawn part is 0.5 to its diameter, depend on material used 

  • Stretch Forming: The metal sheet edges are clamped and simultaneously stretched and then bent over a die to form large parts commonly called as Stretch forming.
          Generally use in aircraft and automotive panel 











  • Coining/Sizing: The high compressive forces for very fine details and precision in dimensional accuracy called as Coining and Sizing operation.

3. Joining Operations

These processes involve the joining of two or more pieces of metal.

  • Priority in Welding: Joining by heating and/or using pressure to hold the pieces of metal together through fusion.
  •  Riveting: The process of assembling using mechanical fasteners called rivets.
  • Hemming/Seaming: Folding the edge of the metal back on itself, or hemming, and joining two edges together by folding, or seaming, provides stiffening of the edges to create a safe, smooth border

Hemming folds create a smooth edges, while Seaming help to join the two separate product together