Sheet Metal Cutting Process

Whether you cut sheet metal in a factory or in a home workshop, your goal is to separate sheet metal or remove a part of sheet metal for one or more available parts.As with most jobs, the method and process you choose to cut metal may mean the difference between success and failure.When cutting sheet metal, personal protective equipment such as gloves and eye protection should always be worn.Shear usually means cutting an object by applying a shear force until it fails.In sheet metal cutting, shear refers to the sheet metal cutting process of cutting the workpiece in a straight line.Manufacturers use hydraulic, electric, or manual industrial shear machines in large shear jobs.You are more likely to use an electric hand for a home workshop-Metal scissors or tin scissors for the shear process.Blanking is the process of cutting a shape or part from a larger workpiece.The generated part is called blank and is usually processed further into the final form.The stock is placed on the die, and there is an opening on the die to make the blank shape.The same blanking punch as the opening shape in the mold pushes down on the blank with force and speed, forcing the blank to separate from the plate in the shape of the mold.The blanking punch usually obtains its force from the hydraulic press.Stamping is the process of cutting the gap of the desired shape and size from the stock.It is the same as blanking, just the removed part is called slug instead of blank and will be discarded.Mechanical cutting is similar to paper cutting with scissors.The force is applied by a tool on one side of the stock, which rests on the tool on the other side.When enough force is applied, the metal is separated.The tools used can be as small as a pair of tin scissors or as large as industrial scissors.High water jet cuttingFast water flow with grinding material cuts metal.A narrow jet traveling at a speed of 2,000 feet per second can apply up to 60,000 pounds per square inch of pressure to the metal.The matter struck by this force was eroded.High focus laser cuttingThe laser is injected into the raw material to melt or evaporate the metal.A gas blows away any residue.In the same way, plasma cutting will focus on a series of highThe temperature ionization gas, known as the plasma, is used to cut metal.The plasma melts the metal and blows away the melted metal.You can cut sheet metal at home with a rotary tool equipped with a circular saw or a specially designed drill bit made of very hard carbide.