Common sheet metals include steel, stainless steel, aluminum, zinc, and copper, the thickness of sheet metal material can vary depending on its intended use. Generally, the thickness of sheet metal ranges from 0.5 millimeters to 6 millimeters. However, for special applications, the thickness of sheet metal can also be greater than 6 millimeters.

For parts that are partially flat or hollow, sheet metal fabrication can be a cost-effective alternative to processes such as casting and machining. The process is also fast and produces minimal waste of material.Sheet metal fabrication is widely used in industrial and consumer parts as well as specialized industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy and robotics.

Sheet Metal Processing: Cutting

One of the three main ways to manipulate sheet metal is to cut it. In this sense, sheet metal fabrication can be thought of as a subtractive manufacturing process (like CNC machining), since usable parts can be made by simply removing parts of material.

Fabricators can cut sheet metal using a variety of different machines, some of which are unique to sheet metal fabrication.

One of the key methods of sheet metal cutting is laser cutting. Laser cutters use a powerful laser that is enhanced by a lens or mirror. It is a precise and energy efficient machine for thin or medium gauge sheet metal but may have difficulty penetrating the hardest materials.

Another sheet metal cutting process is water jet cutting. Waterjet cutting is a sheet metal fabrication method that uses a jet of high-pressure water (mixed with an abrasive substance) to cut metal. Waterjet cutters are especially good for cutting low melting point metal sheets because they don't generate the heat that could deform the metal excessively.

A third sheet metal cutting option is plasma cutting. Plasma cutters create an electrical channel of ionized gas, creating a jet of hot plasma that easily penetrates even thick gauge sheet metal. While not as accurate as laser or waterjet cutters, plasma cutters are fast, powerful and inexpensive to set up.

Sheet Metal Processing: Bending

Another major category of sheet metal fabrication processes is sheet metal bending. This set of processes encompasses countless ways to alter and manipulate sheet metal without cutting into it.

One of the main deformation processes is sheet metal bending. Using machines called brakes, a sheet metal company can bend sheet metal into V-shapes, U-shapes and channels at angles of up to 120 degrees. Thinner sheet metal gauges are easier to bend. The opposite can also be done: sheet metal fabricators can remove horizontal bends from strip-shaped sheet metal parts through the debending process.

The stamping process is another deformation process, but it can also be considered a subcategory of its own. It involves the use of a hydraulic or mechanical press equipped with tools and dies, which operates similarly to stamping - although material does not necessarily have to be removed. Stamping can be used for specific tasks such as hemming, drawing, embossing, flanging and hemming.

Sheet Metal Processing: Spinning

Spinning is a sheet metal manufacturing process that, unlike other deformation techniques, uses a lathe to rotate the sheet metal as it is pressed against a tool. The process looks similar to CNC turning or even pottery spinning, and it can be used to create circular sheet metal parts: cones, cylinders, etc.