Bendingīending refers to the process of creating U-shaped or V-shaped bends on a material, typically sheet or tubular metal. Thus, highly ductile metals like aluminum and steel alloys are the best choices for shearing. The spinnability of a metal is proportional to its ductility. The process of metal spinning relies on a characteristic of a metal called its spinnability, or its ability to withstand deformation via shear forces without overcoming its tensile strength. The thickness of the final part can also be controlled by altering the clearance of the roller with the mandrel. As the mandrel rotates, it is pushed against the metal by a roller, thus creating a shear force that deforms the metal sheet. It is typically done to convert a flat metal sheet into one with a concave or convex shape.Ī shear forming machine is comprised of two basic parts: a mandrel that determines the shape of the final part, and a roller that presses the metal against the mandrel. Shearing, a method of metal spinning, alters the shape of a material via the application of shear forces.
Pure tensile forming processes may involve the punching of a die into a sheet to create a dome, bending of a sheet against a die, or the expansion of a tubular pipe by hydraulic fluid. In most cases, tensile stress is applied in combination with compressive stress, such as in pulling material through a die or the manufacture of flanges. The polar opposite of compressive forming, tensile forming involves the application of stress that results in the stretching of the material. If you’ve ever seen an old-timey film where a craftsman pounds a sword with a hammer, then you’ve seen an early example of forging. This technique has been used to craft jewelry, kitchenware, and hand tools. By applying large stresses using hammers, sections of a material can be molded into the desired shape. This is a process used to manufacture metal beams for construction, plastic pellets, or food products such as pasta and pet food.įorging is another compressive technique that applies more localized application compressive stress. One of the more common examples of compressive forming is extrusion – a process where a material is pushed through an orifice with a fixed cross-section. Aside from excellent uniformity, the application of compressive stresses has the potential to result in the strengthening of the material being processed. This results in an alternation of the shape of the material that follows a pre-determined orifice or die. In compressive forming, compressive stress is applied to the material either on a single axis or multiple axes. Thus, a forming process will be designed to take advantage of an economy of scale and process a high volume of orders. In any case, the machinery used in forming is typically heavy-duty, large, and relatively expensive. The manner in which these stresses are applied may differ from one process to the next depending on the desired final form of the original material. Although forming is typically used to refer to a metalworking technique, the deformation of thermoplastics can also be considered an example of forming.Īll types of forming processes require the application of very high loads and stresses. This process relies on the principle of plastic deformation, or the ability of certain materials to undergo an alteration of their shapes in a manner that cannot be undone by the simple application of force. Formingįorming refers to the deformation of a material to a more desired shape without the addition or removal of any of the material. With this, we hope to have a better appreciation of how raw materials end up as the objects we use in our daily lives. In this article, we take a look at the broad classifications of common manufacturing processes, how they work, and look at examples of each one.
With the products of manufacturing processes being so common, it’s easy to take for granted just how complex they actually are. These sub-processes have been refined through the decades to ensure the highest possible level of quality and reliability while still being economically viable.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS 3 MANUAL
The journey from raw materials to finished goods involves several steps, driven by both automated machines and manual labor. 3D Insider is ad supported and earns money from clicks, commissions from sales, and other ways.