Most of us will have heard the term ‘sheet metal fabrication’ but may not know what it involves. Let’s look at six of the assembly techniques.
1. Welding
Welding fuses two or more metal parts by melting the base materials, often with a filler material in between. This technique creates strong, permanent joints and is used when applications need a high structural integrity. Common welding methods for sheet metal include spot welding, MIG, TIG, and laser welding.
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2. Riveting
Riveting is when a metal pin, or rivet, is pushed through aligned holes in metal sheets, deforming the river’s end to hold the parts together. This technique is widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries, as it is reliable and can be used to join different types of metals or materials of varying thicknesses.
3. Clinching
Clinching is a fast way to join metal sheets to create an interlocking button or dimple, securing the sheets without the need for heat.
4. Hemming
Hemming involves folding the edge of one sheet over another to lock the two parts together. Often used in car doors and appliances, hemming gives a smooth edge and makes the structure stronger. Metals such as aluminium, cold-rolled steel, stainless steel, copper, and brass are commonly used, but they are not all equal; for example, aluminium is lightweight and easy to hem, while stainless steel is stronger but harder to work with. There are two main hemming processes in sheet metal fabrication: die hemming and roller hemming.
5. Adhesive bonding
Adhesive bonding uses special glue to stick sheet metal pieces together. This method is good for joining thin or different types of materials. It also spreads out the stress, which helps prevent the metal from bending or breaking.
6. Bolting
One of the simplest ways to assemble sheet metal is by bolting. Holes are drilled or punched into the metal sheets and screws or bolts are inserted and tightened. This method allows parts to be taken apart and put back together easily.
