Material removal is usually done with an oxyfuel torch in metal fabrication.
Stock removal is a term commonly used to describe the action of removing a certain amount of stock from a workpiece. There are several different ways to do this process, including common approaches like milling, drilling, grinding, filling, and planing. The choice of how to proceed with material removal will often depend on the type of material involved, along with the type of part being manufactured.
The idea of material removal is common to many manufacturing applications, including any work involving metal or wood. The idea is to remove leftover materials that will not be part of the final design of the object. For example, if the product is created with metal components, grinding the components to the proper shape before joining would be an example of material removal. Likewise, planing and sawing are common approaches to the removal process when it comes to woodworking projects such as furniture construction.
One purpose of stock removal is to help reshape raw materials to match the design of the finished product. An example of this type of activity can be found in the production of knives. Here, the goal is to mold the metal used for the blades to the proper thickness and shape, often using grinding and other machining techniques to remove excess material that is not needed. In this application, the metal can be heated to facilitate the shaping process and then followed by lapping to obtain the necessary sharp edges for the knife.
Assuming the blade handle will be made of wood, the overall finish of each knife may also be involved in shaping the wood through planing or some type of lapping process. Here material removal is used to ensure that the handle is the correct size for the knife blade and that the handle fits comfortably in the hand, minimizing the chance of slipping and cutting the hand while using the device.
Stock removal can be used for DIY projects around the home, as well as as part of a larger manufacturing process in a factory setting. The scope of construction or fabrication will also determine the exact methods used in the process. For simple home projects, removal tools are often common devices such as hand drills, drill bits, and grinding wheels. Larger operations will use stock removal equipment that can withstand repeated action, making it possible to produce a series of finished units over the course of a business day.