The sheet metal can be molded by cold forming.
Cold forming is a manufacturing process in which metal is worked at room temperature to create components and finished products. It can be less expensive and more efficient than other production methods and is used to make a variety of products, including fasteners, auto parts, and building materials. Manufacturers can produce regular runs of specific cold-formed materials, as well as custom products at the request of their customers. Production cost can depend on the specifications of a design and the manufacturer’s level of familiarity with similar components.
In this process a series of punches and dies are used to manipulate the metal at room temperature. The part may go through several steps to obtain a finished shape. Metals are compressed into shapes and are also drilled to create specific shapes, such as threaded screws with protruding heads to hold the screw in place, or handmade sheets to coat automotive components.
Fabricators can work a variety of metals with this technique. They evaluate design specifications to determine which metal to use. Particular properties must be considered, including the point at which the metal may become brittle or begin to fracture, as this may be important in the cold forming process or in the finished product. The purpose of cold forming is to force the metal to flow and hold a new shape, not to push the metal past the breaking point to produce a part that can fail as a result of cracking and fatigue.
Finished parts made with this process can be polished and otherwise treated to apply a finish, enhance gloss, and remove roughness. Once the part is completely ready, a quality controller can check it to make sure it’s usable and meets specifications. Automatic quality control can do this with the help of cameras and algorithms that can look for specific problems and pull parts for closer inspection if they appear to be defective. Cold forming plants use a number of measures, such as automating inspection processes to control quality and limit waste.
Custom products can be expensive because the company may need to make custom molds and punches, as well as other components, such as rollers, to fulfill the order. Companies that need custom components for a specific project can request that manufacturing components be stored for future runs. They will be cheaper because the cold forming tooling is already set up and the fabricator does not have to start from scratch.