Today, sheet metal cutting is one of the fairly common technological processes that allows you to get blanks of the desired size and shape. However, there are many methods for performing this procedure and a wide variety of equipment.
Mechanical cutting type
To perform mechanical operations for cutting sheet metal, a tool is needed. The basic requirements for a cutting subject are strength and hardness. These two characteristics must necessarily exceed those of the metal being processed, otherwise cutting the workpiece will fail. In some cases, this cutting method is also called cold.
The main mechanical methods include guillotine cutting, band saw cutting, waterjet cutting, as well as cutting with a grinder.
Scissors
The easiest way to cut sheet metal is to use guillotine shears. This method can only be used in cases where it is necessary to cut thin metal, for example galvanizing or profiled sheet. The cutting part in such a tool is a knife, and the scissors themselves can be not only manual type, but also automatic, pneumatic, hydraulic. If we talk about the prices of this tool for cutting metal, then manual and pneumatic devices are the cheapest. However, low productivity and a large amount of effort do not make this device popular. For these simple reasons, the electric unit is more popular. In this case, a grinder is widely used (a special type of grinder).
However, it is not possible to use such an apparatus for all metals. Those preforms that are coated with a polymer layer cannot be cut in this way, otherwise their coating will be damaged. In addition, when working with an electrical appliance, safety precautions must be followed very accurately. The greatest danger is fragments that can fly off. Cutting and bending of sheet metal with an abrasive wheel, which is used in a grinder, reduces the strength characteristics of metals with a polymer coating. Another very important parameter is overheating. To avoid problems, you have to turn off the device every 5 minutes of continuous operation.
Band Saw Method
To implement this method, a sheet metal cutting machine is already used. Its cutting part is a tape cutter, which is characterized by different distances of the teeth between each other. The interval between them depends on how much quality material needs to be cut. It is worth emphasizing here that this technological process is characterized by rather high productivity, the thickness of the cut does not exceed 2 mm, and also the processing quality is at a high level.
It is worth noting that the band saw method can be used for any alloy, and the cutting angle can be any that is required. Of the minuses, it is worth highlighting only that such a productive machine completely lacks the possibility of figured cutting.
Plasma Method
Plasma cutting of sheet metal is currently considered one of the modern methods, and also belongs to the thermal group of treatments, and not to the mechanical one. In this case, not metal teeth, knives, etc., but a plasma jet are used as a cutting tool.
The basis of this method is that gaseous substances in a state of high temperature (plasma) are used. To obtain this effect, an electric arc discharge is used. To perform the operation, two methods are used: plasma cutting of sheet metal with a jet or arc.
In the first case, a cutting jet will be formed between the two electrodes of the apparatus. In the second case, the cutting will take place using an arc that will be formed between the electrode and the metal. This becomes possible due to the fact that the metal workpiece is included in the chain. The plasma temperature during operation can reach 30,000 degrees Celsius.
Laser cutting
Laser cutting of sheet metal is the application of thermal energy from a narrowly focused thermal laser beam. The main advantages of this treatment are that it is as accurate as possible, the cut thickness is minimal, and the highest purity of the treatment is observed. It is advisable to use this method only if the metal thickness is not more than 15 mm. In addition, on such a machine you can easily perform curly cutting. Laser cutting of sheet metal is most often used for the manufacture of jewelry, which, in addition to cutting, also requires curly bending.
Bending of metal workpieces
Naturally, the main difference of this method is that there is no cutting of the workpiece. Deformation is carried out only due to the ductile properties of the metal. The main advantages of this method before cutting are that the material is saved due to the fact that there is almost no waste. Due to the fact that there are no joints, welds and other things, the mechanical strength of the product remains at the same level. Corrosion resistance is also maintained, since there is no significant structural change at the cutting sites.
If we consider both methods, then cutting and bending sheet metal are the two main methods today that are used to produce metal blanks with a very different shape, size and more.