What is sheet metal?<\/h2>\n\n
When we talk about sheet metal, we refer to\u00a0a sheet derived from a roll of metal.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0The advantages certainly include a\u00a0great adaptability<\/strong>\u00a0to numerous surface finishes at all levels with\u00a0very low processing costs<\/strong>. In fact, it does not require additional machining operations, which is why it is used in various sectors.<\/p>\n\n Sheet metal manufacturing usually involves a series of processes that include\u00a0laser cutting, stamping, bending, among others.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n A process like\u00a0stamping<\/strong>\u00a0is usually divided into subprocesses that are necessary to achieve the final product.<\/p>\n\n Of course, with the most recent developments in manufacturing technology, sheet metal manufacturers have taken their skills to the next level.<\/p>\n\n By using\u00a0CNC machines<\/strong>, they can now achieve the very complex geometries required by many applications while\u00a0complying with the tightest tolerance specifications.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The uses of sheet metal vary based on the type of metal being used.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n It is certainly interesting to list some types and match them to the most suitable form of application.<\/p>\n\n What kind of metal is used to produce shop signs? What about the components of aerospace engines?<\/p>\n\n Let\u2019s find out!<\/p>\n\n If you are interested in sheet metal production techniques, you can check out the\u00a0free Masterclasses<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offered by the Italian company\u00a0Dallan Spa<\/strong>.\u00a0 They specialize in the production of profiling lines, punching machines and laser cutting of thin materials.<\/p>\n\n However, to be competitive, sheet metal manufacturers can\u2019t stop at basic processing. Especially when many of the parts they make will end up in important structural applications, including beams, cross sections, rail tracks, the body of different vehicles, and even the fuselage and airplane wings.<\/p>\n\n Among the things just mentioned,\u00a0sheet metal manufacturers need to guarantee their products are strong and durable enough to cope with the operational demands of such applications.<\/strong>\u00a0 They also have to make sure surfaces can resist exposure to extreme temperatures and harsh environments. Think of the components in the body of an airplane and you will get the idea.<\/p>\n\n How to make this possible?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Many people think quality control refers to identifying defective products and discarding them before sending a batch into the market.<\/p>\n\n However, according to ISO 9000:2015 section 3.6.2,\u00a0quality is \u201cthe degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of an object fulfils requirements.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0And this means that manufacturers must ensure that the parts are made to design specifications and will function properly.<\/p>\n\n Quality Control in the sheet metal industry usually involves the verification of dimensional properties<\/strong>\u00a0such as straightness, flatness, circularity, concentricity, cylindricity, perpendicularity, parallelism, profile, and runout.<\/p>\n\n These dimensional properties are usually\u00a0verified with measuring instruments<\/strong>\u00a0such as\u00a0calipers, micrometers<\/strong>, and the resulting measurements must fall within the expected tolerances.<\/p>\n\n But quality control in the sheet metal industry is not just about dimensional verification.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Manufacturers\u00a0also need to guarantee<\/strong>\u00a0hardness, strength, and durability<\/strong>. To do so, they need to verify those properties on the final product. This is generally done with\u00a0destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT) control instruments<\/strong>, which include:<\/p>\n\n As mentioned above, surfaces must\u00a0resist exposure to extreme temperatures and harsh environments<\/strong>, but metals are usually prone to change or lose their mechanical properties in these situations.\u00a0We all have seen how corrosion attacks metal parts near the ocean.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Apart from using metals that may have a higher corrosion resistance,\u00a0manufacturers can use some surface finish techniques like coating to improve these properties<\/strong>. Naturally,\u00a0this also requires quality control to guarantee that it actually works.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Let\u2019s look at the case of our customer\u00a0Dukometal SA<\/strong>\u00a0as an example.<\/p>\n\n![\"sheet](\"https:\/\/www.samatools.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lamiere-produzione.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Sheet metal manufacturing: production<\/h2>\n\n
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Sheet metal manufacturing: Every metal has a different use<\/h2>\n\n
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![\"sheet](\"https:\/\/www.samatools.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lavorazioni-delle-lamiere.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Sheet metal manufacturing: Quality Control<\/h2>\n\n
Dimensional verification<\/h3>\n\n
Destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT)<\/h3>\n\n
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![\"dukometal](\"https:\/\/www.samatools.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dukometal-lavorazioni-di-lamiere.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Sheet metal manufacturing: corrosion resistance<\/h3>\n\n
Quality control for sheet metal coating: Dukometal SA<\/h2>\n\n