Sheet metal fabrication is the process through which thin sheets of metal are transformed into everyday products such as domestic appliances, car parts and even aircraft components.
Companies such as https://dkmsheetmetal.co.uk use various different types of metal depending on the material qualities the customer’s finished product must demonstrate, but the most common metals used in sheet metal fabrication are aluminium, stainless steel and carbon steel.
Aluminium
What aluminium lacks in strength, it makes up for in flexibility, weight and corrosion resistance. Aluminium is a lightweight, cost effective and versatile metal that can be used in the manufacture of an enormous range of different products including gates, car body panels and even military body armour.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is very strong, corrosion resistant and hygienic. This makes it the perfect metal for manufacturing medical furniture and tools, cutlery and car exhaust systems. It tends not to misshape when heated and is fully recyclable at its end of life.
Carbon steel
Carbon steel is available in three variants – high, medium and mild carbon. High carbon steel is very strong and hard but can be hard to work with as it is not very malleable. It is often used to make railway lines. Medium carbon steel is not as strong and can be heated to improve its ductility, allowing it to be used to manufacture machine parts and large automotive components such as gears and axles. Mild carbon steel is highly machinable and is very popular in the manufacture of structural steel buildings, consumer appliances and metal tubing.
