There are many steel fabrication methods that are used in the industry. Methods that ensure the durability of the products are prioritised. You can achieve the same result using different methods. For example, you can weld two pieces of metal together or fold a single piece of metal to create the same product.
When you contact Spectrum laser and linishing, they will be able to recommend an ideal fabrication method for your project after weighing the factors of time, cost and quality. When it comes to steel folding, it is a metal fabrication method that can be done using a press brake. The benefit of steel folding is that you don’t need to join two separate pieces of metal to create something and this contributes to more durability of the metal. You can bend and fold steel into the desired shape without having to contend with the weak points created by the welded joint. The bending process is carried out in conjunction with folding. You can create a folded metal profile with this method. However, there has to be sufficient plastic deformability for a metal to be folded. The sheet metal is folded using cold forming and the process will be done along the entire length of the metal at the same time.
Folding metal comes under the six main groups of the manufacturing process. Some of the bending processes that come under steel folding are V-die bending, U-die bending, forming and free bending using the press brake. There are several forming processes that come under steel folding. Generally, the object of workpiece will be bent around the straight edges of the tool when pressure is applied. In addition to press brakes, you can also find folding machines and folding benches that can achieve the same effect. When you are using a die in the bending process, the bending edges can be found on the punch of the machine. Free bending starts off the process which is also called three point bending. Free bending is when the punch of the machine doesn’t need to reach the die bottom for the forming process to complete. This ensures a more precise result as the workpeice is prevented from springing back. You will need specific punches and die sets to create varying profile angles.
The operator will need protection when using press brakes. This is because they will be working on the bending line. You can create two edges at the same time with U-die bending process. One example is the C-shaped profile. The bending edge is where the workpiece gets deformed. The bending angle is how much the leg of the profile moves during the process. This is limited by the type of material used. You can also produce different variations of seams with seaming. This is where two edges of a sheet metal are interlocked together in a joint. The standing seam is the simplest. With advancements in machinery, the maximum length a profile can be folded is increasing all the time.
