After World War II, economics was no longer of significance, as minor metals were increasingly converted into technology materials used in jet and rocket engines, electronic computing systems, and super weapons. To extend their service lives and prevent corrosion damage to these metals.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have developed a cheaper and safer method for turning “recalcitrant” metals into thin films for applications that demand them.
Metal Casting
Metal casting is an ancient metalworking technology used for centuries by large-scale industrial production and small-scale craftsmanship. Metal casting can produce products ranging from complex industrial parts to decorative jewelry. Multiple processes are involved, each offering advantages and disadvantages; typical examples include investment casting, sand casting, and die casting.
Metal casting begins by creating a pattern – a replica of the final part that will be cast – out of wood, metal, or plastic. Next comes creating a mold from this pattern; expendable molds may be made out of sand, while more permanent molds might include ceramic material.
Once the mold is ready, molten metal is poured into it and allowed to set before being removed and cleaned as necessary. Metal casting can produce everything from heavy industrial components like cars and appliances to consumer goods like car parts.
Metal casting processes come with several drawbacks, including the need for specialized equipment, high operating costs, and lengthy setup times. Furthermore, melting and cooling rates of molten metal may lead to defects in finished products that require post-casting machining; additionally, toxic fumes produced during these processes could pose health hazards to workers.
Metal casting technology is used extensively across industries, including metallurgy, mining, transportation, drainage and irrigation machinery, aviation, national defense, and automobile. Casts from iron, steel, and non-ferrous carbon alloy materials. The first centrifugal casting machine was constructed at Mount Joy (now Valley Forge in Pennsylvania) for producing cast pipes; today, its technology can also be used to make steel and iron castings for aerospace use.
Metal Machining
Metal machining is one of the primary manufacturing processes. A subtractive technique involves removing excess material from metal to achieve the desired product. Performed using several power-machine tools and done on multiple materials, including metals, polymers, and ceramics; however, most machining is conducted on metals.
Machining is an umbrella term describing any process which divides metal workpieces into multiple smaller parts and then shapes these smaller pieces to meet desired design specifications. Once complete, these final products often prove much more potent and offer higher precision than their original metal form; hence, machining has many applications across aerospace, automotive, and military industries.
As well as cutting, other forms of machining include turning and milling. Turning involves rotating a workpiece in a unique holder while using tools to remove excess material from its surface. Turning is also often used to create complex shapes – either external (whereby the blade moves away from the workpiece) or internal turning depending on your preference.
Plasma cutting, which involves using an electric current to heat and melt material before cutting with a tool, is another type of machining. Often employed on more complex materials such as steel or titanium, but can also be applied to soft ones like textiles. Other forms of machining include laser and oxyfuel cutting: with the laser being the more popular but sometimes costly method, while oxyfuel cutting uses oxygen combined with fuel gas–typically propane, hydrogen, or acetylene–to liquefy or otherwise burn away metal away indirectly.
Machining is usually more appropriate for producing intricate parts than fabrication, as it offers greater precision. Furthermore, machining can often be more cost-effective as it uses fewer resources to achieve similar results; additionally, machining may even be faster in certain instances making it an attractive solution for high-volume production runs.
Metal Fabrication
Metal fabrication involves turning raw materials into valuable finished products. As an industry, this encompasses numerous operations. Cutting, forming, and assembly are among the main categories of metal fabrication; others may include welding or drawing. Cutting metal refers to any method of cutting material away from its original form by precise removals, such as shearing or more advanced methods like plasma arc cutting. While not technically part of metal fabrication, forging, casting, and stamping may also create similar product types.
Forming is a broad category encompassing various processes that alter the shape of metal without changing its essential properties. Bending, stretching, and spinning are among the different forming techniques available and may be employed to form corners, grooves, and curves and strengthen weak areas within products.
Folding is one of the more complex forming techniques, requiring highly specialized equipment, and is usually performed at high-tech facilities. Folding allows a metal surface to be bent into different angles without breaking its original material. At the same time, drawing creates narrow or raised sections within metal pieces through either shallow or deep stamping or die.
Production begins once a project is designed and plans have been drawn up. This is when real work takes place, and most labor is spent at metal fabrication shops; as this process can become highly complex and accuracy is essential, professional engineers’ expertise becomes crucial to its success.
Once fabrication processes such as cutting, forming, and assembly have been completed, it’s time for the final step: welding. This highly specialized process can make or break a product’s overall quality; skilled metal fabricators recognize that its success directly correlates to how efficiently every stage is executed, from design through finishing and assembly.
Metal Welding
Metal welding combines two pieces of metal together using heat and the appropriate skills and expertise. While welding is most commonly associated with joining metals, other materials like wood and thermoplastics may also be welded using this process. Early metalworkers would use an oxyfuel blowtorch to bring their materials up to a melting point; more modern methods use an electric arc for heating needs.
There are various forms of welding, such as fusion and resistance welding. Fusion welding uses an electrode to melt base metals and form a pool of molten metal to join pieces more accurately than other types. Furthermore, this form of welding allows greater control over how heat is applied compared with resistance welding techniques.
Other types of welding include arc welding, resistance welding, and shielded arc welding. Arc welding is by far the most popular form, as it produces relatively clean welds with minimal spatter – making it an excellent way to join thick metals such as stainless steel and iron without risk of spatter. Nonferrous metals may also be suitable for arc welding, but this practice is rarely employed.
When welding thin metals, precise control over the amount of heat applied is essential for success. One effective way of doing this is through small wire electrodes, which offer better control and allow for swift correction of mistakes quickly. Furthermore, keeping metals close together and filling gaps with tack welds should also be considered when welding thin metals.
BR Metal Technology’s specialty is creating precision products from difficult metals and alloys. We utilize innovative proprietary technologies to deliver top-of-the-line items according to customer specifications, offering comprehensive engineering, precision machining, metal fabrication, quality control and distribution services for customer needs.