In construction and production of various items, sheet metal work is commonly used. Most of the things that you can find around you these days are made using metal work. For people who are interested in being involved with a metal work project – big or small – should find this simple sheet metal work guide as a useful one. This guide will discuss some basic but important information about metal work including the materials and processes.

The Materials for Metal Work
The experts in metal work, who are usually referred to as craftsmen, are normally concerned with the grade of material. The so called material grade can refer to the following: the chemical purity of the material, the corrosion resistance of the material, the hardness of the material, and the weather resistant ability of the material.

When categorizing metal works based on the materials grade, people use the term grade which is then followed by numbers or letters (e.g. Grade 316).

In addition, the materials for metal work can also be described using their gauge. This refers to the thickness of the material. A number is used to designate a material’s thickness. There is no any unit used for gauge designation of metal work material. To know the meaning of gauge, charts are used. For instance, gauge 3 for steels may be equal to 6.07 mm thickness. You should remember that when the gauge number increases, its thickness decreases. Thus, a gauge 3 steel will have lower measure of thickness in millimetre.

The Process of Metal Work
There are many process used for metal work. The processes usually involve several steps. It usually starts with manufacture of material. It is called casting. To cast means to pour the liquid metal onto a mould. The liquid metal will then become solid after a period of time. The most common type of casting is foundry. It is the kind of casting used to manufacture steel, copper, bronze, zinc and tin.

Welding is another process of metal work. In this step, one will join or combine the metals. A popular and an old type of welding is called arc welding. It creates an arc between the electrodes that produces a very high temperature, which is sufficient to join the metals together. At present, other types welding include the modern laser welding and electron beam welding.

Cutting and shaping are also parts of the metal work process. There is a great variety of shapes and sizes of metal work products and it depends on where you will use it.

Products of Metal Work is Everywhere
You may find and admire large and beautiful buildings without knowing that most parts of its construction are comprised by sheet metal work. Buildings are not only the by-products of sheet metal work. Even cars and airplanes involve sheet metal work. Smaller items like lamps and electronic gadgets can also be made using metal works.

For beginners, metal work may seem complicated. If you are interested in metal work, understanding the materials and processes is a good start.

Author Bio: steel shop aluminium sections aluminium section

Category: Advice
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