The average consumer is familiar with smooth iron gates and chain-link fences, as well as the metal brackets that allow for easy furniture assembly. However, they may not understand the processes that produced these common items. If you’re hoping to learn more about what goes on inside a metal fabrication shop, take advantage of the following guide.

What You Should Know About Metal Fabrication Shops

What is metal fabrication?

Metal fabrication is a broad term used to describe the processes that transform plain metal sheets into useful parts and pieces. It may involve bending, slicing, connecting, resizing, punching through, or otherwise manipulating metals like iron, steel, and aluminum for everyday products and uses.

What does the fabrication process entail?

Metal fabricators gather and prepare thin sheets of metal that are around a quarter of an inch thick. The sheets are run through heavy-duty machinery in a factory, which uses sharp blades, heat, and pressure, to shape or fold the material.

Oftentimes, computer programs are used to create an exact design or set the location for the incision. The result may be a singular or custom piece or large quantities of the exact same item.

What can be made using metal fabrication? 

The metal fabrication process is key to everything from office supplies to the aerospace industry. It can be used to bend thin metal sheets into curved paper clips or punch holes into panels for assembling a vehicle. Metal sheets can be turned into thin beams for fence posts and bent into domes for pipe caps. Farmers may ask metal fabrication shops for a custom-sized bale feeder or grain bin, as well.

What’s the difference between fabrication and welding?

Welding uses extreme heat to soften metal so multiple pieces can be connected to each other. This forms an unbreakable bond once the metal cools and hardens.

In the construction industry, metal fabricators may use welding techniques to connect two beams together. Welding is just one potential step in the metal fabrication process. The rest involves the design of the product, the manipulation of the metal, and any additional finishing touches.

Customers throughout Willow Springs, MO, turn to Pipe Plus Inc. for their metal fabrication needs. This company has over two decades of industry experience, and they spend most of their time designing and producing steel products. From hay feeders to plumbing pipes, you can rely on this fabrication shop to make long-lasting pieces that match your custom specifications. To learn more about their services, visit them online. Call (417) 469-5292 to speak with a skilled representative.