Steel fabrication key processes

Steel fabrication is the process of cutting, bending, and assembling metal in order to create structures and products. Using over 3,000 different types of steel, the process is used in assembling boats, airplanes, car parts, appliances, sinks, and many more items we use every day. There are two main types of processes to form the main materials:

Raw Material Approach

This is the most common method of steel fabrication. The materials are heated up to liquid form, and then melted down and mixed together to form the steel.

Electric Arc Furnace

This method is much faster and easier than the raw material approach. In this process, recycled steel is heated in a furnace until it is fully melted. Additional materials are then added, which creates the steel.

In addition to making the actual steel, processes are used to make the individual parts and ultimately the end product.

Specialty Processes

Expert machinists and engineers with knowledge of the industry and modern methods are usually in charge of this process. A number of special methods may be used, depending on the company's expertise and the end product.

Casting

Melted materials are poured into a mold of the desired shape of the part. Once it becomes solid, it is ejected from the mold. Many large machines have similar parts, and this is a helpful process for mass-producing those machines.

Extrusion and Drawing

In extrusion, a cross section profile of an object is created, and the melted materials are pushed through a die of the cross section. This method allows for more complex shapes and works well with fragile materials. Drawing is similar but instead uses the actual strength of the material to pull it through the die of the cross section. Products generated by this method are simple shapes like metal bars and tubes.

Forging

Materials are heated up on a forge, powered by coal, gas, or water, and then transferred to a surface where additional work is done to shape the piece into the desired product. Some tools that may be used include an anvil, hammer, chisel, or tongs. A slack tub is used to cool the metal.

Heat Treatment

Heat treatments are used to alter the physical and chemical properties of metal. Metal contains small grains called crystallites. These grains are important in determining the performance of the end product. By using heat treatment, it is possible to control and manipulate some of the metal properties to reach a desired strength, durability, hardness, or elasticity.

Hydroforming

This process is commonly used in automobile and racecar manufacturing, and sometimes in producing bicycle frames. It converts certain types of metals into strong, lightweight pieces, making it well suited for producing the light, rigid body structures for vehicles. Hydroforming involves using high-pressure hydraulic fluid to press the materials into a specialized die.

Welding

Welding is the process that joins materials by fusing them together. It involves melting a base metal where the piece should be joined to another piece. Another material is usually added to strengthen the weld area. Some methods use pressure along with the heat when welding. When the material cools, a strong joint exists between the two pieces. Different methods are used depending on the material being welded and the product's intended application.

As consumers, steel fabrication is a process from which we benefit every day. The cars we drive, appliances in our home, and manufacturing machines used in the food industry are just a few examples of applications we commonly use.