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Fundamentals of Sheet Metal Processes

1. SHEET METAL MANUFACTURING

Sheet metal is metal formed by an industrial process into thin, flat pieces. It is one of the
fundamental forms used in metalworking and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes.
There are many different metals that can be made into sheet metal, such as aluminum, brass,
copper, steel, tin, nickel and titanium. For decorative uses, important sheet metals include
silver, gold, and platinum (platinum sheet metal is also utilized as a catalyst).

Sheet metal is used for car bodies, airplane wings, medical tables, roofs for buildings
(architecture) and many other applications. Sheet metal of iron and other materials with high
magnetic permeability, also known as laminated steel cores, has applications in transformers
and electric machines. Historically, an important use of sheet metal was in plate armor worn
by cavalry, and sheet metal continues to have many decorative uses, including in horse tack.

2. SHEET METAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Elongation: The capability of the sheet metal to stretch without necking and failure are
determined; high strain hardening exponent (n) and strain-rate sensitivity exponent
(m) desirable.
• Yield-point elongation: Observed with mild-steel sheets; also called Lueder’s bands
and stretcher strains; causes flame like depressions on the sheet surfaces; can be
eliminated by temper rolling, but sheet must be formed within a certain time after
rolling.
• Anisotropy (planar): Exhibits different behavior in different planar directions; present
in cold-rolled sheets because of preferred orientation or mechanical fibering; causes
earing in drawing; can be reduced or eliminated by annealing but at lowered strength.
• Anisotropy (normal): Determines thinning behavior of sheet metals during stretching;
important in deep drawing operations.
• Grain size: Determines surface roughness on stretched sheet metal; the coarser the
grain, the rougher the appearance (orange peel); also affects material strength.
• Residual stresses: Caused by non-uniform deformation during forming; causes part
distortion when sectioned and can lead to stress-corrosion cracking; reduced or
eliminated by stress relieving.

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• Spring back: Caused by elastic recovery of the plastically deformed sheet after
unloading; causes distortion of part and loss of dimensional accuracy; can be controlled
by techniques such as over bending and bottoming of the punch.
• Wrinkling: Caused by compressive stresses in the plane of the sheet; can be
objectionable or can be useful in imparting stiffness to parts; can be controlled by
proper tool and die design.
• Quality of sheared edges: Depends on process used; edges can be rough, not square,
and contain cracks, residual stresses, and a work-hardened layer, which are all
detrimental to the formability of the sheet; quality can be improved by control of
clearance, tool and die design, fine blanking, shaving, and lubrication.
• Surface condition of sheet: Depends on rolling practice; important in sheet forming
as it can cause tearing and poor surface quality.
3. SHEET FORMING OPERATIONS:

Sheet metal forming involves forming and cutting operations performed on

metal sheets, strips, and coils. The surface area-to-volume ratio of the
starting metal is relatively high. Tools include punch, die that are used to
deform the sheets.

3.1 Blanking –

Blanking is a cutting process in which a piece of sheet metal is removed from a larger piece of
stock by applying a great enough shearing force. In this process, the piece removed, called the
blank, is not scrap but rather the desired part. Blanking can be used to cutout parts in almost
any 2D shape, but is most commonly used to cut workpieces with simple geometries that will
be further shaped in subsequent processes. Final parts that are produced using blanking include
gears, jewelry, and watch or clock components. Blanked parts typically require secondary
finishing smoothing out burrs along the bottom edge.

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3.2 Punching –

Punching is a cutting process in which material is removed from a piece of sheet metal by
applying a great enough shearing force. Punching is very similar to blanking except that the
removed material, called the slug, is scrap and leaves behind the desired internal feature in the
sheet, such as a hole or slot. Punching can be used to produce holes and cutouts of various
shapes and sizes. The most common punched holes are simple geometric shapes (circle, square,
rectangle, etc.) or combinations thereof. The edges of these punched features will have some
burrs from being sheared but are of fairly good quality. Secondary finishing operations are
typically performed to attain smoother edges.

3.3 Piercing –

The typical punching operation, in which a cylindrical punch pierces a hole into the sheet. The
size of hole is very small (i.e., less than 1mm).

3.4 Slotting –

A punching operation that forms rectangular holes or any polygonal shape in the sheet.
Sometimes described as piercing despite the different shape.

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3.5 Perforating –

Punching a close arrangement of a large number of holes in a single operation.

3.6 Notching –

Punching the edge of a sheet, forming a notch in the shape of a portion of the punch.

3.7 Nibbling –

Punching a series of small overlapping slits or holes along a path to cutout a larger contoured
shape. This eliminates the need for a custom punch and die but will require secondary
operations to improve the accuracy and finish of the feature.

3.8 Lancing –

Creating a partial cut in the sheet, so that no material is removed. The material is left attached
to be bent and form a shape, such as a tab, vent, or louver.

3.9 Slitting –

Cutting straight lines in the sheet. No scrap material is produced.

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3.10 Parting –

Separating a part from the remaining sheet, by punching away the material between parts.

3.11 Cut-off –

Separating a part from the remaining sheet, without producing any scrap. The punch will
produce a cut line that may be straight, angled, or curved.

3.12 Trimming –

Punching away excess material from the perimeter of a part, such as trimming the flange from
a drawn cup.

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