Deciding whether thermoplastic or metallic materials are the best choice for your components is dependent on a myriad of aspects, including but not only: the purpose of the components; the method by which they are made in relation to your budget, and whether appearance of the material is an important factor. Our technicians are skilled in plastics and metals, however to aid you in making a decision in this post we’ll discuss the advantages of custom-made metal fabrication and disadvantages.
Why should you work with metals?
There are many advantages and disadvantages to be considered while working with metallics. In the first place, the specific manufacturing outcomes depend on the kind of metals are used in the component.
Each type of manufacturing metal is available in various grades. Our customers typically ask for the following types of metals for custom fabrication requirements:
Stainless Steel: This is an extremely popular option across an array of industries due to stainless steel’s excellent corrosion-resistant properties and its capability to endure long-term exposure to a wide range of environmental conditions. Custom steel fabrication is employed for medical device manufacturing as well as various other industries in which caustic chemicals are used.
Copper: It is among the softest metals that are more malleable and thus is a good candidate for the bending and soldering processes. Copper is also famous for its electrical conductivity, and it is utilized for transferring heat or electricity.
Titanium: This metal is extremely sturdy and is extensively employed by the aerospace sector for creation of components for aircrafts, and to design structural components.
Aluminum is also extremely light and therefore ideal for the construction of aircraft components and in Aerospace industry. Aluminum is more affordable than titanium and is easier to weld, and is renowned for its excellent corrosion resistance in addition.
Inconel It is an ideal metal for extreme environments where temperatures and pressure are in the air due to its corrosion and oxidation-resistant properties. It is typically employed in aerospace applications however, it can be very useful in other industries in which extreme temperatures are required for example, chemical manufacturing.
Benefits of custom metal fabrication
For long-term projects or tasks that require a large amount in fabrication work, steel are likely to be a economical option for constructing thermoplastics.
Metals are typically heat-resistant that means they have more melting points than most plastics and are able to keep their structural integrity even at higher temperatures for longer than plastics.
Metals are also known to be more durable, stronger and longer-lasting than plastics which is why they are better at keeping the quality of the production line’s structure.
Metals’ basic properties provide more options for fabrication than plastics. This means that there is more scope to alter the design and structure of the materials to accommodate an array of options. The fabrication of the bending of stainless steel tubes offers numerous advantages as described below.
Tube bending fabrication
We manufacture precision tubes by using the Horn Metric CNC Tube Bender which can produce bends from 1/4 ” up to 2” in diameter. The utilization the CNC precision tool bender machine can significantly reduce time, materials , and costs for our customers , and also provide other advantages, such as:
With a CNC precise tool-bending machine joints, welding joints and costly fixtures can be removed from the complex assembly system.
In removing joints and welding in an assembly system, you can reduce the possibility of leaks that can occur when joining or welding intricate assembly methods. The semiconductor industry specifically, could benefit from building systems that are free of any wall thinning that could be seen in welding systems. By bending tubes with precision to ensure the integrity of materials is preserved.
Precision tube bending can also allow for a more smooth surface. Based on the way in which the system is used engineers may choose the system that appears better visually.
Less bends in a system will reduce the flow restrictions of liquids and chemicals
which could otherwise be trapped that could otherwise get caught in sharp corners or joints.
The disadvantages of using metal fabrication
While purchasing the metal components themselves could be cheaper in the long run , compared to making thermoplastics and buying them, the price of custom-made metal tools is costly that adds up to startup expenses. Making custom tools also can take time.
Certain metallic materials are likely require additional finishing procedures after fabrication, like deburring and painting, which could increase the time to production and the overall cost.
Metals also have design limitations when designing an intricate system that requires specific shapes, tight radiuses or dimensions of components.
What are the benefits and disadvantages of custom-made metal fabrication?
The benefits of custom-made metal fabrication include metal’s superior temperature resistance, and the ability to keep the structural integrity even at high temperatures. Metals are also known to be tougher, more robust as well as more durable which makes them ideal for use in structural applications. Due to their characteristics they can be manufactured in more techniques than plastics. That gives more possibilities to change the design and structure that the material. They also provide a economical solution for long-term projects or those that require a large number of components being fabricated. The disadvantages of custom metal fabrication is the price of the metal tooling that will result in higher costs for starting.
What is the term “metal fabrication?
Metal fabrication is the process of processing or production of metal, such as stainless steel, starting from its basic form to create something like circular tubing.
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