BeginnerTopic 16 of 102Manufacturing, Robotics & Systems
Sheet metal working
Blanking, bending and deep drawing create thin parts.
In depth
Operations: shearing, blanking, punching, bending (springback, bend radius), deep drawing, stretching and stamping. Forming limit diagrams predict failure. Tooling: progressive dies; materials: low carbon steel, aluminium, stainless. Used for car bodies and appliances.
Key points
- Minimum bend radius
- Blank holder force
- Springback compensation
ExampleA progressive die stamps, pierces and bends a bracket in one press stroke sequence.
Sheet metal processes shape thin metal into panels, enclosures and brackets, which are common in vehicles, appliances and buildings.
What is Sheet metal working?
Blanking, bending and deep drawing create thin parts.
Why is it important to understand sheet metal working?
Sheet metal processes shape thin metal into panels, enclosures and brackets, which are common in vehicles, appliances and buildings.
What is springback?
Elastic recovery after bending that makes the part open slightly, which must be allowed for in the bend angle.
What limits deep drawing?
Thinning and fracture in the wall, and wrinkling at the flange, so the blank size and die design must be controlled.
How is Sheet metal working used in practice?
Typical applications include blanking a flat part from a steel sheet, bending a bracket on a press brake and deep drawing a cup for a food can.
What should I learn before Sheet metal working?
Study "Rolling, extrusion and drawing" first (topic 15 of 102 in Manufacturing, Robotics & Systems). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
What are the key points of Sheet metal working?
Minimum bend radius. Blank holder force. Springback compensation.
Can you give an example of Sheet metal working?
A progressive die stamps, pierces and bends a bracket in one press stroke sequence.
What comes after Sheet metal working?
The next topic is "Welding processes", which builds directly on this one.
How difficult is Sheet metal working?
It is classed as Beginner in Manufacturing, Robotics & Systems (topic 16 of 102). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.