Thin metallic sheets fabulously shining over automobiles’ drapes or the office doors are eye-catching and sparkling for their luster. They are what engineers came up with the name sheet metal. Industrially processed to thin and shiny sheets, they are common use in the manufacturing industry at present. Competing with the rudimentary mechanical techniques and to catch the modern demands, the process was designed for durable yet easy usability. Looking at the make and luster, we might mistake them to be always steel, but the method and raw material are vivid and unknown.

Materials Sheeted

Metals possess the malleability and ductility due to which they come up first for engineering designs.

• Galvanised steel cold rolled steel coils have superior durability and shine for outer body cover. Home appliances and electronic equipment are generally preferred.

• SPCC commercial quality cold rolled steel is highly reliable for spill prevention and leakage control. The cold-pressed ingots are made of the required thickness as that of the sheet. It has the drawback of the highly reactive and oxidizing outer surface. Galvanizing or painting before use is the best solution.

• Nickel and chromium-containing variety, SUS 304 is well known for its heat resistance and proves best where ultimate mechanical strength is desired.

• Apart from the steel varieties, usually alloys or specially manufactured for commercial purposes, raw metals such as aluminum, brass, and tin are also made to sheets.

• Home appliances or utensils have brass plating to withstand heat and corrosion. Brass also shows the best effect for shine in old and traditional look. Many antiques and valuables are brass sheet plated.

• Aluminium, the thinnest, is the best. As the domestic and industrial uses focus on sheets and foils, their role never fails.

Real-World Applications

Where ever metal is used, metal designing processes like sheet pressing or drawing wires are common.

The automotive industry is the biggest client, for outer surface sheeting to inner cover for engine parts. The aerospace industry is not be missed if we don’t observe the lustrous drape of shiny metal. Consumer retail and electronics use smaller proportions for component production.

Career Aspects

Industrial mechanics offers vivid careers to suit both physical and mental skills. Sheet workers aren’t mere mechanical workers but ones graded among the certified industrial designers. The career aspects in this sector are equally flourishing as the demand for the technique.

  •  Measuring the sheet’s dimensions, choosing the proper raw material, or drilling holes to fit in the machine are the prime duties.
  •  The precision workers often indulge in mechanical development to improve the process and simplify the task.
  •  Lately, the Auto Cad Software is in the run for designing instead of pen and paper. The 3D visualization allows detection flaws and makes apt changes well beforehand.
  •  After engineering graduation and field experience, vocational courses in industrial and technical fields contribute a lot to achieving the dream job.
  •  From maths to physical strength, every aspect to keep the machine running is learned and applied.

The job and task fetch handsome pay if the industrial manufacturing unit is well demanded. The workers also find their roles in fabrication and electrical works departments. The process is old in theory, but it is the technology that lifted it out to shine.