Metal fabrication glossary
Metal fabrication can be confusing for those who aren’t familiar with the industry jargon, so we’ve put together this handy glossary of the key terms you’re likely to encounter. However, if there’s anything you’re not sure about, our friendly team of experts are always on hand to help.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R
| S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
An electrochemical process that increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of a metal item. The protective coating makes the part more durable and resistant to corrosion.
B
Base metal
The part or material that other parts are welded to (also known as the ‘parent metal’).
Metal bending, also known as press braking or folding, refers to the action of bending, folding and pressing sheet metal into the required angle or shape.
Boring
The process of using a single-point cutting tool or boring head to enlarge an existing hole in a workpiece.
A finishing process that uses a loose abrasive on a wheel to remove fine lines and create a bright finish.
Burrs
Unsightly raised edges of excess material that remain attached to a workpiece after it’s been modified.
C
Short for computer-aided design, this is the process of using computer drawing software to create electronic drawings of engineered parts and components.
CAM
Short for computer-aided manufacturing, this is the process of using computer-generated code to automate and control CNC machinery.
Also known as ‘blacking’ and ‘black oxide coating’, this is a metal finishing treatment that’s used to blacken steel and ferrous metal parts. The black coating is the result of a chemical reaction that occurs between the metal and the oxidising salts.
CNC
CNC, or computer numerical control, is the process of automated control of machining tools by means of a computer.
CO2 laser cutter
A type of laser cutting machine that uses CO2 laser technology (as opposed to a fibre laser cutter, which uses fibreoptic cables). The laser is produced in a sealed glass tube containing carbon dioxide.
Corrosion resistance
A material’s ability to resist corrosion caused by oxidation or another type of chemical reaction.
D
The process of removing burrs (raised edges of material) from a workpiece.
Die cutting
A fabrication process in which a sharp die (similar to a cookie cutter) is used to cut, form and shear stock material into custom shapes.
Drilling
A machining operation in which a multi-point drill bit is used to produce holes or other shapes in a workpiece.
E
EDM
Short for Electrical Discharge Machining, EDM is a metal fabrication process that uses sparks, or electrical discharges, to create the required shape.
A finishing process in which an electrical current is used to coat a base metal with another type of metal. Depending on the materials used, the method can improve the base metal’s corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity or appearance.
A finishing method that uses an electrochemical solution to remove a thin layer of material from a metal part. The process improves the edge quality and surface finish by stripping away burrs, microcracks and other imperfections.
Embossing
A metal fabrication technique in which a design is raised or sunk into metal using roller dies.
F
Fibre laser cutting machines use a fibreoptic cable to intensify the laser. Fibre laser cutters are more precise and much faster than their CO2 equivalents.
A generic term covering a wide range of processes that are typically used to change the appearance or properties of a metal object. Common finishing process include powder coating, anodising, electroplating and galvanising.
Metal folding (also known as forming) is the process of applying pressure to bend or fold a piece of sheet metal into the desired shape or position.
G
The operational language used by CNC machines. G-code dictates the movement of CNC-controlled tools across a workpiece.
A finishing process in which a zinc coating is applied to iron or steel to prevent it from corroding.
A type of welding that uses electricity to create an arc between an electrode and the workpiece metal to form the weld.
A machining process designed to remove material from a workpiece using a grinding wheel.
H
An electrochemical process that increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer on a metal surface. Hard anodising produces a dense coating that is much harder than the original metal, thereby increasing its resistance to wear and corrosion.
Heat-affected zone
A non-melted area of the base metal that has experienced a change in its properties as a result of being exposed to a heat-intensive fabrication process.
I
A type of forming operation that involves compressing metal using high pressure. It’s typically used to lengthen a cup or tube-shaped object by reducing the thickness of the wall and outside diameter.
J
Joint type
The way in which a weld in joined during assembly. Some of the basic joint configurations include a butt joint, lap joint, T-joint, corner joint and edge joint.
K
Kerf
The width or thickness of a cut made during a cutting process. Virtually every type of cutting technique leaves a kerf.
L
A popular fabrication technique that uses a fine laser beam to cut or engrave a variety of materials, including various types of metals.
The process of using grinding or belt sanding techniques to flatten a metal surface to enhance its appearance. A machine known as a linisher turns a belt or disc of abrasive material to smooth the workpiece metal and create a smooth, even surface.
M
M-Code
The operational language used by CNC machines. M-code is often used in combination with G-code.
The act of removing material from a metal part, typically with a CNC-operated machine. Machining primarily consists of milling, turning and drilling.
A generic term that refers to the creation of metal parts, components or structures through various cutting, bending, assembly and finishing processes.
MIG – metal inert gas – welding is a type of welding technique that uses electricity and heat to fuse metals together.
A machining process that uses a multi-point cutting tool to remove material from the workpiece. The cutting tool rotates to progressively chip away the material and produce a custom-designed component.
N
Nesting
The process of optimising the layout of parts on a flat sheet of material to minimise waste.
O
Overbend
The amount a pipe needs to be bent past the required bend angle to compensate for residual stresses.
P
Plasma cutting
A cutting process in which an accelerated jet of ionised gas is used to slice through electrically conductive materials such as steel and aluminium.
A finishing process that uses an abrasive belt or disc to even out the surface of a metal workpiece and create the required level of shine.
A protective coating that’s applied to a material to increase its durability or achieve a decorative finish.
Press brake
A machine commonly used to bend sheet metal. It contains an upper tool known as a punch and a lower tool called a die.
A popular manufacturing technique in which a machine known as a punch press punches holes into a piece of sheet metal to create the required part.
A type of machine used to punch holes in raw material. Punch presses play a key role in metal fabrication and manufacturing.
Q
Quality assurance
The processes a manufacture employs as part of a quality management system to ensure their products or services are of a consistently high quality.
R
An automated manufacturing method that uses mechanised programmable tools (robots) to perform the welding process.
S
Shearing
The cutting action along a straight line to separate metal by two moving blades, like a scissor action.
Sheet metal
Available in various sizes and thicknesses, sheet metal is any flat piece of metal. It’s used to make all sorts of parts, products and structures across various industries.
A finishing technique in which small pieces of abrasive material (shot media) are propelled at high velocity against a workpiece. The process can improve the appearance of a part and/or prepare it for further finishing treatments.
Slug
The scrap that’s created by punching, piercing or perforating a sheet of metal.
A brand of CAD software that’s used to create detailed technical drawings prior to manufacturing.
Spatter
Small particles of nonmetallic material that are expelled during the fusion of the filler metal and base metal
An electric resistance welding process that’s typically used to join two or more metal sheets together. Copper alloy electrodes focus an electrical current in a small area between the metal surfaces and the resulting heat then melts the metals together at a precise spot.
Stick welding
An informal term for shielded metal arc welding (the consumable electrode resembles a ‘stick’). During this process, an electric current melts both the metal joint and electrode to fuse two pieces of metal together, while a filler metal is also added.
A fabrication process in which metal fasteners called weld studs are joined to a base metal.
T
TIG – tungsten inert gas – welding is a type of gas metal arc welding, a technique that uses electricity and heat to join metals together. An electrical arc (short circuit) is formed between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the workpiece metal, generating heat which then melts the base metal and creates the weld pool.
A finishing process that’s used to smooth and deburr small parts. The workpieces are placed into a horizontal barrel, along with media and compound, which is then rotated. The movement causes the material to tumble down on itself, grinding away sharp edges in the process.
A form of machining in which material is removed to create rotational parts. The process requires a turning machine or lathe and can either be performed manually or under computer numerical control.
U
Ultimate tensile strength
The maximum pulling force a material is able to withstand without failing.
V
A type of mass finishing process designed to remove rough edges and improve the surface finish. Metal parts and abrasive media are placed into a vibrating tub or bowl, resulting in powerful collisions that grind down imperfections.
W
Waterjet cutting
A cutting technique in which a highly pressurised abrasive water jet is used to slice through metal and other materials.
A metal fabrication process in which parts are fused using heat, with the join solidifying as the parts cool.
Weld pass
A single progression of welding or surfacing along a joint or substrate.
The traditional process of applying liquid paint to a metal part for finishing.
X
Sorry, no terms beginning with this letter.
Y
Yield point
The point at which a piece of metal permanently deforms during the bending process.
Z
Zirconium
An element used in some electrodes as a plasma arc cutting electrode emitter.