METALWORKING
PROCESSES
BY
PAUL VINCENT AGUSTIN
JOSHUA DANIEL ESCOTE
MARK JOSHUA ZETA
BSME-GROUP 3
WHAT IS METALWORKING
PROCESSES?
Metalworking processes is the process
of forming and shaping metals to create
useful tools, objects, equipment parts,
and structures. Metalworking projects
generally fall under the categories of
forming, cutting, and joining, and may
involve techniques such as cutting,
welding, casting, and molding.
Materials used for metalworking
process include ferrous and nonferrous metals such as steel,
aluminum, gold, silver, bronze,
iron, and more.
THE HISTORY OF METAL
WORKING PROCESSES
For thousands of years, precious metals have
been worked into objects and valued by ancient
civilizations, from Pharaohs in Egypt to Mayans
in North America. The oldest known evidence of
metalworking is a copper pendant uncovered in
Iraq and dates back to 8,700 BCE.
Metalworking, practiced globally by various
professionals, has served dual purposes:
expressing status, beliefs, and symbolism
through artifacts, and creating practical tools
and structures. Despite the evolution of
techniques, many ancient methods like
soldering and welding remain in use today
Metallic ores, extracted for millennia, have
emphasized the role of metalworkers in mining
metals like iron and silver. In contemporary
times, metals’ importance has grown, driving
technological and transportation advancements.
Metalworking is evident in electronics and
automobile fabrication
Metal Working Processes
Category
1. Cutting
2. Joining
3. Forming and,
4 Casting
1.) Cutting
Cutting removes material from metal using
milling, routing, turning, and technologies like
CNC (computer numerical control) machines.
Plasma cutters are gas-powered torches
powered by argon and hydrogen gas that will
remove material and make holes in metal.
Cutting is often used in metalworking
fabrication shops, automotive repair, and
construction.
A CNC plasma cutting machine.
Cutting processes:
Metals must be cut and separated throughout
the metalworking process to build structures,
make tools, and more. There are numerous
metal cutting methods available for
metalworking, from using simple handheld
tools to a variety of more advanced machines
and equipment.
1. Milling
Milling is the process of removing precise
amounts of material from a greater piece. A
milling machine rotates a cutting tool and
brings the cutting tool into contact with a
workpiece. The mill and lathe are the
cornerstones of any machine shop and can
produce pieces with great precision,
repeatability, and accuracy.
A milling machine in operation, including coolant hoses.
2. Turning
Turning is a machining process in which a
cutting tool moves linearly while the workpiece
rotates, strategically removing material from
the piece. Material can be removed from both
the depth and width of the workpiece. Lathes
are traditionally used in turning as the leading
principal machine tool. As technology has
advanced, CNC machines are also used for a
more automated process.
A lathe cutting material from a workpiece.
3. Grinding
Grinding uses an abrasive process to remove
material from the workpiece, typically in the
finishing stages of metalworking. Grinding
machines range from hand-held angle grinders
to bench grinders, to more advanced CNC
machines. These machines can range vastly in
size and precision. Grinding creates very fine
finishes and precise cuts using an abrasive
wheel made from stone, diamonds, or
inorganic material.
A surface grinder.
4. Drilling
Drilling creates holes in metal using a drill
press, handheld drill, or CNC machine. Make
sure you lubricate your bits with cutting fluid to
prolong the tool’s life and prevent overheating.
This ensures a smooth and accurate hole and
also prevents chattering or unsafe drilling.
A Person Drilling a Metal.
2.) Joining
Joining is the process of combining several
pieces of metal with heat through welding or
soldering. Welding is a fabrication process that
utilizes a welding machine to join ferrous and
non-ferrous metals and works well for larger
projects. Soldering is a joining process used to
fuse different types of precious metals together
by melting solder and works well for small
projects. New technology continues to develop as
metalworking advances.
Joining processes:
Joining metals utilized heat and pressure in order
to create a larger piece or build a structure.
Welding and riveting are excellent joining
techniques for larger projects that bear weight,
while soldering is a process for joining smaller
materials, like jewelry and sculptural objects.
1. Welding
Welding metal is a fabrication process that joins
materials through pressure and heat. Different
types of welding work indoors, while others are
best applied outdoors. Welding is used to forge
swords, build ships, fabricate structures, and
more. There are many kinds of welding to choose
from, each with specific practical applications.
Mig welding.
2. Soldering
Soldering is another method for joining metals by
melting a filler metal on top of the metals being
joined to make a reliable electrical bridge. A lowtemperature alloy is melted into the joint, fusing
the metals into one solid piece. Metalworkers use
either an eclectic soldering iron or a gas-powered
torch to join precious metals. Soldering is
commonly used in plumbing, electronics, and
metalwork to fabricate and musical instruments.
Soldering a printed circuit board.
3. Riveting
Rivets are permanent mechanical fasteners that
can create kinetic joints in a workpiece or
reinforce the structural integrity of a larger object.
They are ideal for joining pieces that are
lightweight and require high strength. Before
welding was used to build framed buildings and
structures such as the Eiffel Tower and Sydney
Harbour Bridge, rivets were used at the joints to
join the metal. Before they are installed, rivets are
smooth metallic cylinders with a head on one
end.
Riveting and Bolting in steel structure.
3.) Forming
Forming is the process of re-shaping and
fabricating metal objects without adding or
removing any material. This process is possible
through a combination of heat and pressure.
Both forging and bending are essential methods
for forming metal. When forging metal, you will
heat it in the forge, then hammer and bend it into
your desired shape. To make a bend or curve in
the metal, heat it in the forge, then hold it over
the anvil horn and strike it with a hammer to
make your desired curve. The English wheel is a
tool that allows metalworkers to easily form and
shape cold materials, such as aluminum or
Forming processes:
Reshaping and manipulating the shape of metal
can be done when the material is hot or cold.
The type of forming process you choose will
depend on the metal you are forming, the
equipment you have available, and your desired
final outcome.
1. Forging
Forging is one of the oldest metalworking
processes used to form and shape metal. The
metal is heated in the forge, then hammered and
bent into the desired shape. The blacksmith may
choose to use a hammer to forge smaller
objects or an industrial power hammer for larger
projects. Forged metals are incredibly strong,
and are typically made of iron and steel.
Hand forging.
2. Roll forming
Roll forming is a process that involves the
continuous bending of a long strip of sheet metal
through a roll forming mill at room temperature.
Unlike other metal bending methods, the roll
forming process is inherently flexible, precise,
and can form metals up to a quarter of an inch
thick.
Metal roll forming.
3. Rolling
Rolling is a metal forming process in which
metal stock is passed through a rolling mill to
reduce the thickness or to make the thickness
uniform. It can be done hot or cold. Hot rolling is
typically used to produce sheet metal and larger
workpieces. Cold rolling works well for smaller
objects, and increases the material’s strength
and improves the surface finish, requiring less
finishing work.
Rolling processes.
4.) Casting
Metal casting is a metalworking process that can
be traced back to around 4000 BCE, and it is
still used for making sculptures, tools, and
jewelry. Metalsmiths have been pouring molten
metals into cavities shaped in stone, plaster,
sand, and even bone since we learned to melt
metals. Metal casting is cost and time effective,
and it gives you the ability to make multiples of
the same piece.
The common methods for casting metal are lost
wax casting and sand casting. Lost wax casting
involves carving or shaping your piece in wax,
creating a plaster mold around it, then burning
out the wax. Sand casting uses sand as the
mold material. Sand is combined with a bonding
agent, such as clay, and is gated. Then, molten
metal is flowed into the mold to create a solid
object.
Casting processes:
In the metal casting process, solid metal objects
are formed by pouring molten metal into a mold,
where it is cooled and extracted from the mold.
Metal casting is cost and time effective.
Common methods for casting metal are
investment or lost wax casting, die casting, and
sand casting.
1. Investment or lost wax casting
Investment casting is a process in which a
molten metal is poured into a mold that has
been created from a wax model. Was sprues are
attached to the mode and a plaster mold is
shaped around the wax. The mold and wax are
placed in a kiln to burn out the wax. Then, metal
is melted and flowed into the plaster mold using
a vacuum or centrifugal caster.
Investment or lost wax casting.
2. Die casting
Die casting is an automated and fast process
that forces molten metal into a mold under high
pressure. The mold is made from two machined
steel dies, and metal is directly injected into the
mold at a high speed. Most die castings used
alloys with a low melting point, like zinc, copper,
aluminium, and magnesium.
Gravity die casting.
3. Sand casting
Commonly used in foundries, sand casting uses
sand as the mold material. The mold is created
by combining sand with a bonding agent, such
as clay, and is gated. Molten metal is flowed into
the mold to create a solid object. Sand casting is
the most common metal casting method, and is
relatively inexpensive.
Sand casting.
THANK YOU!