Are you wondering how you can cut sheet metal? You have a wide variety of needs, and you must make sure you use the right tools and proper cutting techniques to get the results you want. There are plenty of options available, and you should consider working with experts if you want to put yourself in the best position possible to be successful.
Typical Ways To Cut Sheet Metal
Some of the most common ways to cut sheet metal include:
Punching
When you punch sheet metal, you remove scrap material from a larger piece of sheet metal using a high amount of force. You can punch sheet metal to get pieces of metal in different shapes and sizes.
Piercing
Piercing is a type of sheet metal cutting where you cut an extruded hole in the sheet metal itself.
Lancing
When you lance sheet metal, you take a piece of metal, bend it with one strike, and create different types of features. A few examples include vents, tabs, and louvers in the sheet metal itself.
Notching
If you decide to put a notch in the sheet metal, you remove material from the sheet metal itself to create a notch in the larger piece.
Slotting
As the name suggests, slotting is a type of sheet metal cut where you use a rectangular tool to cut a rectangular slot in a piece of sheet metal.
Nibbling
When you go through the process of nibbling sheet metal, you cut the piece of sheet metal into various shapes using overlapping punches.
Perforating
When you perforate a piece of sheet metal, you put a large number of holes in it. Typically, these holes are evenly spaced, creating a pattern.
Blanking
Blanking refers to using a high shear force to cut an enclosed piece of sheet metal. The blank refers to the finished product.
Shearing
Shearing is one of the most common ways to cut sheet metal. Using this method, you will take a piece of sheet metal, cut it in a straight line or at an angle, and prepare to process your sheet metal further.
Trimming
When you trim a piece of sheet metal, you remove excess sheet metal from the outside to create an even, finished product.
Deburring
When you finish cutting your sheet metal, there could be a lot of rough edges around the outside. In the deburring process, you will remove these rough edges.
Hand Shears (tin snips)
Hand shears are one of the most common tools you can use to cut sheet metal. They are often called tin snips.
Hydraulic Shears
Hydraulic shears are portable, powerful tools. They can provide you with a bit more power and accuracy, allowing you to create more intricate cuts.
Foot Shears
These are shares that have been built using rugged construction to create accurate cuts in large pieces of sheet metal. They are strong enough to cut through a wide variety of materials.
Sawing
You may also want to use a saw to cut sheet metal. If you need something that provides a bit of extra force, a saw could be the way to go.
Hack Saw
A hacksaw is a particularly powerful piece of equipment that you can use to cut through very strong pieces of metal.
Grinding
If you decide to grind sheet metal, you will use a disc to slowly grind down the sheet metal into the shape that you want.
Burning
You may also want to burn sheet metal to make it easier to work with. Depending on the material, you could burn right through it.
Beverly Shears
Beverly shears are versatile cutting tools with sheet metal, known for giving you tremendous control and accuracy.
Slicing Shear
There are some situations where having a solid pair of slicing shears can give you the control that you need.
Plasma
You can also use a very hot stream of plasma to make precise cuts in sheet metal.
Water Jet
You can also use a powerful jet of water to make precise cuts in a piece of sheet metal.
Laser
A laser can provide you with a significant amount of power and accuracy to make precise cuts.
Torch
You can use a torch to provide a bit more energy to the sheet metal you are working with, making it easier to cut.
Choose Alpine Sheet Metal Systems
If you are looking for help cutting your sheet metal, it would be our pleasure to assist you.
