Sheet Metal Forming

There are many different methods of forming sheet metal such as stamping, bending, spinning, stretching, drawing and roll forming, all of which are roughly comparable in price, depending on how they are carried out. Sheet metal processes can be divided into two types; manual forming, and tool based forming, with the method selected being determined by the size and complexity of the part or assembly to be formed. Manual forming usually has no tooling charge associated with it and shorter lead times, with the downfall being a higher individual component price.

Tooled parts offer more scope for complex forms, and are more suitable for higher volume production runs (such as car panels) and while tool based forming has initial set-up costs, the part price is significantly lower due to the automation of the process.