Sheet forming is a category of manufacturing processes that involve deforming sheets of material (usually metal) using controlled forces. The basic principle behind sheet forming is that the process forces the material beyond its elastic limit, which changes the shape permanently. You can know more about Stretch Forming Presses online.
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Sheet forming is distinguished by the fact that it is used on thin materials with a wide surface area. It differs from bulk deformation forming, which uses materials with a small surface area and a big volume (e.g. forging, extrusion, rolling).
The Top Sheet Forming Techniques
Sheet forming techniques are usually defined by the type of force that is used to deform the material.
- Compressive forces — e.g. rolling, extrusion, forging.
- Tensile forces — e.g. stretch forming, stretching, expanding.
- Combined compressive and tensile forces — e.g. deep drawing, spinning, stripping.
- Bending forces — e.g. bending.
- Shearing forces — e.g. shearing, punching, blanking.
One of the most fundamental sheets forming processes is bending. It entails exerting force on a sheet of material to cause it to distort at an angle. A die linked to a hydraulic ram is frequently used to do this.
Deep drawing involves stretching sheet material by using a punch to slowly push the sheet into a die cavity. This deforms the material into the desired shape and can be used to create quite complex shapes.