Salamander recently conducted some fire marshal training for 7 of its employees from different areas of the business. It is imperative for all organisations who employ staff to have at least one fire marshal on hand at all times, although more may be necessary for larger businesses – hence why we thought it wise to deploy 7 of the Salamander team to undergo the fire marshal training.
The aim of the course was to highlight the importance of fire safety procedures at Salamander and the importance of structural fire protection. To provide an understanding of how fire starts and spreads and the different types of extinguishers and their use. All participants also took part in the practical use of the different types of fire extinguishers.
At Salamander we believe in the safety of all of our employees and always strive to make sure we are raising the standards when it comes to health, safety & all other kinds of training throughout the business. We are dedicated to ensuring all premises are safe & secure at all times.
Meet our quality inspector, Martin Greensitt. Martin recently got promoted to his role as quality inspector, this new role involves testing of internal work to ensure it is to customers individual standard, as well as working closely with customers to ensure each individual customers’ specifications are met. Ensuring compliance is met by collating document packs for customers to include detailed dimensional reports, material certificates and operational document traceability. Martin has also been heavily involved in the ISO9001 project soon to be audited. This audit is the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organizations use the ISO to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements – something which Salamander prides itself in.
Martin commented “I really like working at Salamander, no two days are the same, I get to work in all areas of the operation and with a great team of people. I really enjoy the variety of products that Salamander manufacture we never know what we might be making next week.” Martin has said he has learnt a lot since he started his role particularly on the robust operational systems which are in place, meaning the customer gets what the customer wants and within the time frames initially set out. Martin has also travelled the world extensively but also really enjoys walking locally in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside alongside enjoying playing the guitar and watching cricket in Summer.
We are currently updating our machinery throughout the whole company here at Salamander, in a bid to ensure we are constantly up to date and providing easy-to-use software & machines for our employees. One of the newest additions to our ever-growing machine list is the Amada press brake. Amada have been a leader in the production of precision press brakes for over 40 years and have installed more than 80,000 machines worldwide.
There wasn’t much competition in the pipeline when we were searching for a new machine, Amada offered installation, training on both the machine & software and flexibility these factors alongside us already having a good working relationship with the company, meant it was an easy decision to commission the new machine from them.
Our new press brake allows high level, cost-effective production whilst also being low maintenance and easy to use. With an extensive choice of tonnages and beam lengths, there is a variant to suit a wider range of requirements which means we are now readily able to tackle a wider breadth of projects.
If you would like to find out how we can meet your needs in regards to anything from metal bending to laser cutting, then please get in touch.
At Salamander we believe in a customer first approach in everything we do. We always ensure that we maintain good working relationships with our customers far and wide. To enable us to do this, we are always trying to think of ways we can give something back to our well-loved clients.
Christmas 2017 saw us put our resources to good use where we provided our existing & new customers, with Salamander branded beer bottles. We commissioned a local brewery to help us with the project and the outcome was fantastic! We sent these out a couple of weeks before Christmas, for our customers to enjoy over the festive break. We got great feedback from the project and some people asked if we could help them do the same thing for their customers.
We also provided various clients with a fantastic laser cut paper stand for their desks! These were also really well received and have generated some great conversations all the way through into 2018. We’re looking forward to the year ahead and hoping to continue to build long lasting customer relationships along with some really exciting new projects.
Sheet metal bends are formed using metal bending. Metal bending is a process by which metal can be deformed when applying force to the subject, which causes it to bend at an angle and form the anticipated shape, which often results in it being in a ‘V’ or a ‘U’ shape.
A press brake is a tool used in order to bend sheet metal and uses a punch and die to do this. Although press braking may seem straight forward, it can be quite difficult to remain accurate throughout the process. There are several types of press brakes which deliver different levels of force applied, such as mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and CNC to name a few examples.
Mechanical Due to this press brakes design, it isn’t a suitable option for air bending. The two major benefits of a mechanical press brake are speed and accuracy, however other press brakes are safer and easier to use, such as the CNC press brakes.
Pneumatic A compressor is used to supply air power for bending the metal sheets. This type of press brake is often used when less pressure is needed. A pneumatic press brake is also best used for bending small parts of metal.
Hydraulic Hydraulic press brakes often have the latest technology incorporated within them and are best used for precise bending of metal sheet, which makes them a popular choice for sheet metal bending.
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Salamander Fabrications has 4 CNC press brakes, including a 4.2 metre bed with 180 tonne capacity. These machines produce very accurate result and are able to bed sheet metal work from just a few millimetres across to sections which are metres long on some of the larger machines.
Types of Metal Bending
Air Bending
During this process the work piece comes into contact with the outside edges of the die, as well as the punch tip. The punch is then forced past the top of the die into the V-shaped opening without touching the V.
Air bending is the type of bending where the least amount of contact is made. The equipment only touches the material at 3 points: the punch, tip and the die shoulders. Seen as though the tonnage doesn’t produce the bend, you don’t need as much as you would do when using the coining method.
Air bending is the most widely used type of metal bending and it’s not difficult to see why, as there are many advantages to this technique. Because the punch tip doesn’t need to be pushed past the surface of the metal, much less weight is required to bend in comparison to bottom bending and coining.
Bottom Bending
The difference between air bending and bottom bending is that there is a difference in radius between the two. It differs from coining as the punch and the tie don’t make full contact with the material, and there isn’t enough tonnage to make an imprint into the metal.
Bottom bending has many advantages, such as greater accuracy and less spring back when using the tooling, which makes it a safer option when considering metal bending techniques.
Coining
Coining is a bending process in which the punch and the work piece bottom on the die. This produces a controlled angle, which leads to little spring back. There is more tonnage required on this type of bending than in air bending and bottom bending.
The advantages of coining are that, in order to produce outstanding results, accuracy is essential and that is precisely what the coining method can provide. Along with being accurate, repeating the results is also an easy task when it comes to using this technique. Spring back is also less common when using coining, meaning that the metal is less likely to return to its original state.
Folding
The metal folding technique involves folding the surface part of the sheet metal to form the desired bend. Folding uses clamps, which hold the metal piece in place and apply force to fold the metal at a specified angle to create the sheet metal bend.
Clamping beams will hold the longest part of the metal sheet. As the beam rises and folds the sheet metal, the bending beam can move up or down the workpiece.
Benefits: What’s useful is that, with the folding method, it is possible to create several folds in the same piece of metal, creating a two-sided channel or a square or rectangular hollow tube.
The finalised bend angle is influenced by the folding angle of the beam. This process can handle large sheets of metal and offers a very limited risk of damaging the sheet.
Wiping
The method of wiping involves applying force to the metal, which bends the workpiece into an angular shape by holding it between a pad and a die, then sliding the wiping flange downwards.
Similar to the folding technique, it is a plastic deformation of sheet material. Wiping enables you to round the workpiece that is being bent, which can be done by adding angle tangents from the radius to both the die and the flange.
Benefits: The method of wiping offers some advantages for sheet metal bends, such as excellent precision and limited surface damage, when compared to other methods. The applied force is spread evenly across the workpiece’s surface, and you are able to bend a workpiece multiple times in one run.
Important to note: The method is one of the more expensive techniques. It doesn’t support bending angles over 90° because of the geometry of the wiping flange, bent workpieces tend to create a moderate spring-back effect, and curved shapes require custom tooling.
Joggling
Joggling is a process where a machine bends the metal in both directions creating an ‘S’ or ‘Z’ shape.
Joggling involves shaping a sheet metal section by section through the use of stringers and formers. This method has been found to be particularly helpful for when you need to bend an extended workpiece in a periodically repeated pattern.
The process pushes a sheet metal workpiece into an equipment unit or a brake.
It bends the metal by 20 to 30 degrees, using the formers. The part should be released, turned over and bent again until the joggle is achieved.
Benefits: The benefits of the joggling technique are that it is very versatile in creating different shapes, has low production costs, and also has minor spring-back effects.
In terms of weaknesses, it might cause deterioration of a workpiece’s surface.
Metal rolling machines have the capability of feeding sheet metal between two rollers, which leads to the sheet emerging into a curve.
To increase the shape of the curve, the operator of the machine will reverse the rollers and then run the metal back through the rollers in the opposite direction. This process is repeated until the desired bend is achieved.
Rotary Bending
Rotary bending is a complex process of sheet metal bending. The process tends to create pipes, which can offer a variety of central line radiuses. The process involves bending a tube with a mandrel inserted inside so that it fits the exact outside diameter.
Benefits: Rotary bending can rotate a tube to a maximum of 180°, making it highly versatile. With this, the method can bend the workpiece several times in one run, from different angles. As well as this, the method shows limited spring-back effects.
However, some weaknesses of rotary bending include: being expensive, deterioration of a workpiece’s surface, and complexity of the overall process.
Tips for Bending Sheet Metal
Whilst bending sheet metal is a useful strategy for many different types of projects, sheet metal bends can be easy to mess up if you get the technique wrong. To ensure you create the professional bend you are after, follow these helpful tips.
Tip 1: Choose the Right Materials
Due to some metals being more malleable than other metals, you need to be aware of the use of heat, and if it is necessary to reduce any cracking and weakening of the material.
Materials That Work Well for Sheet Metal Bends:
Galvanised steel:A resilient and corrosion-resistant metal. If you bend galvanised steel, it can be moulded into the appropriate shape for your project. The bending process is usually quite simple, and in most cases, galvanised steel will be more malleable than shaped stainless steel forms.
5052 Aluminium: With high workability as well as low weight, aluminium is easy to bend as it is extremely malleable. This makes cracking rare.
Stainless Steel: Mostly used for manufacturing within the food and medical industries, it has corrosion resistance, with some grades excelling at resistance. Different grades of stainless steel will perform differently but it can be prone to work hardening.
Spring steel: Can be malleable when annealed but, once the work has hardened, it tends to require heat in order to bend again.
Copper: This tends to be very malleable. Its antimicrobial benefits also give copper an added edge.
Mild steel: No heat tends to be required for mild steel, making it very malleable.
Tip 2: Avoid Bending to a Sharp Internal Corner
It’s important to avoid bending to a sharp internal corner when producing sheet metal bends because it could cause cracking or weakening of the metal. This can be avoided by having a radius on your tool.
PRO TIP: The thickness of the material you’re producing should be the same as the inside bend radius.
Tip 3: Use a Press Brake
Brakes are extremely useful for creating a clean bend, as the metal won’t be wavy or even warped.
The two biggest advantages of a mechanical press brake have to be the speed and accuracy it offers when bending sheet metal.
Tip 4: Protect the Surfaces
Take care of the appearance of your metal by avoiding scratching its surface.
PRO TIP: The best way to avoid scratches is to use masking tape anywhere that might come into contact with something hard. Similarly, you could also use wood blocks to protect the section when bending.
Tip 5: Bend Allowance
Bending metal involves pushing, pulling, or stretching the material. Therefore, you need to calculate the bend allowance because this will offer you reliable numbers to work from when you lay out a flat sheet.
Certain factors need to be considered with this, such as material thickness and internal radius size.
Bend allowance is compensation for what happens to the material when it is stretched and formed from a flat pattern into the desired bend. By working out this bend allowance, you can figure out how much of a flange will remain when you’ve made the desired bend.
Benefits of Sheet Metal Bending
Accuracy: Programmed laser cutters and CNC bending machines with high-quality software, as well as top-notch equipment, can produce accurate bends.
No tooling investment: The laser cutting and sheet metal bending processes don’t require specialised tooling, as common tools usually can produce the desired bends. This means limited tooling investment.
Speed of manufacture: Sheet metal parts can be produced fast, enabling big quantities of components to be produced in a short space of time.
Fewer parts required: Making a workpiece from one piece of material instead of multiple, through the use of joints, reduces time, errors, complexity, and failure points.
Less weight: There is a complex range of bends available. Strength can be achieved without the need for too much material. This reduces weight, which is an advantage for every step in the supply chain.
Lower costs: CNC cutting, laser cutting and bending cut down on the manual labour required, and parts can therefore be made by less-skilled workers, leading to lower-end costs.
Quality Sheet Metal Bends with Salamander
Salamander Fabrications is a full-service sheet metal fabrication company. Our expert team works with organisations all over the country to create high-quality fabricated metal products with an exceptional customer experience.
Salamander provides a complete range of CNC machining services, and we pride ourselves on our ability to offer both full-service sheet metal fabrication and sub-contracting services.
It’s no wonder we have been the UK’s chosen choice for sheet metal fabrication solutions for over 50 years, with an expert team providing end-to-end machining services.
To learn more about the work we do or to get started with your next project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team on 01484 843599 or at sales@salamanderfabs.com.
At Salamander we strive to ensure that we always invest in our staff, as they are heavily at the heart of the business. We make sure that our employees not only have the skills they need to do the job, but also that they have interpersonal skills which mean they are able to work coherently as a part of a team. Recently we have welcomed to the team two new exceptional staff members who we already know will be a credit to themselves and the company.
Name: Anthony Hunter (above left)
Position: 3D CAD
20 years sheet metal knowledge with 10 years in 3D design.
Anthony has been a great addition to the CAD team here at Salamander. Enabling us to quickly design from a customer’s concept all the way through to the manufacture. Whilst designing with consistency and at a high skill level, Anthony will always ensure the most time and cost-effective route is the end throughput. This new appointment for the business has enabled us to react to customers enquiries must quicker. Anthony said ” I like working at Salamander because of the focused environment within the technical department. I have joined a team with a wealth of knowledge. I also like the variety of different projects which I get involved with. No day is ever the same.”
Anthony likes playing golf, supporting the local Premiership football team Huddersfield Town and playing 5 a side as well as a keen interest in watching British super bikes.
Name: Dave Hammond (above right)
Position: Sales Account Manager
32 years sheet metal knowledge
Dave has enabled us to react to quickly customer’s requirements for quotation and is able to quote quickly because of his in-depth knowledge of how something is manufactured or fabricated.
Dave has been a great addition to the team bringing new business to Salamander as well as developing a further relationship with current customers. Dave is currently working towards EngTech status. Talking about his new role, Dave said “Salamander is a family run business with a friendly working atmosphere. I like the fact that the skill set at Salamander is high, enabling us to come up with clever solutions to customers requirements.” Dave lives in Honley, a nearby local village to Salamander and likes to cycle in to work to keep fit as well as taking his dog for walks.
We are always looking for new and interesting talent here at Salamander, if you are interested in working for us please don’t hesitate to get in touch – you might be the next best thing for our growing, family-run business.
Sheet metal fabrication is vital for many industries, from construction to aerospace, automotive, and beyond. It’s a refined manufacturing process that is responsible for a great number of products that you see every day.
Metal fabrication has been around for centuries, but it continues to evolve with technological advancements. From creating precision parts for machinery to metal structures for buildings and bridges, its use cases are in even more areas than you’d think.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
What sheet metal fabrication is
How the process works
Different types of sheet metal & the applications
Benefits of sheet metal fabrication
So, let’s explore and, as always, if you have questions or are interested in what we do, we at Salamander have over 50 years’ experience in sheet metal fabrication services to support your next project.
Special tools, such as band saws and chops saws, can also be used in the sheet metal fabrication process. These ensure even cutting throughout the process. Cutting torches are capable of cutting large sections of sheet metal with minimal effort.
Sheet metal fabrications use press brakes, which ease the process of sheet metal fabrication, by helping to create sharp bends and angles within the metal. There are a variety of different press brakes, which have different functions and are used for different purposes.
One of the other main factors in sheet metal fabrication is welding. Once all the components are formed, they are then assembled and tack welded into position. Many welding techniques can be used in sheet metal fabrication in order to prevent warping or any other abnormalities. These techniques include covering the metal with sand during the cooling process, special straightening process, welding in a staggered manner and using a stout fixture.
Straightening defected metal can be achieved by using with an oxy-acetylene torch. Heat is applied to the metal in a slow manner to remove any abnormalities.
The metal is usually finished by being sandblasted, primed and painted. This then ensures the metal looks fantastic and then is ready to be sent to the client.
If you have an upcoming project or want more details about we can do for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
How the Sheet Metal Fabrication Process Works
Metal fabrication tends to start from processing raw materials, which are often large and thick – for example, steel, aluminium and copper. Sheet metal can be cut, bent or stretched into most desired shapes.
Here are the typical steps for how it works:
Design
The design stage is where the groundwork for the project is laid out. Designers will usually create initial sketches or 2D/3D models of the product, which may be done using computer-aided design (CAD) software or by hand.
Important factors such as the intended use of the product, the required dimensions and tolerances, and any specific materials or finishes that will be needed are mapped out before the manufacturing begins.
The bending process is known as CNC folding and is a practice that can be completed using a variety of machines. For example, a manual press brake or automated panel bending machine.
The machine forms the metal part by clamping the sheet metal and applying pressure to maintain the desired curvature.
Forming
The forming process bends or deforms the material into the required shape. Different from cutting, which subtracts the material, forming actually reshapes the material without decreasing any of its mass.
Welding
There are a variety of welding techniques that can be used when working with sheet metal, including MIG welding, TIG welding, robotic MIG welding and spot welding.
Metal inert gas (MIG) welding: A typically fast welding option that is better for thicker materials.
Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding: Offers greater control and precision than MIG. Best for thinner materials. You may also see it referred to as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW).
Robotic MIG welding: This is an automated version of more traditional MIG welding.
Spot welding: This follows an electrical resistance welding process.
Finishing
Finishing is the last step when preparing metal products for use and makes products more resistant to corrosion, adding another layer of durability. It also helps make the surfaces look appealing.
In a sheet metal fabrication project, assembly refers to the assembling of the required products before they are packaged and delivered to where they need to be.
At Salamander, we can act as a subcontractor to provide individual parts or carry out full-service electro mechanical assembly to bring you a complete ‘end product’.
Major Types of Sheet Metal
Aluminium: Used for automotive parts, electrical devices, and cooking vessels. Offering numerous benefits including a good strength-to-weight ratio, and high conductivity.
Aluminised steel: This metal combines the high strength of carbon steel with aluminium’s superior corrosion resistance. Sheets of aluminised steel are used for products intended for high-temperature environments, such as kitchen appliances.
Carbon steel: Carbon steel is used in the industrial and consumer markets for a range of products. It is a steel alloy that contains carbon, resulting in the material increasing in hardness and strength when it undergoes heat treatment.
Copper: Examples of products made from copper are sinks, roofs, rain gutters, and doors. Copper features higher electrical and thermal conductivity in comparison to aluminium but can be more expensive.
Galvanised steel: Sheets of galvanised steel tend to be used for making automobile bodies, water pipes, fences, roofs, and staircases. It is made by coating steel with zinc through a hot dipping process, helping to make it more corrosion-resistant.
High-strength steel: Military armour plates tend to be made from sheets of high-strength steel. The material is produced by alloying steel with a range of elements such as carbon, manganese, and copper. This helps to improve its hardness.
Stainless steel: Used for kitchen vessels, storage tanks for chemicals and food processing machinery. Stainless steel offers superior corrosion resistance, fire and heat resistance, strength-to-weight ratio, and manufacturability.
Titanium: Typical products made from titanium include aviation parts, medical equipment, and construction elements. It is primarily used for its high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. It is also recyclable.
Let’s take a closer look at its variety of common use cases.
Kiosks, vending machines & enclosures
Vending machines and kiosks bring in significant revenue for many customer-facing companies – for example, gyms and leisure centres. This is why care needs to be taken in their construction.
There are a large number of individual components needed to go into building these types of machines, which is why they require the application of sheet metal fabrication.
Construction & Security
The construction and security sectors use the application of sheet metal fabrication for products such as security doors, guard rails, security grills and bespoke security enclosures.
Sheet metal fabrication can help create a wide range of retail display units for different retail clients, retail spaces and shop displays. For example, bar displays, retail display cubes, portable displays and point-of-sale stands. These products need to be eye-catching and highly functional.
Science, medical & food
Particularly the scientific, medical and food industries utilise sheet metal fabrication to create products found in commercial and industrial kitchens such as worktop surfaces, storage units, and sinks.
Stainless steel tends to be the material of choice for many applications in the food production and preparation industries.
Transportation
The transportation sector uses thousands of different products made using metal fabrication. For example, emergency vehicles rely on sheet metal fabrication for the construction of products such as glove-box enclosures, side steps, door-handle mounts, and steel surrounds for tail-lift doors.
Sheet metal fabrication is an excellent method for creating parts both large and small that can go into vehicle construction. On top of that, safety rails on building sites, ladder hatch trap doors, and stair-safe products are constructed through sheet metal fabrication.
Benefits of Metal Fabrication
Sheet metal fabrication offers many benefits, but the three main benefits are:
Strong & Durable: When looked after well, metal fabrications can last many years without needing to be replaced, making them great for projects that require long-term durability.
Versatile: It can be used for a wide range of different-sized projects, making them a valuable asset for many businesses as well as for individuals.
Easily maintained: Metal fabrications are not susceptible to rust or corrosion and are resistant to fire and heat, making the process great for industrial and commercial settings.
The Go-To Choice for Sheet Metal Fabrication
We are a full-service sheet metal fabrication company that works with organisations all over the country to create high-quality fabricated metal products with an exceptional customer experience.
We pride ourselves on our ability to offer both end-to-end sheet metal fabrication and sub-contracting services. We have been the UK’s chosen choice for sheet metal fabrication solutions for over 50 years, and our plan is to keep it that way with guaranteed quality every time!
To learn more about the work we do or to get started with your next project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly sales team on 01484 843599 or at sales@salamanderfabs.com.
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