Marketplace Pulse: Sheet Metal RFQs

The sheet metal process category consists of isolated parts formed from sheet material. The parts are cut into form by various processing methods such as laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and plasma cutting. Laser cutting uses a focused, high-powered beam to cut through material and into the desire shape. Waterjet cutting uses an extremely high-pressure stream of water to cut a narrow path in the material. Plasma cutting cuts through electrically conductive materials by means of an electrical channel of superheated, electrically ionized gas known as plasma. After cutting, some parts require bending, forming, or other processing operations to achieve final form. The bending is typically done with brake press machines or other types of machine presses. Other sheet metal part processing methods could include punching, spinning, or roll forming.