FOCUS ON SHEET METAL
Part of the Cuerdale silver hoard buried about 905AD in Lancashire , England . The Viking hoard is the largest ever found in Western Europe . Image : Shutterstock . com .
SHEET METAL
Through the Ages
We review the evolution of sheet metalworking and highlight the latest new trends , drivers , opportunities and challenges in the 21st century for manufacturers .
“ Sheet metalworking ’ s progress , from its early beginnings to modern day manufacturing , has always been characterised by craftsmanship , skill and continuous innovation .”
Sheet metalworking has ancient roots and a long , revered history of craftmanship and innovation . Used initially for jewellery , decoration and weaponry , it has now become an integral and essential part of modern life and plays a key role in a range of industrial sectors such as automotive ; aerospace ; construction ; engineering and defence .
The technology involved in sheetmetalworking has moved rapidly from manual / labour-intensive methods to the development of automated machines , robots and production management / cloud systems . Materials used range from silver ; gold ; copper ; bronze and iron to steel ; high-strength steels ; titanium ; aluminium etc . Today ’ s myriad sheet metal forming and fabrication processes include stamping ; blanking ; rapid prototyping ; laser / plasma / oxyfuel cutting ; bending ; joining ; punching ; rolling ; spinning and slitting etc .
In this article . we review the evolution of sheet metalworking across the ages and highlight the latest new trends , drivers , opportunities and challenges in the 21st century for manufacturers .
Ancient origins
Sheet metalworking can trace its origins back to 4000 BCE when it was used to create swords in ancient Mesopotamia . Then , around 1000 BCE , Chinese metallurgists began using a process known as annealing to make weapons and tools from iron and steel . This process made the metal softer and more pliable for working . The earliest finds of
Ancient Celtic metalwork .
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