Sheet metal is any sheet-shaped steel (or other metals) product produced by flattening or rolling hot-rolled sheets. The sheet metal can be cold-rolled, finished cold, or hot rolled.

What Sheet Metal Products Are Available?

Sheet metal is used to cover or enclose areas of an object, and sheet metal provides a second functional area that protects the contents from outside elements.

Types Of Sheet Metals

Aluminum, carbon steel and stainless sheets are all types of sheet metal. Galvanized sheet metal is made by hot dipping the sheet into molten zinc or zamac alloy at approximately .02 – .03 mils (.5–1.0 ) thickness. Zinc coatings prevent oxidation of the base material and can be found in applications such as signposts, handrails, and lighting reflectors.

Austempered ductile iron sheet (ADI) is used where iron sheet metal is formed using an advanced manufacturing process developed by BF Goodrich Company. This sheet metal product can be shaped and offer exceptional fracture-toughness and abrasion resistance while featuring low coefficients of thermal expansion and unmatched flatness tolerances of ±0.0005 in./in.

Stainless steel sheets form the basis for many surgical instruments that protect infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses.

High-strength sheet (HSS) is used where sheet steel is formed using an advanced manufacturing process developed by BF Goodrich Company to increase the strength-to-weight ratio or stiffness-to-weight ratio when compared to carbon steels offering up to a ten times decrease in weight for sheet sizes from .2-.3/8 inch to 4 inches thick.

In sheet metal cold rolling, the sheet is pushed through cold dies, reduced in thickness, and sheet metal is made thinner. Bar-type stock can be produced with this method instead of being cast into a mould as in hot rolling production.

How Is Sheet Metal Rolled?

The process starts with a hot-rolled sheet which goes through a series of rollers increasing in size that shears off any unevenness from the surface, producing a smooth finish on the sheet. It then goes through a series of rollers that compress the sheet from both sides; finally, it goes through rollers to stretch and increase the length.

Once in sheet form, metal can be used for various applications in building construction, machinery manufacture, and storage tanks, piping, and feed mills.

What Is The Sheet Metal Used For?

Sheet metal is often used in buildings where it provides a weather-proof barrier between external elements such as sunlight or precipitation while providing an effective thermal insulator that reduces unwanted heat loss or gain. In sheet metal roofing, installed over spaced wood or metal decking, an air-tight barrier is formed between the elements and the building interior. Many roofs contain layers of waterproof material to protect against leaks.

In sheet metal cold rolling, the sheet is formed by pushing it through cold dies where sheet metal becomes reduced in thickness and sheet metal made thinner. Bar-type stock can be produced with this method instead of being cast into a mould as in hot rolling production.

The sheet metal industry is a small, highly specialized niche. It can be difficult to find somebody who knows how it all works and understands its intricacies, but that doesn’t mean you should give up looking for help with your project. Many sheet metal suppliers out there will want to partner with you on your next Sheet Metal job.