Steel Fabrication 101 in the Philippines

Are you handling a steelwork fabrication project for the first time? 

It can be daunting at first, but with proper guidance and knowledge, you can lead your project to success. In this article, we’ll teach you the basics so you can hit the ground running. 

Steel Fabrication Basics

Steel is a highly coveted material for homes and buildings - from building frames to everyday metal shelves used for equipment storage. All steelwork products can be attributed to steel fabrication. 

To put it in layman’s terms, steel fabrication is the process of modifying raw steel materials — booms, ingots, slugs, bars, rods, and billets — into finished products that are designed for use in construction or assembly purposes.

Types of Steelwork

Steel Seamless Pipes - made by extruding billets into a smaller tooling die that pierces a hole through the billet and results in a hollow section for the pipes. 

Welded steel pipes - fabricated in a process known as welding. In this method, a sheet metal is cold-rolled/cold-drawn. To connect the ends together, the welder must create the hollow pipe formation through arc, metal inert gas, tungsten inert gas, or other kinds of welding techniques.

What are the different processes of metal fabrication?

Metals are materials known for their wide variety of applications. But have you ever wondered how these are made? The processes of metal fabrication are what make them achieve superior quality. 

From dairy, food and beverage manufacturing, consumer goods manufacturing, petroleum, to construction —  numerous industries that rely on metals daily. Doubling down on the many ideal properties of metals, they are immensely durable and malleable. This is why the demand is relatively high for sheet metal fabrication in the Philippines. Continue reading to learn more about the different processes. 

1. Shearing - The process begins with shearing. Shearing entails slicing through sheet metal with a blade-affixed machine or tool. 

2. Bending - Metal is malleable. Steel manufacturers can easily roll and bend the metal sheets to produce the specific dimensions or parts for your product.
3. Dishing - Once the sheet metal has been cut to size in a circular shape, a machine will hit the metalwork over the surface to create a concave indentation. This process is known as dishing.
4. Punching - Punching refers to shaping the hydraulic turrets to hit the sheet metal and create a hole. The punch often passes through the work through a die. 
5. Assembling - Your steelwork is now ready for building,, this penultimate process involves assembling the sheet metal into a desired finished product. Assembling is typically performed through welding where the metal parts are joined directly. 
6. Buffing - Make your steelwork shine. Buffing is for stainless items and has two types of finishes which are: mirror or hairline. Throughout this procedure, the metal surfaces are buffed to achieve a smoother and brighter finish. On the other hand, painting is applicable for products made with mild steel.  

Need more help? Finebend Industrial Enterprise Corporation can assist you with your custom steel requirements.

Work with the trusted professionals to guarantee a successful project. Message our tem today.