Metal is used in just about anything you can see around you. In order to get to the end product, metal has to go through fabrication processes. There are a number of processes that any piece of metal may have ended up going through. Some of the processes may have created the end product, while others may have created a piece that goes into the end product, and any one piece of metal may have been in both of those positions before it gets to you. So, what are some of the different fabrication processes?

Cutting

Cutting is one of the most basic fabrication processes. Cutting includes things like splitting a cylinder in half and opening it up, as well as cutting a piece to size. Cutting can also include cutting pieces out of a workpiece in order to create a finished piece.

Welding

Welding attaches two or more pieces of metal to each other to create a new piece. There are several types of welding, but they all involve heat. Generally, the welding processes use a solder that gets heated up and then solidifies, joining the pieces of metal together. Welding can create air or watertight connections and is the most common process for joining pieces of metal together. 

Stamping

Stamping involves using a die. The die is basically like a cookie cutter for metal. Using hydraulic or mechanical power, the metal and the stamp are pressed together with some force. The die will leave an impression in the metal. A hydraulic press can have a die on each side and the metal gets fed in between the two pieces, and when the press activates, both sides of the metal are stamped at the same time. An example of a stamping process would be the coining process. The coin press has a die on both sides; the coin blank gets put in between the die, the hydraulic press activates, and the pressure creates the head and tail of the coin—and a new coin is born. 

Metal fabrication can take place at just about any stage of a product's life. There are a number of fabrication processes out there, and any metal product has probably gone through more than one of those processes in order to turn into the finished product. Without all the various metal fabrication processes, you wouldn't have your car, computer, television, silverware, or even your house.