Material Innovation: The Catalyst for Advancements in Sheet Metal Processing

Date:2023-12-16 17:59
sheet metal processing
At the heart of the evolution of techniques in the manufacturing world lies innovation in materials. In sheet metal processing, for instance, such innovation has remolded age-old practices and breathed new life into the age of modern manufacturing. What has this meant, then, for the profound evolution of the sheet metal industry? This article takes a look at that profound impact through four prisms—material properties, which, in the optimum case, leads to enhanced usable characteristics; fabrication methods; sustainability; and the future of the industry itself.
New alloys and composite materials have turned sheet metal processing upside down and inside out—like a sheet of metal in a metal spinner's hands. They have done so because these advanced materials—such as the aluminum-lithium alloy, which is gaining currency in airplane wings—actually tend to be not only lightweight but also offer superior strength and formability. Such realized potential in the materials themselves makes for novel applications in the metalworking world. They have also revolutionized the metal-working process because more intricate, lightweight, and durable metal components can be made in today's airplanes and cars.
Sheet metal processing has undergone a paradigm change, and it's being driven by nanostructuring and surface modifications. Methods that we might call "old school," such as cutting, stamping, and welding, still do the basic work of turning flat sheets of metal into components. But the way engineers and materials scientists are approaching those methods is changing. They're infusing metal with nanostructures, coating it with materials at the nanoscale, and sending waves of energy—ultrasound, for instance—through the metal. These techniques make components stronger and better at resisting wear and deformation. They also let sheet metal flow more smoothly in forming operations and reduce friction where it matters and shouldn't be there.
Disruptive technologies are changing how we create and manufacture products, and among these forms is additive manufacturing. When we think of additive manufacturing, we often think of plastics. But in recent years, 3D printing of metals has grown and matured into a robust and capable replacement for traditional sheet metal processing. The term "3D metal printing" encompasses a series of newer, more advanced technologies in the realm of additive manufacturing. These methods allow the creation of complex parts that cannot be machined from a single piece of metal. And they do so with high precision and, many times, with better performance and strength of the end part than traditional metal processing.
Sustainability pushes development in eco-friendly materials and processes in sheet metal processing. Alloys that can be recycled, coatings that are biodegradable, and manufacturing methodologies that are energy-efficient are under active pursuit. These and other innovations, which I will cover in more detail below, are working their way into the not-so-environmentally-friendly space of sheet metal processing.
Smart materials and functional surfaces are leading a new wave of usability in sheet metal parts—a kind of metal that is at least as thin as a quarter. Alloys that remember their shape, and that heal themselves when damaged, push the envelope of what sheet metal can do. But what truly sets these materials apart is how they work in tandem with sheet metal’s inherent properties. After all, the metal part you encounter mainly does its thing unassisted. Enhancing that baseline performance is where materials science shines. And these materials are right at the cutting edge.
Even with significant progress in new material development, we still face some tough old problems—money, growth, and consistency. To get novel materials from the lab to the marketplace, we must work collaboratively across disciplines and sectors, striving together for the common good. And as we do this, we should also look to the future. The future of digital technology. The future of artificial intelligence. The two are coming together, and when they do, they will be unprecedented forces for change. And here, I predict, is where we in sheet metal will really see some progress.
The sheet metal industry is experiencing unprecedented change, where the very fixtures of the business are being reimagined. This is happening for several reasons, not the least of which is the continuous innovation in the field of materials—moving forward at a propulsive pace and bringing many novel ideas into the sheet metal processing arena.

For instance, newly available ingenious alloys present in the sheet metal marketplace possibilities for unprecedented forms and functions; in future offerings of this medium, manner and matter might make for a more sustainable Millenniform way of integrating possibilities from the digitial and analog realms—something the engineering design community has been promising for about 20 years.

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