Sheet Metal Finishing
The final process of metal fabrication is known as sheet metal or steel finishing and it’s the finality of everything – it’s a sign or a symbol that a product, part, output, or equipment is ready to be distributed and to be delivered to the clients.
Metal or steel is a type of material that is solid and is hard – it’s most usually rigid and that’s the primary reason why it’s used in so many different industries. From automotive, construction and structural, medial and medical infrastructure, and even in the manufacturing and the aerospace industries – steel is a necessity.
But in producing and in manufacturing the needed items, parts, and components that some businesses need, the final product would most usually be required to be finished. We here at Indiana Contract Manufacturing Professionals are the company and the metal fabrication experts that you can very much count on if you need help in sheet metal finishing.
In-Depth Definition of Finishing
We know that finishing is part of the last few stages of the metal fabrication procedure, and this is the process where most products and components would be finalized before they go for assembly. But what is it exactly? What is sheet metal finishing?
By definition, sheet metal finishing is the process that would develop and enhance a certain product or component after it has been created, formed, or shaped.
Let’s take a concrete example for you to fully understand it better; in building a house, the finishing would be the painting, the tiling and flooring, and the designing of the interior of the establishment. So it’s not done while the house is just being constructed, nor is it done when the house is being planned – it is performed when the house in question has been finished to be formed and to be finalized.
Types of Sheet Metal Finishes
Sheet metal finishing, thus, is a procedure that is done to fabricated sheet metal after they’ve been finalized and formed; and there are quite a few different ways on how finishing is done. We here at Indiana Contract Manufacturing Professionals are more than proud to tell you that we’re knowledgeable and skilled in performing most of these finishes – but our main focus is in the powder coating procedure.
Some of the most common steel and metal finishes include, but are not limited to:
Powder Coating
Powder coating is the finish that is the favorite of many manufacturers and fabricators because of the enhanced quality that it provides different types of metals. Using dry plastic powder contained in a powder spray, it is sprayed onto a surface to give it a glossy, textured, or a matte type of coating.
It’s then cured to the right and the appropriate temperature in order to make all the abrasives melt and combine with each other, giving it a tighter and a more compact finish.
Metal Plating
Probably one of the most common types of finishes, it involves dipping the material into a chemical batch (which is most usually an electrolyte solution) and it is then electrocuted. The electrocution of the component or the part in the bath serves as the catalyst of the entire operations.
Hot Blackening
From its term alone, you already know that this procedure would turn a metallic part or component black. This procedure spreads and distributes a thin layer of black and darkened oxide to a surface of the product, finishing it with a matte-texture of a finish.
This sheet metal finishing procedure is done in high temperatures in order for the material to become magnetic, making the color of the oxide stick to its outer covering.
Buff Polishing
Have you ever seen any type of restoration videos? Do you recall the part there where they utilize a spinning cloth wheel? That’s what buff polishing is. In most sheet metal finishing procedures, buff polishing is used and utilized if the client is looking for a smoother finish or texture of the part of the component.
In addition to that, buff polishing also tends to round the edges of a certain product – like sheet metal in this context – making it less susceptible to dangers and risks.
Sand Blasting
Last but definitely not least is sand blasting. As you may have already guessed, it is the process similar to powder coating – the only difference is that the materials and compounds utilized in sand blasting are usually sand and other types of abrasives instead of dry plastic powder.
It uses force to shoot through the fabricated product’s surface at a fast-paced speed, covering the layer or the exterior of the component.
In case you’re wondering, we here at Indiana Contract Manufacturing Professionals have all the experts and the professionals who can drastically give you aid and assistance in terms of finishing your sheet metals.
Whether you need help with powder coating, sand blasting, hot blackening, or even the other procedures and methods in the list we gave above, you can be sure that we’ll be able to help you.
Why Finishing is Important
Imagine receiving a fabricated product without any type of coating on it – you’ll see the rugged surface, the unfinished paint, and even the scratches from the fabrication process. Wouldn’t that look bad?
In addition to that, these types of finishes can also enhance and develop the qualities and the traits of the products and the components; they have their distinct effects and that reason is actually why finishing is important.
Should you find yourself to be in dire need of assistance when it comes to finishing your sheet metals, you can count on us here at Indiana Contract Manufacturing Professionals. Our knowledge and our expertise in the entire metal fabrication process beats all other companies single-handedly!
Give us a quick call now and we’ll be more than happy to provide the quotation and the estimate that you need for the finishing of your products and components!
Indiana Contract Manufacturing Professionals has the capacity to deliver all the above services. You will get high-end solutions at the most affordable rates in the region.
Our core offerings and services at Indiana Contract Manufacturing Professionals includes, but is not limited to, the following below:
We service multiple cities throughout the state of Indiana. We provide all the services listed above, and much more in every city throughout Indiana.
If you don’t see your city listed or a specific service listed, don’t worry. All you have to do is contact us by either giving us a call or filling out our online contact form. Then we’ll discover what are some of the top solutions for you, your business, and executing a solid solution.