Do you want to process metal, but you are not sure which method will be the best to achieve the desired result? Metalworking is a technological process aimed at changing the physical, chemical and shape properties of metals.
Metal processing can be performed by the following methods:
- machining
- plastic working
- chemical treatment
- the heat treatment
- thermo-chemical treatment.
Machining
Machining consists in giving the object the desired shape by removing a part of the material from the surface with cutting tools. The machining of metals by cutting is usually performed using conventional as well as numerically controlled machines. Cutting is divided into:
- turning,
- milling,
- planing
- grinding.
Metal processing by cutting is the most frequently used method due to the variety of metals that can be processed with it.
Plastic processing
Metal processing with the plastic method, during which the physicochemical properties, structure and surface smoothness can be changed, is achieved through plastic deformation. The basic methods of plastic working are:
- forging,
- rolling,
- stamping
- pulling.
The advantage of plastic working is material savings.
The heat treatment
Heat treatment is a treatment or combination of thermal treatments aimed at changing the structure of alloys and thus their physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Heat treatment of metals is used for many metals, but above all for steel. Heat treatment of metals includes
- annealing,
- hardening,
- tempering,
- thermal improvement,
- supersaturation,
- stabilization.
The choice of the processing method depends on the costs, customer needs and the material used.
