Waterjet cutting is a modern fabrication method that uses high-speed, high-pressure streams of water to cut material into a desired shape. It is a versatile process used to cut everything from foam and rubber to steel alloy and titanium. With the addition of garnet or other abrasives, waterjets can cut increasingly harder and more durable materials with ease. In fact, waterjets are often designed with nozzles that toggle between abrasive and water-only cutting. These specialized nozzles allow users to alternate quickly from one to the other and work on a variety of materials with minimal downtime between runs.
Although the process is fundamentally the same, not every waterjet cutter is ideal for all applications. At Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping, we go through an extensive vetting process to ensure we have the right cutter for every job. Here’s a look at the behind-the-scenes work that goes into our waterjet cutting services.
What Is a Waterjet Cutter?
A waterjet cutter is a computerized system that directs high-velocity, high-density jets of water to cleanly and accurately cut a broad range of materials, including rubber, stone, metal, plastic composites, and more. The water emitted by a waterjet can exert up to 392 MPa of force, and operators can adjust the velocity, pressure, and width to cut with exceptional precision. Specialty spray nozzles are as small as 0.1 mm in diameter—about the same size as a sharp pencil point.
What Makes a Good Waterjet Cutter?
When we purchase a waterjet cutter, we consider the following factors:
Work Environment: High-production and 3D cutters are typically 8 x 16 ft or larger. Our facility has been carefully designed to accommodate the best-performing industrial equipment onsite, so our clients don’t need to allocate a dedicated space for housing units within their organization.
Accuracy and Repeatability: Precision is a key hallmark of a good waterjet cutter. Our waterjet cutters meet high standards for accuracy and repeatability to help our customers avoid secondary processing operations.
Waterjet Pressure: The waterjet pressure capacity determines which materials the machine can fabricate. If we need to cut soft materials like foam or rubber, a lower pressure may be acceptable, but for hard materials like metal and ceramic, we use cutter settings and equipment with higher pressure capabilities.
Cutting Speed: The best nozzle for any given application depends on the material and production speed requirements. A small nozzle with low horsepower will cut materials slower than a large, high-powered nozzle. Compared to other fabrication methods, waterjet cutting usually works the fastest, especially when it comes to materials with a hard Mohs-scale rating.
Energy Requirements: Cutters that operate at higher horsepower will use more energy, while lower-pressure cutters require less. As an all-in-one metal fabrication and stamping facility, we’ve optimized our system to handle the energy demand with ease.
Versatility: At Metal Craft, we offer custom waterjet cutting services, which means our equipment must be versatile to suit many applications.
Here are a few of the most common shapes we produce:
Dished
Domed
Flanged
Hemisphere
Semi-elliptical
Trumpet
We can also create any combination or variation of these designs and serve customers with small- and large-scale production sizes.
2D vs. 3D Waterjet Cutter
Waterjet cutters are available with both 2D- and 3D-cutting heads. 2D systems are designed to cut at an angle perpendicular to the base material. They can operate on X, Y, and Z axes using both abrasive and non-abrasive waterjets. 2D abrasive waterjet cutting heads are typically used for hard and thick materials, while 2D water-only heads can be used to create fine cuts on thin, soft materials, like plastic, rubber, and fabric.
3D waterjet cutting systems, on the other hand, operate on a wider range of angles and are used for more intricate pieces. They are available with both abrasive and non-abrasive heads and can be used on a variety of materials. Since 3D cutters can operate from any angle around the workpiece, fabricators must enact strict safety measures to prevent accidents. At Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping, we take pride in our fourth-generation family business and prioritize a safe work environment.
Superior Waterjet Cutting Services From Metal Craft
Since 1969, Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping has been the premier provider of top-quality metal cutting services. From metal spinning to stamping, hydroforming, and waterjet cutting, we have the knowledge and state-of-the-art equipment necessary to meet all your metal fabrication needs. We are committed to providing on-time delivery, accurate metal components, and exceptional customer service.
For more information on our waterjet cutting services, contact us today or request a quote. Our seasoned experts are happy to help you determine the ideal manufacturing solution for your next project.
There are three common precision cutting methods: waterjet, laser, and plasma cutting. All these techniques are known for their speed and flexibility, but there are key differences that ultimately determine which approach is best suited to your intended application. The following guide explains how these methods work and the benefits they provide.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is the most precise method and uses less energy than plasma or waterjet cutting to process metal sheets. It can cut components to a 0.002″ accuracy and process multiple materials simultaneously. Cutting is fully automated except for programming, inspections, and repairs.
Laser cutting equipment uses a nozzle, curved lens, and compressed gas to create a focused and spherical pinpoint of light that a technician or program can control. This allows for fine detail and edge work, speed, efficiency, and replicability.
There are many benefits of precision laser cutting, including:
The ability to cut complex and irregular shapes
High-speed cutting, without the need for retooling
Flexibility to cut metal and non-metal materials
Highly efficient and reliable
Ability to cut narrow widths
Plasma Cutting
Plasma cutting is similar to laser cutting—both are accurate and require little human interaction during operation. It offers up to 0.008″ accuracy and can be used for both ferrous and nonferrous metals. Like the equipment which is used during laser cutting, plasma cutting machinery also features a nozzle and compressed gas. Together, these components create a plasma arc that easily cuts through most materials. Heat is an unavoidable byproduct of plasma cutting, which in turn generates fumes and smoke. Because of this, the method can’t be used on non-conductive materials, including wood and plastic, and it requires proper ventilation to operate safely.
The benefits of plasma cutting include:
Low cost of operation
Fast cutting speeds
Simple operations with limited potential for error
More efficient than other methods for cutting holes
Waterjet Cutting
Instead of using a heat energy source like laser or plasma cutting, the waterjet uses high-pressure streams of water to cut materials. The jet is sometimes combined with a grating material, like garnet or aluminum oxide, to facilitate the process. Of the three methods, waterjet cutting is the most precise with tolerances of up to 0.001″.
At its beginning, waterjet cutting was only used for thin and delicate materials, like paper. Now, due to advances in technology, waterjetting can be used to cut almost any industrial material, including most metals, ceramic, stone, marble, and more. It’s commonly used to produce parts for the aerospace industry, as well as ceramic and marble pieces for construction.
Greater material utilization-to-waste generation ratio
Exceptionally accurate
Contact Metal Craft for Your Waterjet Cutting Needs
Metal Craft’s dedicated and experienced team provides metal manufacturing solutions to customers from every industry. We use waterjet cutting methods to produce the most reliable, cost-effective, and accurate results. Whatever method is best for your project, our experienced team can help.
For over 50 years, we have proudly provided innovative solutions and excellent customer service throughout North America. If you have an upcoming metal fabrication project, contact us to learn more about our services.
Metal furniture and fixtures offer stability and strength, especially for rounded bases and tubular structures. Metal spinning—also known as spin forming or metal turning—is a technique that shapes these parts by taking a flat piece of metal, usually in the form of a disc, and molding it to fit a form as that form and disc spin at high speed.
These spun-metal products have clean, sleek lines and smooth surfaces that are strong and durable. They are commonly used in many decorative items and commercial and industrial products, ranging from lamp bases to candlesticks to furniture and table legs. Metal spinning is a highly customizable process, allowing both artisans and automated lines to produce accurate forms.
Why the Furniture Industry Uses Metal Spinning
Metal spinning is a perfect match for the furniture industry, as there is little to no waste (cutting, grinding, etc) when metal is spun into a shape. The process of metal spinning for furniture is relatively swift, if automated, and produces durable items.
You can create almost any rounded shape with metal spinning as long as you find a suitable blank form. The spinning can be done by hand to form unique items or by mass production to create several identical forms of one shape. Either way, the process is very versatile and cost-effective. For the furniture industry in particular, metal spinning produces aesthetically pleasing pieces without breaking a company’s budget. This is essential for furniture manufacturers who want to mass-produce items.
How Metal Spinning Is Used in the Furniture World
Any time you see a rounded base or a tubular structure made of metal, especially steel, copper, brass, alloys, or aluminum, you’re likely looking at a piece that was formed through metal spinning. These include bases for:
Lamps
Flag Poles
Crowd barriers
Stools, chairs, and table legs
Display stands
Lids (e.g., metal trash can lids)
Metal spinning is also used for tubular lamp shapes, candlesticks, vases, and similar items.
Metal spinning using CNC machinery is another matter. This combination of metal spinning and computer-controlled tools produces nearly identical items with specifications that are all within a certain tolerance. This is the path you want to take if your company plans to mass-produce items for sale.
Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping for All Your Metal Spinning Needs
You can form round bases and tube-like forms for furniture and fixtures through a number of methods, but metal spinning offers the best value. It is efficient and allows individuals and companies to create products that are both attractive and practical.
Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping provides metalworking services in both the U.S. and Canada
Contact Ustoday to learn more about the metal spinning process or to get started on your next furniture project!
Metal spinning is a technique for fabricating parts with a circular cross-section from a flat metal disc or cylinder. Metal spinning is also often referred to as spin forming or metal turning. Metal spinning is commonly used in the fabrication of various metallic bases for a wide variety of commercial and industrial goods.
Where Are Metal Spun Bases Used?
Metal spun bases are a natural fit for applications requiring a symmetrical, round component as a base or for finishing. They are widely used in the following applications:
Bases for mannequins and display stands in the clothing industry
Flag stands, pole bases, or fencing bases for construction projects
Bases for chairs, tables, bar stools, and various restaurant furniture
Display cases and stands in grocery and retail stores
Aluminum, brass, copper, steel and metallic alloys are all used to make spun bases. Metal spinning with computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines can produce various bases from any of these metals with strict tolerances.
Furniture manufacturing uses metal spun bases for their visual appeal as well as robustness. Steel is usually the metal of choice for furniture manufacturing due to its machinability and strength. Steel parts are also very durable even under fluctuating ambient conditions and high loads. Furthermore, steel parts have an appealing finish that can be maintained for a long time through simple and easy cleaning methods.
Aluminum and brass are used for products that need a high polish—aluminum is used for commercial products while brass is more suitable for decorative purposes. Copper is appropriate for light fixtures and roofing parts due to its high thermal conductivity.
Advantages of Metal Spinning
The main advantages of metal spinning are as follows:
Low waste. Spinning generates much less waste than other manufacturing methods and the generated scrap can be easily retained and recycled. This is true for manual spinning as well as precision spinning with CNC machines.
Reduced costs. Spinning tools cost a much less than the tools used in other manufacturing processes, giving metal spinning a cost advantage over competitive forming methods.
Durability. Spun parts are essentially a single piece with no seams which makes them very sturdy and durable.
Speed. The short turnaround time and flexibility of the spinning process makes it an attractive and economical process for volumes ranging from prototyping through high volume production.
Versatility. Though the process is simple, it can be used for fabricating a wide variety of shapes. Basic spun shapes such as dishes, domes, flanges, hemispheres, and whole spheres can be combined to make more complicated shapes. A virtually endless variety of products of differing shapes, sizes, and finishes can be fabricated when spinning is used in combination with welding.
Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping has been in the metal spinning business for more than 50 years. We are skilled at hand spinning, as well as spinning with modern CNC machines. We also have in-house hydraulic metal stamping presses and hydroforming capabilities, enabling us to meet a broad variety of metal forming needs. Metal Craft can be your one-stop shop for bases, stands, and other metal products.
Contact Us today with information about your next project.
Similar to the way a potter fashions a bowl or vase from clay on a spinning pottery wheel, metal can be spun on manual or CNC lathe to produce a variety of parts and components. Metal spinning is an advantage when you need seamless items or particularly strong structural parts. The process is ideal for production volumes ranging from short-lead prototypes to mass production.
With metal spinning, pieces of flat circular metal are carefully shaped into disks that can be further modified to make common items such as:
Stainless steel bowls
Commercial lighting
Brass instruments
Gas cylinders
HVAC Parts
Roofing parts
Aerospace parts
Satellite dishes
Exact shaping of the metal is dependent on additional tools used with the lathe, such as the complex rollers that smooth the metal form over mandrels. Nearly any type of metal can be used for metal spinning, including brass, copper, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, or titanium. When cold form manipulation doesn’t produce optimal results, heat can be applied to improve the workability of the metal as it is spun.
Best results may be achieved by carefully following the best practices for metal spinning planning and design.
1. Define Object Function
If you don’t know exactly what you’re designing, you’re more likely to waste time and materials during the spinning process. It’s important to note that metal can only be spun on both circular or semi-circular shapes, so the process can, in fact, work for designs that require sharp corners. Once the final goal is determined, a design can be created that will leverage metal spinning’s precision and customizability.
2. Pick Your Material
Metal spinning works with a variety of metals, but selecting the appropriate materials for your specific job will ensure the best results and minimize wasted metal. Different metals can have vastly different end results, depending on the thickness you wish to achieve.
Very small changes in diameter or thickness can make a part unusable for your engineering project. In addition, some metals are more likely to get rigid as they are spun. Knowing what metal is best for your application and using a material that’s well-suited to your needs will ensure optimal end results.
3. Consider Material Thickness
Depending on the type of metal you use and the height of the sidewalls, the sidewalls of your object will thin and could vary as much as 25%. You’ll need to carefully consider the amount of pressure you apply from the mandrel to the raw metal.
A larger corner radius will be easier to create and stronger than using tighter corners, so you’ll want to avoid sharp corners in your finished part. The formed radius of the end object should be at least 2–3 times the material thickness for best results. The radius in the corners can in some cases equal the metal thickness, but may vary as much as 30%. The thickness of the bottom will be of equal thickness to the original metal blank.
4. Specify Your Tolerances
Metal spun parts don’t necessarily need consistent thickness throughout. Designs should also note that part diameter can be impacted by roundness and flatness. In parts that are less than 1 foot in diameter, a tolerance of +/- 0.005 inches may be achieved. Less than that diameter, you can expect +/- 0.01 inches, while 2–4 feet requires +/- 0.02 inches and 4–8 feet must have a tolerance of +/- 0.03 inches.
Manufacturing your metal-spun part from a tolerance of +/- 0 .01 of an inch for every foot in diameter is an achievable goal.
5. Cost Factors
Many metal forming methods are not cost effective at low volumes, but you can save time and money by metal spinning prototypes or a short runs. A cost/benefit analysis can help you identify savings for your unique design, especially considering different tolerances or sizes. Creating parts is fast with metal spinning so lead times may be shorter, but it’s important to create a design that facilitates fast and accurate production.
Parts created through metal spinning can be made smaller if needed and are often stronger than those created through other processes. Spinning may improve the properties of the raw metal by aligning the grain structures of the metal more advantageously for your application. Depending on the exact use case, metal spinning can be a more cost-effective way to create one-off parts and prototypes than other metal forming methods.
Metal Spinning from Metal Craft S&S
Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping is a fourth-generation, family-owned business that specializes in the production of high-quality parts for our customers across the United States and North America. If you’re ready to bring your metal spinning design to life, please request a quote to get started.
CNC metal spinning and 3D printing are two manufacturing techniques used to create identical custom parts. While the end products can often appear similar, the mechanisms behind the processes and the quality of the end products are vastly different. Before finalizing your next part design or production order, it is important to know and consider the differences between the speed and price of two processes so that your team can choose the right manufacturing method for your application.
Speed & Price
First and foremost, metal spinning outperforms any existing 3D printing methods in both turnover rate and unit cost for both long and short run orders.
CNC spinning operations can form a product according to the designs faster than 3D printers can build the parts from an existing blank. 3D printed parts have to be run through additional steps before they are ready for distribution. These additional steps include removing supports required during the creation process, washing and polishing the products, and a curing period (to ensure the product is solid and the layers bind together).
The additional processing required for 3D printed parts increases the turnaround time, making 3D printing less efficient and cost-effective than CNC metal spinning. When speed matters, CNC spinning is the better choice. With this process, operators can also control production time by prioritizing speed over accuracy and vice versa.
CNC metal spinning is also the ideal choice for mass production. 3D printed pieces cost the same per unit, which can offer some advantages for prototyping and small orders. However, it is not suitable for large production runs. CNC spinning, on the other hand, is a process that can quickly scale up for lower per unit prices on larger orders.
Size, Precision, and Purpose
CNC metal spinning is a forming process that takes a stock piece of material, or blank, and forms the material to reach the final design. 3D printing, on the other hand, is an additive process that builds the product layer by layer. Although the characteristics of each process make them suitable for particular applications, CNC Metal Spinning offers advantages over 3D printing in regards to size, precision, and purpose.
Size
Industrial and commercial equipment, engines, and machinery are large systems that require proportionally large components. While CNC metal spinning processes can quickly produce large and heavy parts, as an additive process, 3D printing is less suitable for producing large parts as the material layering process takes considerably more time than the material removal process used in CNC spinning. Although 3D printed products can be scaled up from small prototypes, they generally do not exceed the dimensions of a small refrigerator.
Precision
CNC machine tools produce smoother edges and surfaces compared to those produced by 3D printing processes, enabling the production of higher quality parts that do not require further processing operations.
Purpose
Due to their rougher finish and other limitations, 3D printed components work best as fit and finish parts. On the other hand, the smoothness of CNC spun parts’ surface enables them to be used with precision components and tools.
Contact Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping Today to Receive a Quote
CNC metal spinning outperforms 3D printing when it comes to speed, precision, and smoothness. It is suitable for manufacturing large and heavy components and large production runs. Even with Selective Laser Melting (SLM) 3D printing technology, which allows for the creation of metal products, the results cannot match the accuracy and speed of CNC spinning.
Since 1964, Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping has provided CNC metal spinning capabilities for the manufacturing of metal components.
Request a quote or Contact Ustoday to get started on your next metal spinning, stamping, or hydroforming project,
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are essential components of commercial and industrial structures. However, more than just warming or cooling a designated space, HVAC systems are designed to improve air quality and ensure maximum comfort for anyone inside the building.
Variable air volume (VAV) systems or boxes are a common component installed for a commercial or industrial structure and perform a converse operation by supplying variable air flow to different spaces within the building at a constant temperature.
VAV boxes are an important component of any VAV system, as they have strategically placed calibrated dampers that control airflow to specific locations within a building. Although many commercial applications use VAV boxes, these systems often come with their fair share of problems. Some issues with VAV systems include:
Time delays between the VAV box airflow sensors and controls, causing frequent adjustments
Loss of efficiency within the structure’s VAV system and HVAC components.
Dirty airflow sensors result in efficiency loss, causing routine checking and cleaning
Adjustment delays between system components
Airborne risks in critical or hazardous applications
Manufacturing environments, laboratories, and other environments that rely on proper ventilation to safely remove harmful microorganisms or particulates from the air need a more thorough solution
The Venturi valve offers a more responsive solution for these critical applications, and are specifically engineered to facilitate superior regulation of air flow. Instead of relying on signals from the VAV system to adjust to changes in air pressure, Venturi valves measure pressure independently from the system and adjust without waiting for signal exchanges between system components, providing immediate airflow adjustments with ± 5% accuracy.
Working with Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping
Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping is a leading manufacturer of long-lasting HVAC system components. We know that HVAC systems depend on tough, durable parts for both indoor and outdoor ventilation purposes. Because of this, we use the processes of metal spinning to build these components, In this operation, a spinning lathe forms a blank metal disc into the desired shape for the customers dimensional requirements.
Metal spinning from a certified HVAC provider is more cost-effective than multi-part assemblies.It is also less time consuming, versatile, and design changes are easily accommodated. Metal spinning an HVAC venturi valve also prevents pressure disruption from damage caused by inclement weather or improper welding of multiple pieces.
Contact Us Today if you’d like to learn how our HVAC fabrication techniques, capabilities, and superior-quality HVAC venturi valves can be your next solution! We use both CNC machines and hand lathes to manufacture products according to customer needs.
Metal Spinning Roof Drains vs. Multiple Welded Pieces
Automated metal spinning from a certified metal spinning supplier is indispensable for producing roofing parts such as roof drains, and here are the top reasons why, below:
It is more cost effective than multi-part drains, as the production time is significantly shorter, and there are fewer materials involved with the metal spinning process. It is also more versatile, less time consuming, and design changes are easily
Metal Spinning roof drains also prevents any possibility of leakage from damage caused by inclement weather or improper welding of multiple pieces.
The automated metal spinning process also allows the cylindrical roof drain component to perform in all conditions and bears no welding line, ensuring optimal strength and appearance.
This low-cost process efficiently allows you to create large volumes of cylindrical roofing components with minimal waste, and the innovative design from its tooling allows easy changes to be made to the production process at minimal expense.
The 411 on Roof Drains at Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping
Over time a flat roof may collect too much water, which will cause flooding. You can easily prevent this by installing a roof drain. Roof drains are used to convey stormwater from the roof to the retaining area or the drainage sewer. Stormwater is generally received from the roof drains and moved to one of three places:
Your city’s sewer system
A retention pond or reservoir
Left on the ground to naturally evaporate
Automated metal spinning can create roofing drains with a wide range of diameters as well, which is why manufacturers use metal spinning to build roofing products for all shapes, materials, and applications.
Custom Roof Drain Solutions at Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping
Roof drains formed by automated metal spinning can be made of several different types of materials, but aluminum roof drains are by far the most common option.
It is relatively inexpensive but provides solid protection against leakage, and the material allows for inexpensive, high-volume production with shorter turnaround time for your next project, no matter what your required volume.
Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping has been a premier metal spinning supplier for roof drains for commercial and industrial markets to protect your roofing since 1969, and now employs two robots fully dedicated to the automated production of these components.
This allows for quick turnaround times and high-volume orders with virtually zero deficiency kickback. For 50 years, we have offered our clients high-quality products and premier customer service.
Contact usor Request a Quote todayto see more about our metal spinning roof drain solutions. Our team experts are happy to assist you!
The Chevrolet Hockey program aims to inspire positive values in young Canadians through hard teamwork and sport and also encourages the participants to perform positive deeds in their communities. The program enables Chevrolet to donate to causes across Canada on behalf of Peewee hockey teams. Players have performed hundreds of good deeds since the 2016/2017 culmination. Good deeds encouraged by the program include voluntary work at food banks, visiting an animal shelter, or driveway shoveling in the community.
However, the activities involved are limitless, as players are free to come up with and implement any suggestions. Good Deeds Champions receive different prizes, including the coveted Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup with the team’s name engraved. But how exactly is such a celebrated championship cup designed and made?
The Good Deeds Cup Design
Hockey Canada approached Jimmy Rogers of 39 Design and Engineering Inc. to design the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup. He then contacted Metal Craft Spinning and Stamping to spin the cup portion of the trophy itself. This unique project allowed us to showcase our manual metal spinning capabilities while supporting a worthwhile charitable program.
The client asked us to fabricate the Good Deeds Cup from brass. This metal comes as a flat sheet with excellent formability properties, allowing for a smooth transformation into a cup. While brass is already a ductile metal, for this project we put it through several annealing cycles to make it more malleable. The annealing process involves treating the metal with heat to increase its ductility, but multiple rounds of annealing were necessary as brass heats up rapidly and gets hard quickly.
To create a high-end, long-lasting cup, we turned to our senior metal spinner, whose 30 years of hand spinning experience was the perfect match for the project. Our senior metal spinner has handled a wide range of complex pieces over the years, which means he could handle any issues that may arise to produce an exquisite masterpiece.
Since the end product was only one piece, the operator chose a hand spinning lathe instead of a CNC machine. Aside from the low volume, a hand spinning lathe is also ideal when you need maximum control. Manually spinning the piece allowed our senior metal spinner to feel the flow of the material.
Crafting this sophisticated piece required significant preparation and time. The spinner took five hours to produce the Good Deeds Cup. It was then polished and shipped to our client.
About Manual Metal Spinning
A typical hand metal forming process takes the following steps:
The operator mounts the mandrel chuck to the headstock. He then fixes the blank in position by advancing the follower block attached to the tail’s headstock.
A combination of a tool rest and pin serve as a support system for the lever arms. This arrangement gives the lever arms enough leverage to apply sufficient pressure to the blank against a forming tool like a roller.
A pass in manual metal spinning refers to one movement of the roller across the blank’s surface. The operator needs to run multiple passes to form one complete part. This can be achieved by increasing the pressure on the blank using the lever arms gradually to reduce the blank into the desired form.
For mass production and repeatable precision in large volume metal forming, Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping uses our CNC metal spinning machine rather than a hand lathe. This technology automates the passes, transforming the blank disc into intricate pieces within minutes.
Conclusion
Metal Craft Spinning & Stamping is a fourth-generation family business founded in 1969. We have earned a reputation for prompt delivery and quality service that surpasses customer expectations.
Our industry-leading metal spinning experts use advanced CNC machines, hydroforming machines, and hydraulic presses among other state-of-the-art equipment to meet the needs of hundreds of customers across North America that rely on us for thousands of quality parts. The shapes we produce are endless, including caps, balls, cones, bowls, lids, ferrules, and many more.
Contact us to put our 50 years of experience to work on your metal spinning or stamping project.
Click here or on the ebook to read more about all our capabilities and how we can help with your metal forming needs!
Metal spinning has evolved significantly over the years. Though the concept remains the same, modern equipment and advanced technology have transformed the process into a more viable and affordable option for the manufacturing industry.
What Is Metal Spinning?
is known by many names, such as spin forming, spinning, and metal turning. Regardless of the name used, it is a metal forming process which rotates a tube or disc of metal at a high rate of speed to produce hollow objects or components. A common factor in these hollow objects is their typically circular cross section.
The best uses of metal spinning include creating prototypes and manufacturing parts which require high internal and external pressures.
Traditional Metal Spinning Process
The basic concepts of the metal spinning process have not changed a great deal since spinning was first introduced as a manufacturing tool. The essential steps include:
Mounting a mandrel chuck on the headstock of the lathe.
Mounting a follower block to the tailstock.
Clamping of a circular blank by advancing the follower.
Pressure is applied to the blank via a roller or other forming tool on the lever arms, using the tool rest and pin to provide scissor-like support and leverage to the lever arms.
The roller moves across the blank in a series of passes until it forms the completed part.
Modernization of Metal Spinning
Manual metal spinning, which came to North America in the early 1800s, has evolved into a more modern process. The technological advances of our modern age have combined to automate the process, making it faster and improving repeatability. As such, automation has made metal spinning an even more reliable and cost-effective manufacturing option.
Automated metal spinning makes use of computer numerical control (CNC) in place of hand spinning. CNC is a method of subtractive manufacturing technology, which follows a computer aided design (CAD) model along with a variety of cutting tools to remove material from a blank in order to produce the desired component. The major advantages of CNC spinning over hand spinning include:
Higher level of accuracy and consistency over an entire production run
The mitigation of human error risks through the autonomy of CNC machining and reduced touches.
The necessity of fewer personnel for high capacity production runs
24/7 operation using machines, which cuts back on manpower and operating costs.
Besides these advantages, CNC metal spinning allows for the turning of a broader range of materials than hand spinning, including less malleable materials. The materials formed using CNC spinning include:
This broad range of metals allows for a wider variety of manufacturing options and broadens the range of potential industrial applications which the process might serve. With CNC providing a more cost-effective option for producing parts, along with greater accuracy and consistency, it makes good business sense to incorporate it into your fabrication process when relevant to your design.
Metal Craft specializes in the manufacturing of metal components of all shapes and sizes utilizing the metal spinning process. Contact our engineering department today to see how we can assist you in completing your project with metal spinning.
A waterjet cutter is a computerized system that directs high-velocity, high-density jets of water to cleanly and accurately cut a broad range of materials, including rubber, stone, metal, plastic composites, and more. The water emitted by a waterjet can exert up to 392 MPa of force, and operators can adjust the velocity, pressure, and width to cut with exceptional precision. Specialty spray nozzles are as small as 0.1 mm in diameter—about the same size as a sharp pencil point.
Laser cutting is the most precise method and uses less energy than plasma or waterjet cutting to process metal sheets. It can cut components to a 0.002″ accuracy and process multiple materials simultaneously. Cutting is fully automated except for programming, inspections, and repairs.
Plasma cutting is similar to laser cutting—both are accurate and require little human interaction during operation. It offers up to 0.008″ accuracy and can be used for both ferrous and nonferrous metals. Like the equipment which is used during laser cutting, plasma cutting machinery also features a nozzle and compressed gas. Together, these components create a plasma arc that easily cuts through most materials. Heat is an unavoidable byproduct of plasma cutting, which in turn generates fumes and smoke. Because of this, the method can’t be used on non-conductive materials, including wood and plastic, and it requires proper ventilation to operate safely.
Instead of using a heat energy source like laser or plasma cutting, the waterjet uses high-pressure streams of water to cut materials. The jet is sometimes combined with a grating material, like garnet or aluminum oxide, to facilitate the process. Of the three methods, waterjet cutting is the most precise with tolerances of up to 0.001″.
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