Metal Processes

Question 1

Press forming

Answer 1

Car body panels
Metal containers

Shapes sheet into 3d forms
Mass or large scale batch

Question 2

Spinning

Answer 2

Stainless steel kettles
Saucepans

Material may show parallel lines where sheet has been forced into mandrel
Mass or small scale batch

Question 3

Cupping and deep drawing

Answer 3

Tube like shapes
Fire extinguishers
Drinks cans

Metal stretched into shape
High initial cost
Mass or continuous

Question 4

Drop forging

Answer 4

Spanner’s
Pliers

Products that need to be tough and hard
Maintains internal structure so keeps strength
Hot metal billet on die then pressed into shape and cooled
Mass

Question 5

Bending

Answer 5

Seams on metal edges
Bending sheets for product casings

Doesn’t include punching trimming
Large scale batch

Question 6

Rolling

Answer 6

Hot: I beams, bar, railway tracks
Results in uniform mechanical properties
No deformation or stresses
Surface coated with carbon deposits which must be removed

Cold: filing cabinets chairs containers
Results in metal having tighter tolerance and better surface finish

Question 7

Sand casting

Answer 7

Railway wheels
Wood working clamps
Post boxes

Labour intensive
Not high quality
One off or small batch

Question 8

Gravity die casting

Answer 8

Alloy wheels
Door knobs and handles

Lower melting point metals
Aluminium relies on gravity to help metal flow in mould
Thicker sections
Large batch and mass

Question 9

pressure die casting
- hot chamber

Answer 9

toy cars
collectable figures

low melting point metals
molten metal stored in chamber then shot is forced into the die
fast
mass

Question 10

investment casting

Answer 10

cast jewellery
collectable figures
hip replacement joints

intricate awkward shapes
high quality finish
wax patterns cast from a master mould
repeatable quality

Question 11

pewter casting

Answer 11

jewellery
key fobs
decor

school projects
simple MDF moulds
one off or small batch