As a low cost and durable metal, steel is commonly incorporated across many industrial sectors to produce items that people use every day. From automobiles and kitchen utensils to bridges and buildings, the prevalence of steel as a go-to material has given rise to an increased need for more customized applications of this rather versatile metal. There are several well-known methods that manufacturers use to work with steel in modern fabrication shops. Keep reading below to learn more about 3 common techniques that are utilized to create custom products from steel.

1) Laser Cutting

One of the most popular methods of steel fabrication is laser cutting. With this process, a high-intensity laser beam is moved across the steel to form and cut any desired shape. The main benefit of laser cutting is how accurately it can produce even the smallest of holes or custom designs. It is also a good technique for thin pieces of steel because the laser works too fast for the metal to become warped from excessive heat. Since the cuts from the laser are so precise, custom steel parts are typically created for applications that require deeply intricate components, such as the aerospace industry, medical devices, and computers. 

2) Bending

Another familiar technique is steel bending. Bending occurs when a strong force is exerted upon a piece of steel and formed into a new shape. Complex parts such as small brackets can be manufactured this way. Additionally, bending is an excellent approach for producing custom steel pipes or tubes. A fabrication shop can take a customer's unique design and use the steel bending process to create a specialty shape with ease. For example, bending can be utilized to form a tight-radius rectangular pipe or a steel tube with a specific angle measurement. An advantage of steel bending is that the cost of production with this method is relatively low, while the final product yield is high. Bending also results in products with a smoother finish and surface quality than other techniques might generate.

3) Welding  

Welding is a very common custom steel fabrication process. In this technique, heat and pressure are used to fuse one or more steel pieces together to build a different component. Fabrication shops may choose to use welding to form custom shapes because the process is relatively easy and requires minimal equipment. It can also be performed on steel that is in any condition, including dirty or warped pieces. Welding is frequently employed to manufacture custom steel parts that are instrumental for shipbuilding, construction projects, and automotive purposes.

The future of custom steel fabrication is likely to remain steady for a long time. As a result, these techniques will certainly continue to be popular ways of creating products and components that are necessary for human life. 

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