When Is Metal Spinning a Good Process to Produce a Metal Part?

There are only a few metal spinning companies in the United States that do big production runs. This process, also sometimes referred to as metal turning or spin forming, involves rotating a piece of metal at an extremely high speed against another metal part. The initial metal is then exposed to a high temperature, allowing it to be molded and shaped.

What Shapes Can It Produce?

You know you require metal spinning when you require a certain shape out of your metal. The shapes that are best-suited for this process include:

- Cylindrical
- Hourglass shaped
- Hemispherical
- Donut shaped
- Parabolic
- Conical

The process is excellent for making cookware, brass instrument bells, gas cylinders, liquid vessels and nose cones. It is also great for urns and ornamental lighting and lampware. All of these are often used in various commercial applications.

How Does Spinning Compare to Other Processes?

Similar metal forming processes include metal stamping and deep drawing. Metal stamping is essentially passing sheets of metal through a forming die and works best for rectangular shapes with limited depth. Deep drawing occurs when the depth of the component is greater than the diameter, which is achieved through compressive stresses.

There are several ways a metal spinning service can be leveraged over these production methods. Some of the benefits include shorter lead times, more flexible quantities and low-cost tooling. Another big perk companies should take note of is that metal spinning is a more environmentally friendly process. It produces much less waste and results in fewer emissions.

What Metals Does It Work For?

There are various metals that are great for spinning. One of the most common is carbon steel, and responds very well to the metal spinning process. It is far less prone to deformation and warping from spinning when compared to harder high alloy metals.

Copper spinning is quite common. While it is typically more expensive than steel, it does come with great electrical conductivity. Copper is softer than other metals, making it more susceptible to forming. Aluminum is generally used, and it is also highly malleable. It is much easier to create intricate shapes using aluminum than other types of metals. It is also naturally resistant against corrosion.

There are times when it is recommended to find metal spinning companies in Pennsylvania to help you create the parts you need. When dealing with a cylindrical shape a metal spinning service is often the only way to craft the component you need.