What Is Metal Crafting Called?

What is metal processing?

Metalworking is the process of forming and shaping metal to create useful tools, objects, equipment parts, and structures.  Metalworking projects typically fall into the forming, cutting, and joining category and may involve techniques such as cutting, welding, casting, and forming.  Materials used for metal processing include ferrous and non-ferrous metals such as steel, aluminum, gold, silver, bronze, iron, etc.

The history of metal processing

For thousands of years, precious metals have been crafted into objects and valued by ancient civilizations, from the Pharaohs of Egypt to the Mayans of North America.  The oldest known evidence of metalworking is a copper pendant found in Iraq, dating to 8,700 BC.

Metalworking has always been a way for civilizations to convey status, religious beliefs, and symbolism through artifacts, as well as a practical method of building tools and structures.  It has been practiced around the world by craftsmen, blacksmiths, alchemists, contractors, and more, all of whom specialize in different aspects of metalworking.  Many ancient metalworking techniques are still used today, from soldering to welding.

metal processing technology

Metalworking techniques can create everything from small decorative objects to large structures.  While many metalworking techniques are similar across materials, the properties of the metal you use will greatly affect your work and the end result you want.

cutting

Cutting removes material from metal using techniques such as milling, milling, turning, and CNC (computer numerical control) machines.  Plasma cutters are gas-fired cutting torches powered by argon and hydrogen gases that remove material and create holes in metal.  Cutting is commonly used in metal fabrication shops, automotive repair and construction.

Join

Joining is the process of joining multiple pieces of metal together by welding or brazing.  Welding is a manufacturing process that uses a welding machine to join ferrous and non-ferrous metals and is suitable for large projects.  Soldering is a joining process used to fuse different types of precious metals together by melting solder, making it ideal for small projects.  As metal processing advances, new technologies are constantly being developed.

forming

Forming is the process of reshaping and manufacturing metal objects without adding or removing any material.  This process can be achieved through a combination of heat and pressure.  Forging and bending are both important methods of metal forming.  When you forge metal, you heat it in a forge, then hammer and bend it into the shape you want.  To form a bend or curve in metal, heat it in a forge, then place it on the horn of an anvil and pound it with a hammer to create the desired curve.  The English wheel is a tool that allows metal workers to easily shape and shape cold materials, such as aluminum or steel.

casting

Metal casting is a metalworking process that dates back to around 4000 BC and is still used today to create sculptures, tools, and jewelry.  For as long as we learned to melt metal, metalsmiths have been pouring molten metal into cavities created in stone, plaster, sand and even bone.  Metal casting is cost-effective and time-effective, and allows you to manufacture multiple identical parts.

Common methods of casting metal are lost wax casting and sand casting.  Lost wax casting involves sculpting or shaping your piece in wax, making a plaster mold around it, and then burning off the wax.  Sand casting uses sand as the mold material.  The sand is combined with a binder, such as clay, and gated.  The molten metal then flows into the mold to form a solid object.