Metal Shapes and Stock

Metal shapes and stock includes metals and alloys in the form of bar, rod, beam, plate, foil and other standard shapes. There are many different types of metal shapes and stock. Examples include rod, bar, tee, channel, and half-round. The manufacturing process where a metal is pushed and drawn through a die to create a shaped rod, rail, or pipe is called extrusion. The metal shape which is formed by extrusion is called an extruded metal shape. The process usually creates a long length of the final product and may be continuous or semi-continuous in nature. Some metals are hot drawn while others may be cold drawn. Materials that can be extruded are aluminum, zinc, steel, copper and plastics. A bar stock can be classified according to its shape which can be flat, round, square, and hexagonal. Other metal shapes and stock are commonly available.

Metal shapes and stock have a variety of specifications. The size of round aluminum bar stock can have the diameter from 3mm to 370mm and for the flat aluminum bar stock the size can be 9.5mm x 3.2mm to 152.4mm x 25.4mm. The size of round steel bar stock can be from 1.59mm to 609.60mm in diameter while the size of flat steel bar stock can be from 12.7mm x 3.2mm to 152.4mm x 25.4mm. Zinc bar stock follows the same specification as steel bar stock. Sheet metal stock is made by the process called rolling. The thickness of the metal is its prime-defining factor, and is known as the metal's gage. The gage of sheet metal ranges from about 30 to about 8 gage. The higher the number, the thinner the metal. Precious metal stock includes metals such as ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, gold, and platinum. Metal beams are usually horizontal and resist vertical loads by bending slightly. Any structural member that supports a load by bending slightly is a beam, regardless of the direction of the load. Beams are usually made of metal rods which have high-tensile strength and are wear resistance. Metal shapes and stock are designed and manufactured to meet most industry specifications.

Metal shapes and stock are used in many applications. Examples include support structures, automobile bodies, sheds, workshop practices, and airplane bodies. The metal used in metal shapes and stock should adhere to various standards set up by American Society Of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

• Hot Rolled Metals
  Hot rolled metals tend to have more surface scale, and require pickling and oiling. Hot rolled alloy stock or shapes are produced via hot rolling, a process that mechanically deforms or works the...
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• Subtraction by Addition Pays off for Oven Manufacturer
  It's a manager's dream: free up machine operators, get rid of unneeded equipment, and expand a company's manufacturing capabilities by ADDING machinery. One might call it "subtraction by...
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• Nickel
  Nickel 200 is one of the many specialty metals in stock at All Metals & Forge. It is available from their steel service center in over a dozen pre-cut shapes, with each shape offered in a number of...
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