1.4.2 Redistribution: Deforming

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Learning outcomes

By the end of this unit you should have developed a knowledge and understanding of:

the different ways that materials can be shaped into products
how products can be shaped by the deforming and reforming methods
why redistribution processes are used rather than additive or fabrication processes
shaping and forming processes that involve redistribution
how the different processes produce varying amount of waste and their effect on the environment

Redistribution: deforming

The processes can be broken down into 3 main sections

Forming

Wasting/deforming

Cutting, drilling, bending

Redistribution

Casting, moulding

Die casting, injection moulding, extrusion

Adition

Additive processes, fabrication

Welding, joining, 3D printing

Redistribution

Redistribution refers to the fact that material is moved around in order to shape it into a product or component.

This can be done in one of two ways; 1. deforming and 2. reforming.

Deforming involves changing the shape of the material without changing the state. i.e. the material remains a solid throughout the shaping process even though it may be subjected to heat and/or pressure.

Wood is not a material that lends itself to being deformed as it is mostly used in its natural state and its strength resists bending.

Thermoplastic polymers can become soft at relatively low temperatures at which point they can easily be deformed.

Metals are also relatively easy to deform using a combination of heat and pressure.

Deforming wood

Wood is not typically deformed as it is more easily joined but there are a few deformation techniques.

Steam bending

This process involves bombarding wood with steam until it becomes flexible. It is then bent into shape and held in place while the water content is slowly removed from the wood leaving the wood ‘bent’ into shape. Traditionally used to make Windsor style chairs.

Kerfing

This process is not actually deforming the wood (it could be considered wasting) but involves cutting grooves into the wood in order to make deforming by bending much easier.

Guitar and Violin shells were traditionally made this way and many still are.

Laminating

This is not a way of deforming solid timber like you can with steam bending. Thin sheets (veneers) of wood are stacked with glue in between then placed in a mould. Once the glue has set the wood is removed and retains the shape of the mould. This is how skateboards are made.

Deforming Metal

Metal lends itself well to being deformed with pressure and heat.

Bending and folding

Metal can be bent cold or hot and sheet metal can be folded in similar way to sheet plastic, although it requires specialist high pressure machinery.

Spinning

Spinning is a process by which a disc of metal is rotated at high speed and formed into a symmetrical part.

Metal spinning does not involve removal of material, as in conventional wood or metal turning, but forming (moulding) of sheet material over an existing shape.

Commercial applications include rocket nose cones, cookware, gas cylinders, brass instrument bells, and public waste receptacles. Virtually any ductile metal may be formed.

Sinking

Sinking is a metalworking technique whereby flat sheet metal is formed into a non-flat object by hammering. While sinking is a relatively fast method, it results in stretching and therefore thinning the metal, risking failure of the metal if it is 'sunk' too far.

Sinking is used in the manufacture of many items, from jewellery to plate armour.

Punching

Punching is a metal forming process that uses a punch press to force a tool, called a punch, through the work piece to create a hole via shearing. The punch often passes through the work into a die. A scrap slug from the hole is deposited into the die in the process. Depending on the material being punched this slug may be recycled and reused or discarded. Punching is often the cheapest method for creating holes in sheet metal in medium to high production volumes. When a specially shaped punch is used to create multiple usable parts from a sheet of material the process is known as blanking.

Blanking and Piercing

Blanking and piercing are shearing processes in which a punch and die are used. The tooling and processes are the same between the two, only the terminology is different: in blanking the punched out piece is used and called a blank; in piercing the punched out piece is scrap. The process for parts manufactured simultaneously with both techniques is often termed 'pierce and blank'. An alternative name of piercing is punching (see previous slide).

Forging

Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is performed: ‘cold’, ‘warm’, or ‘hot’ forging. Forged parts can range in weight from less than a kilogram to 580 metric tons. Forged parts usually require further processing to achieve a finished part.

Drop Forging

Drop Forging is a forging process where a hammer is raised and then ‘dropped’ onto the work piece to deform it according to the shape of the die. There are two types of drop forging: open-die drop forging and closed-die drop forging. As the names imply, the difference is in the shape of the die, with the former not fully enclosing the work piece, while the latter does.

Drawing

Drawing is a metalworking process which uses tensile forces to stretch metal. It is broken up into two types: sheet metal drawing and wire, bar, and tube drawing. The specific definition for sheet metal drawing is that it involves plastic deformation over a curved axis. For wire, bar, and tube drawing the starting stock is drawn through a die to reduce its diameter and increase its length. Drawing is usually done at room temperature, thus classified a cold working process, however it may be performed at elevated temperatures to hot work large wires, rods or hollow sections in order to reduce forces.

Deep Drawing

Deep Drawing is a sheet metal forming process in which a sheet metal blank is radially drawn into a forming die by the mechanical action of a punch. The process is considered ‘deep drawing’ when the depth of the drawn part exceeds its diameter.

This is achieved by redrawing the part through a series of dies. This is the process used to make most aluminium drink cans.

Press Forming

Press Forming is a sheet metal process that uses a pair of tools called a ‘die’ mounted inside a press and then the metal is placed inside the die. The press then applies high pressure (3000 tons of force or higher on large presses) and the material is formed to match the shape of the die. In other words, press forming is a forming technology where a pressing force is applied to a material to deform it (by bending, stretching, etc.) to match the size and shape of the die, and the material then maintains that shape forever. It is used to make the cases for white products such as fridges and most car body parts are made by press forming nowadays.

Deforming polymers

Polymers are perhaps the most commonly formed material in the D&T workshop due to the ease with which they can be turned into a liquid (or softened) and back to a solid at relatively low temperatures. The following methods rely on the polymer being heated up until it becomes plastic i.e. flexible enough to form but it never becomes a liquid.

Line Bending

A process which involves heating up a small area of plastic sheet so it can be folded or bent like paper. Usually this is done around a former.

Vacuum Forming

Vacuum Forming is a process which involves heating up a sheet of plastic then raising a former or pattern up through the plastic while removing the air below to create a vacuum. This then causes atmospheric pressure outside the vacuum to ‘force’ the plastic down on to the former.

Vacuum Forming is commonly used to produce hollow ‘shell like’ items such as yoghurt pots and other food containers but they can be used to produce larger items such as baths and hot tubs. They are also useful for making moulds for pouring in plaster and concrete.

How Vacuum Forming works

Vacuum Forming moulds should have the following characteristics:

The sides should slope outwards with no ‘under hang’ so the product can be removed from the mould. This is called a draft angle.
There should be no sharp edges (radius edge) to avoid thinning of the plastic.
There should be air holes to avoid trapped air especially in the corners.
There should be sufficient space between peaks (and peaks should not be too high) toavoid webbing.

Pressure forming

Pressure forming is a relatively new process but is very closely related to vacuum forming. However, where vacuum forming relies solely on the vacuum to ‘pull’ the softened polymer around the mould, pressure forming uses an additional former to help in the process and allows for a greater level of detail such as lettering and sharp edges to be achieved.

The various thermoforming processes - Insert video

Blow Moulding

Blow Moulding is a manufacturing process by which hollow plastic parts are formed. The blow moulding process begins with melting down the plastic and forming it into a parison or in the case of injection (and injection stretch blow) moulding, a preform. The parison is a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end through which compressed air can pass.

The parison is then clamped into a mould and air is blown into it. The air pressure then pushes the plastic out to match the mould. Once the plastic has cooled and hardened the mould opens up and the part is ejected.

The Blow Moulding process - insert video

Lesson Task:

In your notes and then presented on your website, make sketches, diagrams and descriptive notes for each of the forming processes described on this page.

Prep 18

L18-19-Redistribution.ppsx

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