The Importance Of Industrial and Manufacturing Industries

The Importance Of Industrial and Manufacturing Industries

Metal Needs To Go Through Various Processes To Be Usable

by Todd Edwards

Metal gets used in just about everything. But it can't be used in its raw form. There are a number of different processes that a piece of metal has to go through from the very beginning to the end product. 

Smelting

After the ore has been dug up, it's time to start making it into usable metal. First, it's going to have to be smelted. That means it's going to get melted down, impurities burned out and purified. Once the raw metal has been melted out and purified, it can either be poured into various shapes, or it can be mixed together. For example, this is when steel can be made. You need to mix iron and carbon together to make steel. 

All the ingredients will have gone through their own smelting process, and then they are mixed together in the proper proportions. It's important to make sure that the steel doesn't just happen because there are various grades of steel which have different amounts of carbon. If they aren't mixed correctly, then the steel won't be as strong as it should be. 

Pouring and Cooling

Once the ore has been mixed, as necessary, it's time to make sure that it's turned into a form where it's ready to be worked. That means that it's going to be poured into ingots, bars, rounds, beams, panels, or whatever. For some things, that will be the finished product. For example, the metal can be poured into an I beam mold, and when it cools, then it's ready to be cut to measure and put into a building. If the metal isn't in its finished form, then it's time to send it to be worked. 

Metal Work

This is the point where all kinds of different things start happening to the metal. It can be forged out and pounded down into different shapes. For example, a blacksmith can get some 1080 steel bar stock and would heat it up so that it's malleable and then turn that metal into a knife by hammering on it, bending it, and sharpening it. This same thing can happen on a much larger, more automatic scale so that large quantities of things like silverware or knives can be made. Metalwork can also include fabrication techniques like welding, bending, folding, and cutting. 

Metal shows up in everything from your jewelry to your car to skyscrapers. There are all kinds of processes that the metal is going to have to go through so that it can be used. For more information, contact your local metal fabrication shop.


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About Me

The Importance Of Industrial and Manufacturing Industries

My name is Donald Tate and in my blog you'll learn the importance of industrial and manufacturing industries in our country. These facilities make numerous products that we use every day and they're also responsible for creating many jobs. I became interested in industrial and manufacturing plants at a young age because my father worked at a plant downtown. One day he took me to the plant so I could see how the products were made. I thought that was the most interesting thing there ever was and I have been fascinated ever since. Because we depend so much on these industries, I have made it my mission in life to learn all I can about various industrial and manufacturing plants. I hope that after reading my blog, you'll also realize this important and necessary contribution to our society.