The metal materials have a wide range of applications, however, to obtain a specific element out of such material, it is necessary to process it in a specialist manner. Great construction possibilities are provided by specific methods of processing, which require specific machines. The processing is aimed at changing physical and chemical properties of the material, its shapes or dimensions. The following types of treatment may be distinguished: plastic, heat, chemical and thermo-chemical. Let us focus on some types of plastic processing ? bending, cutting and straightening.
The metal sheet bending technology consists in permanent shape deformation ? curvature of metal materials without changing their dimensions. Deformations are possible thanks to the impact of appropriate forces, sometimes in connection with heat. The most often used bending machines are CNC brake presses.
The cutting process may be simply defined as separation or division of the material. The process consists in the creation of such strain in a given place, which causes the cracking of the material. There are many methods of cutting: using two edges, a stamp and a matrix, knife cutting, rubber cutting or using other modern methods (not included in plastic processing), such as laser, plasma or water jet cutting.
The straightening of metal is in an antagonistic operation to the bending process ? a straight shape of the material is obtained using the same tools, among other things, bending brakes. It is a process aimed at removing undesired deformations caused by laser cutting or welding.
