bleche

Bleche is the plural form of the German word Blech, meaning sheet metal. In German-speaking industry, Bleche refers to flat, thin pieces of metal produced by rolling and used as raw material for forming, joining, or finishing complex components. The term is widely used in manufacturing, construction, and metalworking to describe standard metal sheets.

Materials and processing: Bleche can be made from various metals, including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, titanium, and zinc alloys. Thickness varies by material and application, typically ranging from about 0.3 millimeters to several millimeters; thinner sheets are common in electrical enclosures and automotive bodies, while thicker portions serve structural uses. Bleche are produced by hot rolling or cold rolling. Cold-rolled sheets offer smoother surfaces and tighter tolerances, whereas hot-rolled sheets are usually more economical and may require finishing. Finishes include bare, galvanized (zinc-coated), aluminized, painted, powder-coated, or coated with protective films. Surface treatments such as annealing or surface hardening are used for certain applications.

Fabrication and uses: Bleche are formed into parts by shearing, punching, bending, stamping, and deep drawing. Common forming equipment includes press brakes and roll formers. Applications span automotive panels, appliance housings, architectural cladding, roofing, HVAC components, electronics enclosures, and construction hardware. Bleche may be specified by material grade, coating, thickness (gauge), and surface quality.

Standards and terminology: Sheet metal specifications are governed by material- and region-specific standards (for example, EN, ASTM, or JIS families) that cover chemistry, mechanical properties, tolerances, and finishes. In everyday language, the English equivalent is sheet metal, while Bleche denotes metal sheets in German contexts.

See also: Sheet metal, gauge, rolling mill, stamping, galvanization.