metallformer

Metallformer is a term used to describe either a person who shapes metal or a machine designed to form metal without melting it. In industry, a metallformer may be a craftsman or technician who operates forming equipment to bend, shape, cut, or hollow metal parts, or a piece of equipment itself that performs these operations.

Forming processes rely on plastic deformation of metal and include forging, stamping, bending, rolling, extrusion, deep drawing, and hydroforming. Forging uses impact or pressure to change geometry, often with dies, while stamping employs dies to cut and form sheet metal. Rolling reduces thickness and creates curved profiles by passing metal between rotating rolls. Extrusion pushes metal through a shaped die to produce profiles, and deep drawing creates hollow parts by drawing a flat sheet into a die. Hydroforming uses fluid pressure to mold tubes or lightweight sheets into complex shapes.

Equipment used by metallformers includes press brakes for bending, stamping presses for forming and blanking, hydraulic or mechanical presses, hammers or power hammers, rolling mills, tube bending machines, and die sets. Modern operations often employ computer numerical control (CNC) tooling and automation to ensure precision and repeatability. Materials commonly formed include steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and titanium, among others.

Applications span automotive bodies, aircraft components, consumer hardware, construction elements, and household appliances. Skilled metallformers require training in metalworking fundamentals, safety, and measurement, with familiarity in metallurgy and machining practices. The term can vary by region, sometimes referring to the operator of forming equipment or to the equipment itself.