Metal fabricating and welding glossary - P

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Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC)

An arc cutting process which severs metal by using a constricted arc to melt a small area of the work. This process can cut all metals that conduct electricity.

Plate

A flat-rolled metal product of some minimum thickness and width argitrarily dependent on the type of metal. Sheet steel thicker than 7 gauge 0.179 in. (4.55 mm) or sheet aluminum thicker than 3/16 in (4.76 mm).

Plate bending

Plate roll bending is a cold forming process. Plate or steel metal is formed into cylindrical shapes by using a combination of three rolls arranged in a pyramid formation. Two of the rolls are power driven, in a fixed position, while the third roll is adjustable to meet the required bend radius and workpiece thickness.

Press

A mechanically powered machine that shears, punches, forms or assembles metal or other material by means of cutting, shaping, or combination dies attached to slides. A press consists of a stationary bed or anvil, and a slide (or slides) having a controlled reciprocating motion toward and way from the bed surface, the slide being guided in a definite fixed path by the frame of the press.

Photo of press.

Press bed

The stationary and usually horizontal part of a press that serves as a table to which a bolster plate or lower die assembly is mounted.

Press brake

An open-frame single-action press used to bend, blank, corrugate, curl, notch, perforate, pierce, or punch sheet metal or plate.

Press capacity

The rated force a press is designed to exert at a predetermined distance above the bottom of the stroke of the slide.

Press forming

Any sheet metal forming operation performed with tooling by means of a mechanical press or hydraulic press.

Production jigs and fixtures

Precision-made mass production tooling used to safely and accurately position and hold components during a production line process, to allow follow-on operations such as machining, welding, painting, assembly and/or packaging to be undertaken on the component.

Production rate

Units: hr--1; or kg/hr (SI), lb/hr (Imperial); or m/min (SI), ft/min (Imperial). The production rate is the output-rate of the process. For batch processes, it is measured in number of units per hour, or in total mass per hour of product. For continuous processes, it is measured in total mass or length per hour. Automated processes have higher output rates than their manual counterparts.

Progressive forming

Sequential forming at consecutive stations with a single die or separate dies.

Pulse-on-Pulse Welding

A welding process that was created to provide a MIG solution for aluminum welding that made the welding process less difficult. This process controls the arc length and the heat input together, making it easier for an operator to produce welds with excellent penetration. Pulse-on-Pulse welding reduces heat input for cleaner welds and less smoke. Not only does the process clean as it welds, it produces a decreased amount of spatter and enables the welding of thinner materials without burn through.

Punch

The male part of a die-as distinguished from the female part, which is called the die. The punch is usually the upper member of the complete die assembly and is mounted on the slide or in a die set for alignment (except in the inverted die). In double-action draw dies, the punch is the inner portion of the upper die, which is mounted on the plunger (inner slide) and does the drawing. The act of piercing or punching a hole. Also referred to as punching. The punch is the movable part that forces the metal into the die in equipment for sheet drawing, blanking, coining, embossing and the like.

Punch press

Machine supplying compression force for reshaping materials.

Punching

Forming metal components using a punch.

Punching

The die shearing of a closed contour in which the sheared out sheet metal part is scrap.

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