When it comes to fabricating parts for your products, sometimes flat just doesn’t cut it. And as a leading sheet metal fabrication service, we find that precision radiuses are a key aspect of a number of our recent fabrication projects.

Read on to learn more about a couple of recent sheet metal fabrication projects that include radiused or roll-formed sheet material. And contact us today if you need precision radiuses for your next project!

Blade Guard, Part 1

This part is a blade guard for a professional-grade landscaping machine. These machines are used heavily by professional crews, and so they are built tough from high-grade parts and components. This blade guard in particular is fabricated from 1/8” steel. After laser cutting to define the part’s shape and cut the various notches and holes, the is run through our 5-foot Lemas roll former. With multiple sheet metal rolls in-house, we can roll form just about any part – whether flat sheet stock or tube stock. Ultimately, this part gets welded into an assembly with the following part shown below, and then finalized with a clean powder coating finish.

If you need roll formed parts for your products, contact us today. We have the team, the tools and the expertise to deliver perfectly rolled and formed parts every single time!

Blade Guard, Part 2

The last piece of the blade guard is approximately 16” wide by roughly 3” deep, and has a unique conical shape. We achieve this subtle yet precise bend using a technique called “bump forming.” Bump forming is when the machine operator hits the part multiple times over a defined length at a very low angle. This combination of multiple “bumps” across the piece is what gives it its final shape. Using bump forming, we can create gradual radiuses, steep radiuses, or really just about any depth of radius. Although this technique can be performed on just about any press brake, and does not require specialized tooling, it does require a highly skilled machine operator.

This type of part requires precision and expert technique, and allows us to form complex radiuses and curves quickly and precisely. Although the part may look simple, it is a complex process. Common issues when a part is bump formed incorrectly include distortion at the outer ends, and twisting inconsistently from part to part. Thanks to the latest press brake technology, we can use air bending as opposed to coining to guarantee precision on this type of complex part, and we can create this type of part without the expense of a CNC stamping press or expensive customized tooling.

Do you think you have a part that would benefit from bump forming? Contact us today and our design team and expert CNC machine operators can determine the best way to bring your part to life!

The Final Part, In Action
Check out this part, finished and installed into the machine. And see how it performs in action in the gallery below!

Looking for Custom Radiused Parts for Your Next Project?
If your business produces products that require custom radiused sheet metal parts, our team is standing by to help. With in-house designers, project managers and QC techs, we’ll make sure your next fabrication project is on time, on spec and on budget. Contact us today to learn more. We look forward to hearing from you!