Producing metal components for various industries is possible by employing one of many different techniques. Welding, stud welding, machining, milling, and laser burning are all examples of different processes to accomplish similar purposes. Another process is cold forming. Cold formed parts are part of a method of producing metal components in use for more than 100 years.
A Brief History of Cold Forming
The most common metal for the process known as cold forming is steel. Cold formed steel parts have been in use in a limited manner since the mid-1880s. In North America, the parts formed in this manner found use in construction. However, applications for architectural structures were restricted to a few. This trend was to continue into the 1900s.
Only after the construction of the futuristic house for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933, did interest in cold forming increase. Architect Howard T. Fisher was the driving force behind this. His home sparked interest in residential development but not sufficiently. Meanwhile, industries began to develop an increased interest in the process. However, no guidelines existed until the American Iron and Steel Institute sought fit to pursue it, relying on the brilliance of George Winter at Cornell to advance the cause and continue research. As a result, the AISI published guidelines beginning in the 1940s and Winter gained the sobriquet of “the father of cold-formed steel.”
Since the initial specifications made an appearance, the AISI has published further editions. The organization continues to provide updates, modifications, and appendices as necessary. This is to ensure manufacturers and construction companies remain on the same page when it comes to using and producing cold formed parts.
Cold Formed Parts
Cold-formed steel components are in bridges, buildings, automotive bodies, and transmission poles. It is a highly efficient and fast method of producing precise and durable products. Cold formed parts are always in demand wherever a company specifies superior precision parts.
