Metal Spinning

What is it?
Metal spinning is a metal-forming process for producing mainly round parts from sheet metal without loss of material. Various types of metal can be used for this process including aluminium, iron, stainless steel, copper or brass. Nowadays, even certain non-round items can be formed using spinning techniques. We’ll gladly discuss the options available for spinning, as well as the advantages and disadvantages with respect to deep drawing (pressing) and other processing techniques.

How does it work?
A spinning tool (or mandrel) is made in the shape of the required component. This is done in-house at MD3’s tool shop. The mandrel is mounted on the spinning machine or lathe. The sheet metal is then clamped in place before spinning commences. A rotational movement is then initiated and the plate is forced into the shape of the mandrel in one or more passes depending on its design and dimensions. The result of the spinning process is a hollow replica of the mandrel.

Spinning used to be heavy physical and traditional manual work. Nowadays, this is performed under computer numerical control (CNC). CNC-controlled spinning has several major advantages over manual spinning, e.g. thicker plates, stiffer exotic materials, identical products, more accurate tolerances, cheaper products, faster turnaround times and shorter delivery times.

What does this process allow you to do?
Spinning techniques allow numerous and generally round shapes to be produced. Examples include fruit bowls, hubcaps, machine components, vases, lids, lampshades, roof ducts, urns, traffic signs, and countless other products and applications. MD3 will gladly tell you more about the many other options available with spinning.

Share This