This article explores cutting circles in sheet metal, tracing its history from ancient chisels to modern CNC lasers. It covers core principles, tools like nibblers and plasma cutters, applications in HVAC and automotive, and trends like automation. Practical tips and examples guide engineers to precise, cost-effective cuts.
Sheet metal cutting’s a gritty, essential craft that turns flat stock into everything from car hoods to jet wings to HVAC ducts, and this article’s your deep dive into how it’s done. We kick off with history—think ancient Egyptians chiseling copper for jewelry, medieval blacksmiths shearing iron for armor, and the Industrial Revolution’s guillotine shears slicing steel for steam engines. It’s a wild ride to today’s lasers and waterjets. Then we get into the nuts and bolts: how force, heat, or abrasion beats a metal’s strength, whether you’re punching aluminum for aerospace or lasering steel for a truck panel. Deformation’s the beast to tame—too much, and you’re grinding burrs; too little, and you’re stuck.
