Metal Spinning Process

Special machinery produces rotationally symmetrical (i.e. cone-shaped) hollow parts, usually from circular blanks. Shear forming, a related process where parts are formed over a rotating conical mandrel, can be used to produce not only cone-shaped parts but also elliptical or other concave or convex parts. Often, shear forming is used in conjunction with metal spinning.

Competitive processes: stamping, deep drawing.

Parts produced: Metal spinning yields pots and pans, vases, lamp shades, musical-instrument parts and trophies. Automotive parts include wheel discs, rims, hubcaps and clutch drums. Other examples include radar reflectors, parabolic dishes, hoppers, concrete-mixer bodies, drums, pressure bottles, tank ends, compensator and centrifuge parts, pulleys, hydraulic cylinders, engine inlet rings and a variety of jet-engine and missile parts.

Benefits: The process brings low capital-investment, tooling and energy costs; short setup times; quick and inexpensive adaptation of tooling and methods to accommodate design changes; and ability to carry out other operations such as beading, profiling, trimming and turning in the same production cycle with one setup. Forming forces are appreciably lower than competing processes due to localized working.

Capacities: Metal spinning is economical for one-off parts; prototypes; and small, medium and high volumes.

Materials: Any sheet material that can be cold formed is a candidate for metal spinning.

Should I use it? Tooling for spinning is relatively inexpensive and simple to employ, translating to a short lead time for parts. Tight tolerancing requirements may require secondary operations, but the advent of automated spinning machines allows more precise forming than with manual spinning machines, with less reliance on operator skill.