Metal Spinning, or Spin Forming, is the process of moving a spinning roller over a metal blank. The metal spinning process starts with a sheet metal blank that rotates on a lathe. The metal disc is pressed against a tool (called a mandrel or a chuck) with a tailstock. The metal disc, tailstock and tool rotate in a circular motion and a roller manipulated with CNC controls presses against the metal to form the metal over the tool through a series of passes by the roller. The resulting part is a piece that mirrors the tool it was formed on. With over 90 years of experience, China Metal Spinner Company is an industry leader in the art of metal spinning. At CMS, we use a variety of materials for metal spinning such as cold rolled steel, hot rolled steel, aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper and exotic metals such as titanium and inconel. With our automated metal spinning lathes and the capabilities of our deep drawing, stamping and welding equipment, our ability to form your part to your specifications and within your budget are realistic.
We have engineers on staff with metal spinning expertise to help guide you on designing a custom part and choose the optimal process to produce high quality spun parts at a competitive and affordable price. Tooling is custom made to form parts to your configuration.
History of Metal Spinning, What is Metal Spinning?
The earliest references to metal spinning recorded date back to antiquity where the ancient Egyptians used primitive hand powered lathes to spin soft metals such as silver and gold. There is also evidence that similar lathes were used in ancient China highlighting the importance of metal spinning and metal working capabilities of early civilizations across the globe. In the Middle Ages the hand powered bow, used previously, was replaced by a mechanical pedal. This newly discovered innovation allowed for the continuous rotation of the metal blank and freed up the worker’s hands to produce more sophisticated parts with finer details. It wouldn’t be until the dawn of the 19th century during the industrial revolution that metal spinning would take the form that we recognize today. Read More…
Types of Metal Spinning
CNC Metal Spinning and Spin Forming
CNC metal spinning, also known as spin forming, is a highly effective process of shaping sheet metal into a variety of forms. Utilizing a lathe and CNC controls, a metal disc is rotated and pressed against a tool, such as a mandrel or chuck, by a tailstock. Read More…
Manual Metal Spinning and Spin Forming
At CMS, we take pride in offering a wide variety of metal-spinning techniques to best suit our customers’ unique needs. One such technique is manual spinning, which is also known as hand spinning. This technique involves the manual manipulation of the roller used to form the desired part. Read More…
Playback Spinning involves teaching the machine the specific strokes and rollers necessary to produce the desired end product. This advanced method requires an experienced machine operator who possesses a deep understanding of the spinning process. Read More…
Shear Spin Forming and Metal Spinning
Shear spinning involves the “shearing” of material through the spinning process. This means that the thickness of the metal being used is reduced through the spinning action that is being performed. Read More…
Common Materials used in Metal Spinning
Stainless Steel Metal Spinning and Spin Forming
China Metal Spinner Company has nearly a century of producing preformed blanks with our deep drawing, rolling, stamping & welding capabilities. Since metals can only be worked so much before requiring a thermal treating of some kind, or failing, metal spinning alone is sometimes not the optimal processing method. Utilizing a combination of welded blanks with seamlessly deep drawn preforms can reduce processing costs of metal spun components and dramatically improve the level of quality by minimizing the straining or thinning of material. Minimizing straining of material is especially important in materials that strain harden like stainless steel, nickel, and titanium alloys or materials in general that have low elongation. Applications requiring good fatigue life or need to minimize risk from cracking normally benefit using a gently produced preform then spinning it to the final shape. This two step process can avoid issues common with metals that are well worked or highly strained.
Another added benefit using preforms can be the elimination of weld joints and the need to manufacture multiple parts. Round parts made in two pieces and welded together can sometimes be manufactured in one piece. Using a deep draw preform and spinning a final shape, the once two piece weldment now is a seamless part. This typically improves quality and the ability of the part to perform while normally reducing lead time, supply chain complexity, and or cost. Call us today and we would be happy to see what options you have to do more.
| CNC Metal Spinning Capabilities | English Units | Metric Units |
|---|---|---|
| Max Blank Size, Diameter | 49.0 in | 1,245 mm |
| Max Part Length / Height | 48.0 in | 1,220 mm |
| Max Blank Thickness, Steel | 0.31 in | 8 mm |
| Max Blank Thickness, Stainless Steel | 0.25 in | 6.3 mm |
| Max Roller Force | 19 ton | 169 kN |