What is a metal coil?
A coil is a continuous length of sheet or strip metal wound into a roll for efficient storage and transport. Coils are fed directly into stamping presses and roll forming machines.
Related Terms
Strip Steel
Strip steel is thin, narrow coiled steel slit to a specific width from a wider coil. It is the feedstock for high-volume stamping and roll forming operations.
Blanking
Blanking is a stamping process where a punch forces metal through a die to cut out a flat shape — the blank — from a sheet. The blank is the desired part; the surrounding sheet is the scrap.
Stamping
Metal stamping is a manufacturing process that uses presses and dies to cut, bend, and shape flat metal blanks into finished parts. It is used for high-volume production of automotive, appliance, and electronic components.
Plate vs Sheet
Plate is metal thicker than 3/16 inch (4.76mm); sheet is thinner. Plate is used for structural and heavy fabrication work; sheet is used for stamping, forming, and laser cutting.