What is the difference between plate and sheet metal?
Related Terms
Metal Blank
A metal blank is a flat piece of metal cut to a specific size or shape, ready to be formed, stamped, machined, or processed further. It's the starting material before a part is finished.
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.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting uses a focused, high-powered laser beam to cut metal with extreme precision. Fiber lasers are the current standard for cutting steel, aluminum, and stainless with tight tolerances and clean edges.
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.
Bar Stock
Bar stock is long, solid metal in a consistent cross-section — round, square, flat, or hex — sold by the foot or in standard lengths. It is the starting material for most machined parts.