What is sawing in metal cutting?
Sawing uses a toothed blade (band saw or cold saw) to cut bar stock, plate, and structural shapes to length. It is the most common method for cutting raw stock at a service center.
Related Terms
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.
Shearing
Shearing is a cutting process that uses two blades — like giant scissors — to make straight cuts in sheet metal. It's the fastest way to cut rectangular blanks from flat stock.
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.
Billet
A billet is a solid block or bar of metal — usually square or round — cut from rolled or cast stock, used as input material for forging, extrusion, or heavy machining.