The Metal Industry in Scarborough
Scarborough is a city that is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The GTA is a consistently large scale consumer of metal products due to the constant construction of large commercial and residential buildings. Southern Toronto is also home to a number of large automobile manufacturing plants that produce a considerable volume of vehicles annually. The metal industry is expanding and the demand for metal producers and fabricators is increasing as a result.
Scarborough has a growing metal industry and is a considerable producer of top quality metal products. Typical metal fabrications include sheet metal and steel plates. In order for sheet metal and steel plates to be utilized successfully in most projects, it needs to be cut. Steel plates are thicker slabs of steel that can require powerful cutting machines in order to be cut cleanly and efficiently. Not only is Scarborough a significant producer of metal products, it also has local metal cutting services to increase the efficiency of its metal industry.
Metal Cutting Methods
Most metal cutting technologies are based on generating and focusing extreme heat as a cutting torch. Plasma torches are the most common method for cutting metal and they offer excellent levels of speed and accuracy. There are dangers associated with some of these types of heat cutters such as:
-
Extreme heat - natural dangers for workers in vicinity.
-
Dangerous gases - used to achieve the heat needed to cut materials, they can result in harmful vapours.
-
Hazardous waste - a byproduct of cutting the materials, also increases costs for removing these wastes.
-
Changes in the structure of the material - some materials are heat sensitive.
Waterjet cutting is a valuable alternative method of cutting materials such as metal, granite, marble and stone. Waterjet cutters use an extremely concentrated, high pressure stream of water to cut materials. The use of water as a cutting tool does not require or generate high levels of heat and has a decreased chance of overheating.
Water is a naturally erosive agent and focusing it into a stream (ranging between 30,000-90,000 psi) creates one of the most powerful and accurate cutting machines available. A waterjet cutter may also include an abrasive agent into the water stream to further increase cutting power.
Precision Cutting and Environmentally Friendly
Waterjet cutting machines are usually automated and computer controlled. Having these machines controlled by computer programs allows for maximum precision. In the case of mass production, it ensures the lowest possible variation of tolerance between cuts.
Waterjet cutters are considered to have nearly laser-like precision and consistently produce edges that are sharp and clean. Cuts are generally clean enough that they don't require further finishing.
These types of cutters are considered to be green technology because the water being used can be recycled and reused. There are no harmful chemicals produced as a result of the cutting and the water is clean enough to be disposed of in a normal drain. If an abrasive is used to strengthen the cutting power, it can also be reused. Most cutters use only between 0.5-1.0 gallons of water per minute of use.