History of Metal Fabrication

Metal fabrication is an intricate art form that requires considerable skill and careful training. Even with modern technology and tools, this process is complicated and time-consuming. This is considered one of the oldest elemental skills learned by man and is still one of the most relevant fields today.

At Boston Ironworks, we offer expert fabrication services in Boston and are highly invested in this industry. That’s one of the reasons why we love studying about the history of metal fabrication so much. Here’s a brief glimpse at this amazing history:

1. Earliest Metal Mining

The earliest metal mining operation known today occurred somewhere around 8,700 BCE in modern day Iraq. Archeologist discovered a copper pendant in Northern Iraq with evidence of deliberate shaping done by human hands. Traces of metal mining and fabrication in the Americans dates back to 4000 to 5000 BCE and are prominently found near Lake Michigan.

2. Metals Ancient Civilizations Worked With

Ancient civilizations worked with and prized metals like gold, silver, mercury, copper, tin, iron, and lead. They continuously studied, shaped, and refined these metals using increasingly sophisticated techniques. Eventually, ancient civilizations reached a point where they would combine two or more metals to create a better product.

Ancient metal workers combined copper and tin in a furnace to create bronze for the first time in 3,300 BCE in India. This kickstarted The Bronze Age where people made swords, tools, and other items from this newly created hard metal.

3. da Vinci’s Press

Leonardo da Vinci created a detailed design for a rolling mill in 1485, which inspired two different examples of its use in 1501. One example included rolling gold sheets to form coins of uniform thickness and the other included cutting sheets into uniform strips. In 1590, this design finally realized da Vinci’s press was created using two cylinders of significant weight to press sheets made from different metals. This led to a massive change in the industry.

4. Working with Sheet Metal

The first sheet metal plant produced lead and tin sheets and began operations in 1615. This eventually expanded considerably during the industrial revolution. Production lines and hydraulic presses produced massive amounts of sheet metal and that triggered rapid industrialization in other areas. This industry is now worth approximately $20 billion in the US alone.

For questions and inquiries regarding fabrication services in Boston, you can call Boston Ironworks at 617 657 3117. You can also fill in this contact us form. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.

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