Forming Techniques

• Bending is a deformation process where a force is applied to a material causing it to bend at an angle and form a desired shape. This is common with metals and plastics.
• Forcing involves using compressive force to shape a material, often using a die or mould. This is commonly utilised in processes like forging or pressing.
• Spinning is a process where a disk of metal is rotated at high speed and formed into an axially symmetrical part. Used often in the production of kitchenware.
• Blow moulding is a forming process used on thermoplastics where air pressure forces the plastic into the shape of the mould.
• Extrusion pushes or pulls a material through a die of the desired cross-section.

Cutting Techniques

• Shearing is a cutting process where the material is broken down into smaller pieces with the application of great force against its resistance to deformation.
• Sawing uses a jagged-edge tool or blade to cut through material by way of a back-and-forth motion.
• Laser cutting uses laser beams to cut materials. Works well on materials like wood, metal, plastic, and glass.
• Milling involves employing a rotating tool with multiple cutting edges to progressively remove material from the workpiece.
• Plasma cutting uses a stream of hot plasma to cut through electrically conductive materials.

Joining Techniques

• Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, typically metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allow them to cool, resulting in fusion.
• Adhesive bonding uses a substance to hold two surfaces together because of the adhesive’s ability to form strong molecular attractions with the material.
• Brazing and soldering involve melting a metal filler that bonds to two workpieces and cools to join them.
• Fastening makes use of devices such as nuts, bolts, screws, clips and rivets to hold two or more objects together.
• Sewing is a technique that integrates thread and needle to join two pieces of fabric, leather, or similar materials.

Construction Techniques

• Layering involves building up material in layers to create the desired shape.
• Modelling is a construction technique where a pliable material like clay or wax is formed by hand or with tools into a three-dimensional shape.
• Assemblage is a technique where three-dimensional objects are combined to create a new work of art.

Casting Techniques

• Sand casting is a process that pours a casting liquid, like molten metal, into a sand mold to construct a desired shape.
• Die casting involves forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mold cavity. Mostly used with non-ferrous materials.
• Investment casting, also known as lost-wax casting, creates a precise dimensional and smooth finished product by replacing wax with molten metal.
• Centrifugal casting rotates the mold itself during the casting process. This action distributes the casting material evenly and can create items with a high level of detail.

Each of these capabilities provides designers with unique opportunities to realise their designs in the most effective way, and the final choice depends upon the specific requirements of the project at hand.