Custom Fabricated Metal Cones Frustums

Eldred Sheet Metal Works, LP, fabricates custom metal cone frustums made from carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and alloys in material thicknesses from 16 Ga. (.0625") up to 2" thick. Cone frustums are used by various industries as transitions, pipe increasers/reducers, rain caps, hoppers, tank ends, funnels, guides and forms. Cone frustums can be fabricated with specified small and large diameters, lengths, and material thicknesses. Eldred offers turnkey fabrication or labor only when customers provide their own material or gores to be fabricated.

Large Eccentric Cone & Matching Cylinder There are three types of cone frustums; eccentric, concentric, and oblique. An eccentric cone frustum is a cone whose side is perpendicular to the base of the cone. A concentric cone frustum is a cone in which the axis is perpendicular to the base of the cone and an oblique cone frustum is a cone whose axis is not parallel to the base of the cone. Eldred has software to layout all three types of cone frustums. The dimensions required for laying out a cone frustum must include the large diameter, the small diameter, the vertical height or length, and the thickness of the material. A cone frustum is created by cutting off the point of a cone with a line parallel to the base. Eldred fabricates cone frustums from flat layouts by forming the metal to the proper dimensions, usually from as little as two pieces. The process starts with the drawing of the frustum. Eldred uses the latest technology for producing the flat layouts of the cone frustum. Next, the flat layout is programmed into a cad layout and then processed by a plasma cutting/flame cutting machine. Once processed, the flat layout is formed to the desired dimensions and welded to the customers specifications to create the desired cone frustum. Additional services such as beveling, punching, notching, machining, sawing, or welding may also be performed on the fabricated cone frustums. Send Eldred your request for quote for review and let us determine if it is within our vendor, equipment and fabrication capabilities. When you partner with Eldred you can be assured your project will be of the best quality. Our desire is to provide you with personal attention, better quality, and excellent service!

Formulas For Metal Fabrication

Below are some common formulas and requirements for calculating various material needs for metal fabrication of: Rolled Cylinders or Rings Custom Angles Custom Channels Metal Cones

Rolled Cylinders
There are two formulas for determining the flat layout for material requirements of rolled cylinders. The determining factor is whether you are using inside diameter measurements or outside diameter measurements. This will provide examples of both. EXAMPLE 1: OUTSIDE DIAMETER 1/2" thick Carbon Steel X 24" OD (23" ID) X 96" Length Formula: (Outsidie Diameter X pi)-3 Times Material Thickness 24 X 3.1416=75.40 75.40 Inches - 1.5 Inches = 73.9 Inches Therefore your flat layout for material required to make a 24" OD X 96" Length cylinder would be a flat plate 73.9" X 96" EXAMPLE 2: INSIDE DIAMETER If we use the same cylinder but using the inside diameter we get the following: 1/2" thick Carbon Steel X 23" ID (24" OD) X 96" Length Formula: (Inside Diameter X pi)+3 Times Material Thickness 23 X 3.1416=72.26 72.26 Inches + 1.5 Inches = 73.8 Inches Therefore your flat layout for material required to make a 23" ID X 96" Length cylinder would be a flat plate 73.8" X 96" As you can see we come up with two dimensions that are very close whether we use inside diameter or outside diameter dimensions. To convert from inside to outside diameter add 2 times the thickness of material. To convert from outside to inside diameter subtract 2 times the thickness of material.

Custom Angles
Angles are almost always specified by their outside dimensions. For example if you measure the outside dimension a 1" X 1" Angle, then it will measure 1" X 1". Inside dimensions are determined by the thickness of the material. For example, if the 1" X 1" angle is 1/4" thick, then the inside dimension would be 3/4" X 3/4". If it were 1/8" thick material, then the inside dimension would be 7/8" X 7/8". With this being said, we can figure our inside dimension of an angle leg by taking the outside dimension and subtracting the thickness of the metal. This is important when determining the size of material needed to make custom angles. EXAMPLE: Flat Layout for Custom Formed Angles L6" X 6" X 1/4" thick X 96" Length Carbon Steel Angle

Outside Dimension of Angle - Material Thickness = Inside Dimension 6" - 1/4" = 5 3/4". In this example, both legs are the same length. So we add these two dimensions together to get our flat layout of material. 5 3/4" + 5 3/4" = 11 1/2" Therefore, we would require a piece of material 1/4" thick X 11 1/2" W X 96" L to form a L6" X 6" X 1/4" X 96" L Angle. When custom fabricating angles, it must be noted that minimum material required to form an angle is 8 times the thickness of material plus 1/8". For example, to form 1/4" material, 2 1/8" minimum width is required. This allows the material to reach the back of the brake die for forming. All information is based on the assumption that angles are 90 degrees.

Custom Channels

The same principles apply to channels that apply to angles with one exception: subtract 2 times the thickness of the material for the web of the channel. EXAMPLE: Flat Layout for Custom Fabricated Channel 1/4" Thick Carbon Steel Channel X 3" OD Leg X 6" OD Web X 3" OD Leg X 48" L Inside Dimensions are determined by the following: 3"-1/4" (material thickness) = 2 3/4" Inside Dimension X 2 legs = 5 1/2" 6"-1/2"(2Xmaterial thickness)= 5 1/2" Inside Dimension web 5 1/2" + 5 1/2" = 11" Flat Layout Flat Layout would then be 11" X 48" to form a channel 1/4" thick X 3" OD Leg X 6" OD Web X 3" OD Leg X 48" L. These principles also apply to metal fabrications that have multiple breaks. All information is based on the assumption that angles are 90 degrees.

Metal Cones
When determining material requirements for metal cones, Eldred uses the latest software to calculate and program material requirements. However, certain elements are required to determine the flat layout of the material needed. The following illustration demonstrates the minimum factors needed for calculating cone material layouts.

Small Diameter: Either Inside or Outside Dimensions

Large Diameter: Either Inside or Outside Dimensions

These are the minimum factors needed to determine material layout for metal cones.