SistematikWork
Home / Manufacturing / How Metal Spinning Works

How Metal Spinning Works

Metal Spinning: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.

Sheet formingFamily
+/-0.3mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
38Parts in finder

Metal spinning forms a rotating disc over a mandrel with a roller or tool, flowing the metal into an axially symmetric shape.

At a glance

When to use it, and when not

Best for

Cones, domes, bells and dished heads at low to medium volume with low tooling cost.

Watch for

Round shapes only; finish and repeatability depend on the operator or CNC path.

Step by step

The typical route

Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.

  1. Blank

    Cut the circular blank.
    Tooling -   Tolerance -   Lead -

  2. Spin

    Spin the blank over a mandrel to the profile.
    Tooling Mandrel   Tolerance -   Lead -

  3. Trim

    Trim the rim and any excess.
    Tooling -   Tolerance -   Lead -

  4. Anneal/finish

    Anneal hard-spun steps, then finish.
    Tooling -   Tolerance -   Lead -

  5. Inspect

    Check profile and wall thickness.
    Tooling -   Tolerance -   Lead -
Precision

Tolerances it can hold

TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
+/-0.3mm typicalcoarsefine+/-1mm+/-0.1mm+/-0.01mm+/-0.005mm
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials

Materials it suits

GradeWhy it suits this
Aluminium 1100/3003Spins easily
Stainless 304Corrosion, strong
Copper/brassDecorative, thermal
Design

Design tips

A few general pointers for Metal Spinning. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.

  • Sharp reentrant profile. Use spinnable gentle curves.
  • Uniform thickness assumed. Allow for thinning.
Cost

What it costs

Axisymmetric parts (cones, dishes, nozzles); low tooling, great for low-to-mid volume round shells.

PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
one-offat volumeVolume per order, low to highCost per part
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$46 to 130 per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER

Everything you need to quote and source it

The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:

  • Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
  • Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
  • A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
  • The full DFM list and a ready-to-send RFQ draft
Go Pro, every part, from $15/moOr unlock one part for $2

One part is $2, once. Pro is every part, plus the tracker, compare and sync. Cancel anytime.

Examples

Parts made by Metal Spinning

38 parts in the finder use Metal Spinning as their primary process. A sample, each with its own guide:

chalicedomehorn belllamp reflectorlampshademetal dishmetal funnelmixing vesselnose conespun bowlspun hemispherespun nozzlespun wheeltandoortank endtank headtrophy cupwok spun
BEYOND MANUFACTURING

41 verified industrial-engineering tools

SistematikWork is a whole IE platform. Past the free finder, there are 41 ready Excel calculators, templates and CAD guides, each built from real coursework and checked against known values.

Manufacturing & OperationsQuality & ReliabilitySupply ChainProject & StatisticsEngineering Career
Browse all 41 toolsGet the complete toolkit
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is a part made by Metal Spinning?
Metal spinning forms a rotating disc over a mandrel with a roller or tool, flowing the metal into an axially symmetric shape. The typical route is: Blank; Spin; Trim; Anneal/finish; Inspect. Cones, domes, bells and dished heads at low to medium volume with low tooling cost.
What does Metal Spinning cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $46 to 130 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Metal Spinning hold?
Typically about +/-0.3 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Metal Spinning?
Common choices are Aluminium 1100/3003 (Spins easily); Stainless 304 (Corrosion, strong); Copper/brass (Decorative, thermal).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part

The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.

Open the finderSee Pro