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Metal forming and welding glossary - M
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Machinability
The relative ease of machining a metal.
Machining
This is the group of processes in which a shape is generated by removing
unwanted material. Machining can be used to make a component from stock
material but more often it is used as a secondary process to impart
a shape or a level of precision to a manufactured component that cannot
be achieved otherwise. Shape restrictions exist for some machining processes.
Mahogany stick
See spotting stick.
Malleability
The property that determines the ease of deforming a metal when the
metal is subjected to rolling
or hammering. The more malleable metals can be hammered or rolled into
thin sheet more easily
than others.
Mandrel
Usually a fixed tool on a slide
forming machine that metal formed against by the action of a glide
mounted form tool.
Manufacturability
The degree to which a product can be efficiently and accurately produced
using modem manufacturing methods. See prototype.
Map
A simplified detail print or sketch usually showing just the location
and sizes of holes in a detail or steel.
Marforming process
A rubber-pad
forming process developed to form wrinkle-free shrink flanges
and deep-drawn
shells. It differs from the Guerin process in that the sheet
metal blank is clamped
between the rubber pad and the blank
holder before forming
begins.
Marriage gap
Space between the trim edge of the inner panel and the inside of metal
of the outer panel flange
before hemming.
Martensitic stainless steel
Select group of 400 or 500 Series stainless steels that are magnetic
and hardenable by heat treating.

Masking
Temporary shielding of a portion of a product to selectively prevent
the application of a coating.
Master
Lower section of a die
on which the part nests. Also called a master plug, adapter,
boss, die
post, horn, locator,
and stool. Section of
die used to govern the form or contour of the mating die section. It
is usually male shape or inside metal. Also, a wood model or die aid.
Master adapter
Lower section of a die
on which the part nests.
Master die
Universal tool receptacle for holding changeable tool systems.
Master plug
Lower section of a die
on which the part nests.
Match
A condition in which a point in one die
half is aligned properly with the corresponding point in the opposite
die half within specified tolerance.
Material utilization
Extent to which optimal use of material is approached. The material
utilization is the mass-fraction of primary material entering the process
which remains in the final product. It is measured on a scale of 0-1.
Machining from solid leads to low material
utilization. Near net-shape processes allow a utilization approaching
1.
Mating flange area
Area of inner panel covered by flange
of outer panel.
Mating surface
Area of inner panel that is in contact with outer panel.
Matte finish
A dull or grit surface appearance achieved by rolling
on rolls which have been roughened by mechanical, chemical, or electrical
means to various degrees of surface texture.
Matte surface
A dull surface appearance on a tin
plate product; non-reflowed tinplate.
Maximum dimension
Units: mm (SI), inch (Imperial). The largest dimension of a component
which can be created by the process. In batch processes it is limited
by the capacity of the machine, but it can be increased by joining.
In cases where there is no defined limit, a cut-off of 10,000 mm has
been used. Continuous processes like rolling,
extrusion or wire-drawing
have no real upper limit on length so, instead, maximum width is stored.
Maximum elongation
It is the maximum engineering strain the material can take until fracture.
Also called fracture
strain. Shown as emax.
Master strength
The maximum stress (tensile, compressive, or shear) a material can
sustain without fracture; determined by dividing maximum load by the
original cross-sectional area of the specimen. Also known as nominal
strength or ultimate strength.
Measuring and inspection gauges
Precision-made mass production tooling used by semi-skilled factory
workers to test and/or check mass produced components for conformance
to engineering requirements and specifications, often to very high levels
of dimensional and/or form accuracy.
Mechanical assemblies
Part combinations attached by mechanical means through the use of hardware.
Mechanical fastener
Device clamping two or more components together by mechanical force,
such as rivets, screws, ere.
Mechanical press
A forging press with an inertia flywheel, a crank and clutch, or other
mechanical device to operate the ram.
Mechanical press brake
A press brake using a mechanical drive consisting of a motor, flywheel,
crankshaft, clutch, and eccentric to generate vertical motion.
Mechanical properties
Properties of a material that reveal the elastic and inelastic reaction
when force is applied, or that involve the relationship between stress
and strain such as the modulus of elasticity,
tensile strength, and fatigue limit. These properties are oftentimes
referred to as "physical properties".
Mechanical working
Plastic deformation
or other physical change to which metal is subjected, by rolling,
hammering, drawing,
etc. to change its shape, properties or structure.
Melting point
The temperature at which a metal begins to liquefy.
Melting rate
The weight or length of electrode melted in a unit of time.
Metal
The material subjected to an operation of a forming class type. An
elemental metal or alloy of metal mixture in a self-shape-sustaining
state (this excludes molten, gaseous, or powdered).
Metal arc weld
Metal melting and fusing process using a continuous metal consumable
electrode with an
inert gas around the electrode to shield against oxidation.
Metal arc welding
An arc welding process in which a metal electrode is held so that the heat of the arc
Metal clearance
The running clearance on bottom of press
stroke between flange
steels or male and female form steels.
Metal forming
Solid metal and molten metal process such as casting, forging, stamping
and machining.
Metal thinning
Thickness reduction during any forming operation.
Metalworking
See forming.
Metameric match
See conditional
match.
Micro ties
Thin bridges of metal which are left to hold parts in place during
turret punch fabrication.
Midget mill
See carburr.
MIG or MIG weld
MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas welding and is often referred to as
wire-feed welding. MIG welding is a commonly used high deposition rate
welding process. During the welding process, wire is continuously fed
from a spool. MIG welding is sometimes referred to as a semi-automatic
welding process.

Mill
A factory in which metals are hot worked, cold worked, or melted and
cast into standard shapes suitable for secondary fabrication
into commercial products. A production line, usually of four or more
stands, for hot or cold rolling metal into standard shapes such as bar,
rod, plate, sheet, or strip. A single machine for hot rolling, cold
rolling, or extruding
metal.
Mill edge
The edge of strip, sheet
or plate in the as-rolled state. It is unsheared.
Mill finish
A surface finish produced without being subjected to a special surface
treatment (other than a corrosion-preventive treatment) after the final
working or heat-treating step on sheet
and plate.
Mill product
Any commercial product of a mill.
Mill scale
The heavy oxide layer that forms during the hot fabrication or heat
treatment of metals.
Minimum corner radius
Units: mm (SI), inch (Imperial). The minimum radius of curvature at
a corner that can be created by the process. Casting, stamping
and molding impose limits on minimum corner radius.
Minnow bucket
See hone bucket.
Mixing chamber
That part of a welding or cutting torch in which the gases are mixed for combustion.
Model
Pre-production sample made with limited emphasis on tolerance
to test a design concept. Also referred to as a prototype.
Modified flat hem
Modified flat hem is believed
to create better reflection characteristics on the finished panel assembly.
Modulus
of elasticity
The number that represents the relative springiness of a given type
of metal. All steels have the same modulus of elasticity or springiness
regardless of the tensile or yield strengths. That is, until the yield
point is reached they all stretch the same amount for a given load.
Mold
A hollow form, matrix or cavity into which materials are placed to
produce goods of desired shapes.
Mold lines
Lines in a drawing
connecting the inner radius and outer radius of a bend and showing the
extent of bend.
Mult
A "mult" is the term used to describe the slitting
of a coil into multiple
smaller strips. If a
coil is slit into strips less than 9", each strip is referred to
as a "mult" and does not receive an individual IPM number.
Mults are not removed from the line individually, but as a whole coil
unit.
Multiple die
A die used for producing
two or more identical parts at one press stroke.
Multiple level forming
A sequence of slide
forming operations at different elevations of the center tool.
Multiple-slide press
A press with individual
slides, built into the main slide or connected to individual eccentrics
on the main shaft, that can be adjusted to vary the length of stroke
and the timing. See also slide.
Multi-tooth cutter
See roughing cutter.

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