Sheet Metal Workers

Sheet metal did not become important in many products until the development of mills and processes that form various kinds of metal into thin, strong, flat sheets and strips. The processes for making sheet metal have undergone a long series of improvements in the 20th century. As the methods were refined and made more economical, new uses for sheet metal were developed, and making sheet metal products became a well-established skilled craft field. Today, sheet metal workers are concerned with cutting, shaping, soldering, riveting, and other processes to fabricate, install, and maintain a wide range of articles. Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems for all kinds of buildings—residential, commercial, and industrial—provide the most important source of employment for sheet metal workers.