The metal trade has many facets. The classic steel substructure with welded constructions is just as much a part of it as the production of visible sheet metal cladding and design elements such as handrails or displays for the presentation of goods. At the same time, industries such as mechanical engineering and transportation are placing increasing value on visually attractive enclosures, which are also supplied by metal craftsmen. The sheet metal and profiles preconfigured for such purposes often have sharp edges that need to be machined. But what methods are there for this and which are most suitable? Do stationary or mobile systems generally have the advantage?

There is no general answer to this question, explains Philipp Herwerth, Head of Sales Power Tools Germany at Trumpf: "Stationary systems have advantages if companies process a large number of recurring components that are not too large. Then the high purchase and operating costs sometimes pay off." If the sheets and profiles vary greatly, the number of pieces is small or the components are very large, the stationary solution is less practical and often not economical.

This is when mobile solutions come into their own. They are flexible and can be used on the construction site as well as in the workshop. But here, too, the question arises as to which technical principle is the right process for which user: Routing, shaping or sanding - i.e. edge router, edge shaper or angle grinder?

Decisive question: How often are edges produced?
The first thing for the user to consider is how often edges are processed and what purpose they should fulfill. "If the demands on the quality of the edges are extremely low and only one or two meters of edge need to be produced every few days, an angle grinder may be sufficient because it is often already available and inexpensive to purchase," says sheet metal expert Herwerth.

"However, company bosses must be aware that they are exposing their employees to a health risk that should not be underestimated due to the large amount of dust, flying sparks and the rapidly rotating discs." Putting on the necessary protective equipment also costs valuable working time, and the work result can vary greatly in terms of uniformity and angular accuracy. The same applies to the working speed, which usually varies greatly depending on the edge length and material. In addition, the service life of the grinding wheels is short. "This is not an option for metalworkers who regularly produce edges," Herwerth states. "For them, edge milling cutters or edge shapers are the main option."

Edge shapers for welding edges
Whether an edge trimmer or edge shaper is the right choice depends primarily on the purpose of the edge. While edge trimmers are considered all-rounders that impress with the best surface quality and are suitable for almost any application, edge formers such as the TruTool TKF series from Trumpf have one particular strength: they produce perfect welded edges with a very good price-performance ratio.

The tools work according to the so-called impact steel principle, i.e. they eject material at a predetermined angle in a uniform cycle. No dust, vapors or gases are produced during this process. The heat development is so low that structural changes in the metal are ruled out.

Whether straight sheet edges or inner contours, large or small workpieces, even pipes can be easily processed. One work step with the TKF is enough to produce oxide-free and bright metallic surfaces. In this way, users obtain optimum welding edges that form the basis for highly durable joints. The wear costs are low.