History Of Metal Fabrication Any time that one form of metal is manipulated or changed into another form, it is called "fabrication." Metal fabrication is primarily used in industry, jewelry arts and crafts, and technological areas. It is a generally accepted belief that metal was discovered before people began to write and was first used to make tools and weapons such as arrowheads. Metal fabrication processes and techniques are also scientifically referred to as metallurgy. History 1. Ancient tools and artifacts found in caves suggest that metal was first fabricated for use in functional items, rather than for ornamental decorative purposes. There is a controversy as to whether or not gold was the first metal to be discovered, or rather a form of iron, perhaps in a meteorite. Gold is a soft metal and not the most common metal to be found on earth. It is known for its beauty, sparkling color and patina but not for its strength in making basic tools or weapons. Gold can be marred, bent by hand or marked by biting with teeth. The first use for gold was primarily jewelry decoration.
Significance 2. Metals are used in a variety of products in modern times. Reliance on the processes and abilities used to change the form of metals that are extracted from the ground into usable items is extremely important to society. Iron and steel are used in the manufacture of automobiles, electrical appliances, and electronics. Gold is used as a conductor of electricity in electronic circuitry, as well as for ornamentation. Silver is primarily used in electronics. People rely heavily on metal products in every day life. According to JewelryCentral.com, the fabrication of metals to create jewelry has been performed since prehistoric times.
Misconceptions 3. It is a common misconception that metals are synthetically produced. Metals come from the earth in the form of ores and are natural resources in limited supply. The notion that metal supply is endless is another common misconception. Metal prices fluctuate daily on the commodities markets. Many people think that Teflon is a form of metal. Teflon is actually a synthetic chemically created polymer used to coat many metals. Alchemy and metal fabrication are not the same thing. Theories/Speculation 4. In the future, perhaps people will be able to synthetically produce new types of metals by combining new technologies with existing chemical compounds. Since ancient times, alchemists have been trying to synthetically create gold by combining tin and iron. They have yet to succeed. Benefits 5. Metal fabrication is beneficial in producing and providing products that people rely on in everyday life. Fabricating synthetically produced and combined "new" metal substances could advance science, medicine and other areas. Metal products are both practical and useful as items of decoration and adornment.