Metal Solutions

Processes

American Trim has a wide variability of capabilities to transform metal to fit your needs. We form diverse materials in multiple gauges. Let us be your total solutions provider.

 

Tooling and Engineering

Expertise

American Trim has a long history in the forming of metal and composite substrates. In fact, many of our capabilities extend beyond 50 years and many of our employees have tenure in excess of 20 years. Our tooling and engineering resources know forming and know how to deliver the quality you need at the best possible value.

Rapid Prototyping

Utilization of polymeric building blocks coupled with high speed machining centers provide a significantly reduced lead time of accurate metal prototypes and limited production quantity requirements. We utilize rapid prototyping for development trials, embossing, gauge fixtures, and disposable form tooling surfaces.

Manufacturability

The Tool and Design group takes great care to allow processing of very high quality finishes. Precise fit and finish along with complete control of graphic registration is critical to our manufacturing processes.

Advanced Metal Forms

Our advanced metal products include structural components as well as decorated aesthetic items. We have capabilities for light aluminum to heavy gauge steel forming material up .300” in complex shapes.

  • Large bed, high tonnage automated stamping presses — Learn More
  • Roll forming capabilities including heavy gauge — Learn More
  • Stainless steel fabrication — Learn More
  • Coil or blank fed presses
  • Progressive die stamping
  • Deep draw stamping
  • Stretch forming operations
Large bed, high tonnage automated stamping presses

Press sizes range from 3 to 1600 tons and bed sizes up to 156” x 84”. This breadth of sizes allows for efficient stamping of light gauge material and heavy gauge material up to .300”. American Trim has robotic and hand transfer systems along with automated and progressive transfer dies. To support your requirements, we complement our stamping operations with comprehensive secondary processes including welding, polishing, finishing, painting, and screen printing.

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Roll forming capabilities including heavy gauge

American Trim has multiple roll forming lines with 4-30 stands; capable of handling metal thickness from .005” to .250”; with spindle diameters from 1” to 3”. Presses incorporated into the roll form lines can have in-line pre-pierce operations. We also offer lock seam, lance and tab, glue, and in-line welding.

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Stainless steel fabrication

American Trim offers complete capabilities for engineering, forming and finishing stainless steel. Our welding services result in high quality welded and polished corners. Forming processes include stamping presses up to 1600 tons with bed sizes 156” x 84”, mechanical and brake press operations, and roll forming. Coating options include fingerprint resistant coatings, application of graphics, and selective protective tape to protect your product through assembly to the end consumer.

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Metal Decorating

Metal decorating creates the ultimate branding opportunity for your products. Our in-house coating development provides custom color matching in batch sizes from 1 quart to 300 gallons. We validate these coatings and processes at scale in our fully equipped analytical lab and plant environments.

  • Screen printing for precise images on aluminum, steel, polycarbonate, and other films to deliver crisp high quality products — Learn More
  • Conventional and UV curable base
  • Industrial and graphic design, die cutting, forming, polishing, brushing, painting
  • Selective finishes and textures
  • Embossing for 3D effects adding quality and depth
  • Laser etch provides crisp graphics and adds functionality by providing long lasting identification
Screen printing for precise images

American Trim provides a variety of finishes including metal and pearlescent effects and high chroma transparents combined with technical and organic patterns and full face or selective brush options. Custom matching and mill blending provide an unlimited palette of colors.

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Decorative and Functional Metal Coatings

American Trim offers many coating processes that provide durability, reliability, and are cost effective to improve your overall product.

  • Selective temporary protective maskant — precisely applied masking or tape providing a temporary protective coating that is removable after fabrication processes; specialty blends manufactured in a range of batch sizes — Learn More
  • E-coat — water based, environmentally safe with high material transfer efficiency supporting any metal substrate — Learn More
  • Powder coat — no porosity and high UV protection — Learn More
  • Porcelain enamel — high or low gloss finishes that withstand extreme temperature changes with long lasting chemical wear and scratch/abrasion resistance on steel or aluminum substrates — Learn More
  • Roll coat — accommodates high and low volume runs while providing a class “A” surface finish — Learn More
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E-coat — water based, environmentally safe with high material transfer efficiency supporting any metal substrate

American Trim offers one of the few integrated E-Coat and powder coat lines in the country. This integrated approach combines the value of E-Coat with the cosmetic durability and QUV protection in one efficient processing line capable of handling large format parts.

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Powder coat — no porosity and high UV protection

Powder coating provides a tough, chip resistant surface with UV protection perfect for parts exposed to extreme conditions.

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Porcelain enamel — high or low gloss finishes that withstand extreme temperature changes with long lasting chemical wear and scratch/abrasion resistance on steel or aluminum substrates

American Trim matches custom colors, reflectance, gloss and density per customer requirements. Porcelain enamel provides a fade and flame proof finish, and is abrasion, chemical, corrosion, and weather resistant. It is a nontoxic, mineral substance and free from VOCs.

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Roll coat — accommodates high and low volume runs while providing a class “A” surface finish

Roll coating metal before forming provides a smooth, uniform coat that retains its high quality finish through forming operations. American Trim’s finish options include semi-transparent, opaque, transparent, or metallic effects. The roll coating process has no overspray which reduces emissions.

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Assemblies and Integration

Multiple joining and assembly operations provide value-add services to reduce customers’ inventory.

Joining:

  • Robotic welding systems for stainless steel, high strength aluminum, and other substrates
  • Welding
  • Joining with adhesives, tapes, and specialty fasteners

Modular assembly with in-house manufactured and purchased components utilizing robotics systems:

    • Laser cutting
    • Glue joining
    • Pick and place
    • Injection molding – LEARN MORE

    • Electronics integration
    • Weldments
    • Assembly

Injection molding is perfect for parts with hidden edges that need high impact resistance.


  • Superior dent resistance
  • No additional assembly tooling required
  • Overall part sizes from 5” trim to 40”+ cross car trim
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