Glossary
Sheet Metal Worker Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential sheet metal worker terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key sheet metal worker vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in sheet metal worker training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Brake
- A machine that bends sheet metal.
- CFM
- Cubic feet per minute, a measure of airflow.
- Damper
- A device that controls airflow in a duct.
- Flashing
- Sheet metal that waterproofs joints on roofs and walls.
- Galvanized steel
- Steel coated with zinc to resist rust.
- Gauge
- A number that indicates sheet metal thickness; higher numbers are thinner.
- Hangers
- Supports that hold ductwork to the structure.
- Mastic
- A sealant that reduces duct air leakage.
- Pattern layout
- Drawing a flat pattern that forms a 3D fitting when bent.
- Pittsburgh lock
- A common seam used to join duct sections.
- Plenum
- A box or chamber that distributes air to ducts.
- S-and-drive
- Clips used to connect rectangular duct sections.
- Shop drawings
- Detailed drawings used to fabricate ductwork.
- TAB
- Testing, adjusting and balancing of air systems.
- Takeoff
- A fitting that branches air off a main duct.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Sheet Metal Worker practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Sheet Metal Worker training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.