Introduction

Reversibility, in this context, means without need for additional tools or processes.

Dividing

Nonreversible

Cutting has been at the core of manufacturing throughout history. For metals many methods are used and can be grouped by the physical phenomenon used. It is the process of producing a work piece by removing unwanted material from a block of metal, in the form of chips.

Every method has its limitations in accuracy, cost, and effect on the material. For example, heat may damage the quality of heat treated alloys, and laser cutting is less suitable for highly reflective materials such as aluminum. Laser cutting sheet metal produces flat parts and etches and engraves parts from complex or simple designs. It is used over other cutting options for its quick process and customizable abilities.

• Chip forming (material removal processes): sawing, drilling, milling, turning, machining, tapping
• Shearing: punching, stamping, scissoring, blanking, tearing, cutting, scoring
• Abrasive material removal: grinding, lapping, polishing, water jet cutting, sharpening
• Heat: flame cutting, plasma cutting, laser cutting, smelting
• Electrochemical: electrical discharge machining (EDM), electrochemical machining (ECM), photoresist etching

Reversible

• bolting, screwing, latching, buttoning, snapping, wrapping, plugging, pinning, clipping

Joining

Nonreversible

These transformations modify the component materials in ways which cannot be reversed without at least one additional process step and / or materials.

• Bonding: glueing, welding, brazing, melting, alloying
• Deformation: nailing, riveting, stapling, crimping
• Encasement: coating, painting, potting, shrink wrapping
• Lithographic: screen printing, photopolymer printing, intaglio printing, relief printing

Reversible

• bolting, soldering, taping, screwing, latching, wrapping, binding, snapping, buttoning, pinning, wire wrapping, plugging, clipping, zippering, tying, press fitting

Forming

Nonreversible

• bending, embossing, peening, shaping, drawing, forging, roll forming, press forming

Reversible

Dimensional

Locality preserving

• 2D -> 1D: space filling curves like the Hilbert curve
• Cartesian -> Polar:
• Cartesian -> Hyperbolic:

References

• Wikipedia: Cutting
• Wikipedia: Category: Joining
• Wikipedia: Fasteners: Types
• Wikipedia: Boolean operation
• Wikipedia: Boolean operations on polygons
• Wikipedia: CORDIC