Compound curve

nounStandard termMetallurgy

A three-dimensional surface that curves in multiple directions, requiring metal to be stretched or shrunk.

A three-dimensional surface that curves in more than one direction simultaneously, such as a bowl, a dome, or a sphere. Forming flat sheet metal into this shape requires operations that stretch or shrink the material, rather than just bending it along a single axis.

Heard on the job

You can't just run this panel through the brake press, it's a compound curve that needs the English wheel.