During the manufacturing process, profiles are composed of more or less complex contours cut from laminated plastics, aluminum alloys, or steel plates. In modern practice, the drawing room determines the shape and size required to load the sheet into larger workpieces and provides direction to the computer controlling the contour cutting machine. Then, this will cut out the shape from the standard size drawing. The cutting head can use a rotating tool similar to a spindle planer, or (in the case of steel plates) a welding torch that burns oxyacetylene or other oxygen.
