Sheet Metal Fabrication
we are able to perform large volumes in a short time. We quickly and inexpensively carry out work on cutting and fabrication sheet metal in China. Our equipment allows you to cut sheet metal up to 5 mm thick and bend at any angle with a bend length of up to 1000 mm.
Start A Sheet Metal Project
MOQ
1 Pcs
Fatest Delivery
3 Days
Shipping
WorldWide
Unique Designs
6000 +
Type of Sheet Metal Bending
The use of high-quality equipment and strict adherence to technology make the procedure simple and fast. Before fabrication, the metal sheet is checked for defects, and only after that a product of high quality is created.
V-shaped
The upper part of the workpiece is compressed, and the lower part is adjacent to the walls of the mechanism and stretched
U-shaped
The program is almost identical to V-Shape, the difference is only in the number of processing steps;
Multi-angle
Allows you to form complex shapes, while to create a structure, you can use both one element and several;
Radius
Allows you to get a smooth bend, used to create loops, clamps, and so on.
Steps of Sheet Metal Production
1. Cutting
Designing and developing a CAD model（This might be the most important step to be done on the CNC milling machines.）
2. Bending
Once the model is made, it is coded to develop a CNC program, the machine can further work on the design Program.
3. Welding
Sheet metal welding is a plurality of parts together, or a single part edge seam welding, to increase its strength.
4. Surface Finish
After the sheet metal parts are processed, they need to be surface-treated to protect the workpiece and enhance its appearance and working life.
What is Sheet Metal Fabrication?
Sheet metal fabrication is an umbrella term for many of the processing methods used to transform flat and thin sheets of metal into a quality end use part. Sheet metal refers to thin sheets of metal stock that are no more than 0.25 inches thick.
The process starts with a cad file – a digital copy of the final design intended for the part. Depending on the manufacturing process, sheet metal can be cut on a laser cutting machine that uses pre-programmed instructions to guide the cutting tool path. Alternatively, parts are made using one or more laser cutting, milling, shaping, bending, punching, cutting, or stamping processes.
Sheet metal parts can have simple or complex geometries. Affordability, scalability and a wide choice of materials make sheet metal fabrication popular in several industries. It is widely used in the manufacture of housings, brackets and chassis for parts.
All Processes of the Sheet Metal Fabrication
The manufacturing method usually depends on the size of the part, the complexity of the design, and the type of finish. We offer the most popular metal fabrication operations covering cutting, forming and joining processes.
Laser cutting
Laser cutting speed, high quality, dimension accuracy of parts up to ±0.05mm. With smooth surface, surface roughness is only dozens of microns, no mechanical processing, parts can be used directly.
Plasma cutting
Plasma cutting machine does not need to preheat the workpiece, melting speed, cutting surface smooth, not easy to cause workpiece deformation; When cutting the workpiece with thickness less than 40mm, both quality and speed have obvious advantages.
Water cutting
Water cutting can be arbitrarily carved workpiece, and is little affected by the texture of the material. Because of its low cost, easy operation, and high yield, water cutting is gradually becoming the mainstream of industrial cutting technology.
Bending
Bending is the final step in forming sheet metal parts. They can fold the sheet metal into the desired shape. Through the bending machine knife and the next knife on the sheet metal cold pressure deformation, get the required shape of the process called bending.
Welding
Welding requirements are neat and uniform, firm and reliable. The traditional welding process has been replaced by laser welding, because of the rapid development of laser technology; laser welding is faster, higher efficiency, small deformation, low labor cost.
Design Considerations for Sheet Metal Services
Wall thickness
The wall thickness of a sheet metal fabrication part is an important design consideration that will depend on the application and the material being used.
For sheet metal fabrication, the thickness of the sheet metal typically ranges from 0.005 inches to 0.25 inches (0.13mm to 6.35mm).
Bending radius
When designing parts for sheet metal fabrication, it is important to consider the minimum bend radius for the material being used. If the bend radius is too small, the material may crack or deform, which can compromise the strength and durability of the part.
Hole size
The size of the hole you need to make depends on the specific application and the material being used. In general, the hole diameter should be no less than the thickness of the material to avoid distortion or cracking.
Hole spacing
The spacing between holes is also important, as it can affect the overall strength and stability of the sheet metal. In general, the distance between holes should be at least two times the diameter of the hole.
Tolerance
When drilling holes in sheet metal, it’s important to maintain a tight tolerance to ensure the holes are uniform in size and spacing. A tolerance of +/- 0.005 inches is generally recommended for most applications. More Detail
Hole shape
The shape of the hole can also impact the strength and durability of the sheet metal. Round holes are the most common, but other shapes like square or rectangular holes can be used for specific applications.
Materials for Sheet Metal Services
Aluminum
Stainless Steel
Mild Steel
Copper
5052
304
Mild steel 1008
C110
5754
316
Mild steel 1018
C102（T2）
6061
316L
Mild steel 1020
C103（T1）
410
Mild steel 1025
416L
Mild steel 1045（#45）
430
Galvanized Steel
440
Tolerance for Sheet Metal Services
Dimension Types
Tolerance
Edge to edge, single surface
+/- 0.005 inch
Edge to hole, single surface
+/- 0.005 inch
Hole to hole, single surface
+/- 0.005 inch
Bend to edge / hole, single surface
+/- 0.010 inch
Edge to feature, multiple surface
+/- 0.030 inch
Over formed part, multiple surface
+/- 0.030 inch
Bend angle
+/- 1°
Advantages of Sheet Metal Fabrication
Strength / Weight ratio
Sheet metal parts made of steel, aluminum and copper have an excellent strength to weight ratio. This makes them ideal for applications where high strength and lightweight are vital.
Scalability
Sheet metal fabrication can make quality parts independent of volume. With sheet metal fabrication, you can expect the same quality on ten parts to match one thousand. This is great for rapid prototyping and small scale production.
Availability
Sheet metal parts allow the production of high volume end pieces at a lower unit cost. it is a more efficient solution for producing quality end parts.
Durability
Sheet metal produces high-strength metal parts and is well suited for both functional prototypes and end-use manufacturing.
End use product quality
Sheet metal parts are durable for direct use of components and as part of other parts. Most sheet metal parts can be used directly for end-use product after painting or electroplating.
Customized finish
Sheet metal parts can be painted, anodized, electroplated and finished in several ways to decorate and improve your parts functionality.
Sheet Metal Fabrication FAQs
A: Sheet metal fabrication is the process of creating parts, components and structures out of sheet metal.
Sheet metal fabrication involves cutting, forming, welding, painting and finishing of the material to create an end product that is both attractive and durable.
A: It can be used to create furniture, industrial machinery, automotive and aerospace structures, medical equipment and more. Sheet metal fabrication is often used in cases where the size and shape of the product need to be exact so it works perfectly with the rest of the system. It is also great for creating complex parts with intricate details, such as cooling fans and housings.
A: The cost of sheet metal fabrication depends on the complexity and size of the project. Generally speaking, larger projects that require more intricate details will cost more than smaller, simpler projects. Additionally, there can be additional costs associated with painting and finishing processes. It’s best to consult a professional to get an accurate estimate for your specific project.
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Sheet Metal Fabrication Resources
Sheet Metal Fabrication 101: everything you need to know
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