SheetMetal
Parts in as fast as 5 days. Laser cutting, CNC punching, and brake forming in steel, stainless, and aluminum, domestic and overseas.
Engineer reviewed quote
Want to learn more? Read on.
Engineering Review
8-Point DFM Review
Every sheet metal project goes through a manufacturability review before the flat pattern is cut. Bend geometry, hole placement, and hardware fit sorted out upfront, not on the brake.
Bend Radius
Inside radius held to at least material thickness so bends form without cracking or thinning.
Bend Relief
Relief cuts added at flange edges so the brake doesn't tear or distort the adjacent material.
Hole-to-Bend Distance
Holes kept clear of the bend zone, minimum 2.5x thickness plus radius, so they don't deform when formed.
Hole-to-Edge Distance
Edge margins set to at least 2x thickness so holes stay round and edges stay flat.
Minimum Flange Length
Flanges kept long enough to seat in the brake, roughly 4x thickness plus radius.
K-Factor & Bend Allowance
Flat pattern developed from the actual K-factor for the material and tooling so formed dimensions land on print.
Material & Thickness
Gauge and alloy matched to strength, corrosion, and forming needs before the flat is cut.
Hardware & Inserts
PEM nuts, standoffs, and studs specced for the gauge so pull-out and torque targets hold.
Fabrication Processes
Most parts touch two or three of these before they ship. We route the whole part through one shop so the cut, the form, and the finish all answer to the same traveler.
Laser Cutting
Fiber lasers cut clean flat blanks from thin gauge up to plate. Tight kerf, no tooling cost, quick turns on revisions.
Punching & Stamping
CNC turret punching for high-volume flats and repeat features. Hard tooling for stamped brackets when the volume justifies it.
Brake Forming
Press brakes form flanges, hems, and complex multi-bend parts. Flat patterns developed from the real K-factor so bends land on print.
Welding & Hardware
TIG, MIG, and spot welding for weldments and enclosures. PEM nuts, standoffs, and studs pressed in for fastening that holds.
Sheet Metal Materials
The alloy sets the strength, corrosion behavior, and formability of the part before the first bend. Bring the environment and the load case; we'll land on the gauge and grade that hold up without overbuilding the part. Common materials below.
01. Cold Rolled Steel
The workhorse for brackets and enclosures. Clean surface, easy to form and weld, cost-effective. Needs a finish to fight corrosion.
02. Stainless 304 / 316
Corrosion resistance without coating. 304 for general use, 316 when chlorides or marine exposure are in play. Tougher to form, worth it for the environment.
03. Aluminum 5052
The go-to forming grade. Excellent bend behavior, corrosion resistant, light. Ideal for chassis, panels, and enclosures that get bent a lot.
04. Aluminum 6061
Higher strength aluminum for structural parts. Forms less readily than 5052 but machines and welds well when the part carries load.
05. Galvanized Steel
Zinc-coated steel with built-in corrosion protection. Good for outdoor and utility parts where a painted finish isn't required.
06. Copper & Brass
Conductive and cosmetic. Used for bus bars, grounding straps, and decorative panels. Soft, forms easily, polishes bright.
07. Spring Steel
High-carbon steel for clips, retainers, and parts that flex and return. Heat treated for the temper the application needs.
08. Pre-Plated Steel
Zinc or nickel plating applied before fabrication for parts where post-plating isn't practical. Keeps cut and formed edges protected.
Finishing
Coatings & Insertion
Finish is part of the quote, not an afterthought. We handle it in-network so the part ships ready to install.
Powder Coat & Wet Paint
Durable color and corrosion protection in a full RAL range, with masking for grounds and threads.
Plating & Passivation
Zinc, nickel, chromate, and stainless passivation for corrosion and conductivity.
Anodizing
Type II and hardcoat on aluminum for wear resistance and cosmetic color.
Hardware Insertion
PEM nuts, standoffs, and studs pressed to gauge for pull-out and torque targets.
Silk Screen & Overlays
Legends, logos, and graphic overlays applied to panels and faceplates.
Deburr & Finish
Edge break, graining, and bead blast so parts are safe to handle and ready to coat.
Deep Dive
FAQs
No minimum. We cut single prototypes through production runs of tens of thousands. Setup and programming cost comes down per-part on larger batches and repeat orders.
Cold rolled and hot rolled steel, stainless 304 and 316, aluminum 5052 and 6061, galvanized steel, copper, brass, and spring steel. Gauges from 0.020" up to 0.250". Material sourced to ASTM specs with certs on request.
Standard is ±0.010" on cut features and ±0.5° on bend angles. Tighter is possible on critical dimensions with the right tooling and fixturing. Flat patterns are developed from the actual K-factor so formed dimensions land on print.
Fiber laser cutting, CNC turret punching, press brake forming, stamping, hardware insertion (PEM), TIG and MIG welding, spot welding, and deburring. Multiple processes on one part are routed through a single traveler.
Powder coating, wet paint, anodizing, chromate/passivation, zinc and nickel plating, silk screen, and graphic overlays. Finish and masking requirements are reviewed during DFM.
STEP (.stp) and SolidWorks native for 3D, DXF for flat patterns, and 2D drawings in PDF for tolerances, bend, hardware, and finish callouts. STEP is preferred; a flat DXF speeds up quoting.
As fast as 5 days for straightforward brackets and panels in common gauges. Standard is 7–12 business days depending on forming complexity, hardware, finishing, and quantity. Expedited options available.
ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified. CMM and first-article inspection available. FAI reports, material certs, and certificates of conformance provided on request. Export-controlled programs route US-only through ITAR-registered facilities in our domestic network.
