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3 Tips To Optimize Sheet Metal Fabrication

March 21, 2022

Sheet metal fabrication is a fundamental part of many industries. It is extensively used in manufacturing chassis for the automotive industry, designing robust elevator interiors, making bulk storage units and much more. However, despite its widespread use, machine shops tend to make errors when it comes to fabrication. To avoid this, here are three useful tips to improve the sheet metal fabrication process. 

 

How to get the best results using sheet metal fabrication

 

Don't Alter Wall Thickness

A classic mistake that designers make is going for a design that has varying wall thickness. In most cases, it is unnecessary to have uneven wall thickness and can needlessly complicate the fabrication process, thereby shooting up the production cost. Alternatively, the designs can always be altered and optimized to ensure that the metal part has uniform thickness across all dimensions. 

 

Work With More Alterable Metals

While different metals are suited for different applications, it’s also important to keep their properties in mind, for each metal reacts differently to the various fabrication processes. For example, aluminum is extensively used in industries where lightweight machinery is required. However, the metal is particularly difficult to weld, which is an intrinsic part of any sheet metal fabrication project. Alternatively, small patches of stainless steel can be used to weld the parts easily without increasing the weight of the machine or the production cost. 

 

Use Nominal Tolerances

Unless absolutely necessary, try to avoid tolerances that are too tight, for they can be very challenging to manufacture. Generally, this is possible for custom fabrication and prototyping, but not ideal if you are looking to mass-produce the equipment. Hence, wherever possible, be more pragmatic with your tolerances, for offering leeway of even a millimetre or less can exponentially lower the cost of a particular project. 

 

Thus, by following these 3 tips, it’s easy to optimize the sheet metal fabrication process. 

 

Experts in custom and sheet metal fabrication services, Demtra Sheet Metal Industries Ltd. caters to medical, food processing, utility and even the film industry. To further learn about our services and pricing, contact us today.