What Is Sheet Metal Bending? Basics, Allowance, and Tips
The rise in the demand for custom-made products resulted in research that proved sheet metal to be a versatile material …
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The extremely high level of precision needed within the aerospace industry makes CNC machining a suitable manufacturing process for the sector.
This article provides you with a complete guide to aerospace machining and its importance.
Gain valuable insights into manufacturing processes.
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If you want to produce high-quality machined parts with a sleek appearance, it’s essential to consider some critical factors related to CNC machining.
Here, we’ve gathered some basic information and important considerations to help you achieve the desired results.
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Get a free quote for custom sheet metal prototypes and low-volume production parts. Precision quality with 3-day lead time.
Choose RapidDirect online sheet metal fabrication services for producing custom sheet metal parts from both intricate, low-volume prototypes and extensive, high-volume runs. You can choose a broad selection of materials and fabrication processes. Our domestic sheet metal fabricators and a team of knowledgeable engineers ensure that each part is manufactured to exact specifications and quality standards.
Laser cutting is a technology that directs a high-power laser to cut sheet metals, offering precision, fast processing, and the ability to create intricate designs with smooth finishes and tight tolerances.
Plasma cutting is a process that cuts through electrically conductive materials using an accelerated jet of hot plasma. Ideal for thick materials, it offers high speed, low cost, and efficiency for large-scale industrial metal fabrication.
Bending is a versatile sheet metal fabrication process that creates V-shape, U-shape, and channel shapes in materials, providing high precision and repeatability with minimal setup cost. Perfect for complex geometries.
View custom flat and formed sheet metal prototypes and production parts, from durable brackets to complicate panels, all produced with precision for diverse industry needs.
Visit our easy-to-use online quoting system. Access custom online sheet metal services from anywhere, submit designs, and place orders 24/7 without the need for physical visits to a manufacturing facility.
Optimize your project’s budget by fine-tuning the details of your order. Alter the quantities, and select suitable materials and finishes to incorporate sheet metal fabricating prices into your cost planning, ensuring a custom-fit solution at a competitive price.
Easily upload and refine your projects using our interactive annotation tools, ensuring your sheet metal designs are modified with precision. Our live chat feature provides instant access to expert engineers for guidance and clarity at every step.
Efficiently manage your sheet metal project with our all-in-one platform that merges quoting, ordering, real-time tracking, and streamlined communication, simplifying your workflow from start to finish.
Create a team within our platform to invite members, initiate new orders in shared files, and seamlessly share these for review or payment by finance personnel, synchronizing workflows and accelerating sheet metal processes.
RapidDirect delivers precise sheet metal prototyping and production, perfect for one-offs, small batch and high volume.
Accelerate your path from concept to market with our rapid prototyping. Shave weeks off your development cycle and solve design hurdles, ensuring a faster product launch with rapid metal fabrication.
Embrace cost savings with our low-volume production capabilities. Address the demand for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, while maintaining the quality of precision-engineered metal components.
Adapt quickly to changing market needs with our on-demand sheet metal production. Respond promptly to custom orders, ensuring seamless scalability and just-in-time delivery.
Our selection of sheet metal materials includes aluminum, brass, stainless steel, and copper, each enhancing the durability and aesthetics of your metal components.
Aluminum with its lightweight yet robust nature, offers enhanced durability without excess weight. Its superior malleability allows precise shaping, ideal for intricate designs.
AL5052
AL5083
AL6061
AL6063
Copper’s advantages are clear: unparalleled electrical conductivity, thermal efficiency, and natural resistance to corrosion, ensuring longevity and performance in fabrications.
CU1020
CU1100
CU2100
CU2200
CU2300
CU2400
CU2600
Opt for brass to ensure precise machining, a distinct appearance, and efficient heat conductivity, providing advantages for both practical and decorative applications.
C27400
C28000
With its robustness, versatility, and recyclability, steel is an excellent material choice, ensuring long-lasting performance and environmental sustainability.
Cold Rolled Steel Plate (SPCC)
Hot Rolled Steel Plate (SPHC)
Electrolytic Plate (SECC)
Galvanized Plate (SGCC)
Renowned for its durability and resistance to staining, stainless steel ensures longevity and maintains its appearance, even in harsh environments.
301
303
304
316
420
430
Select from our various sheet metal finishes to enhance corrosion resistance, durability, and visual appeal. For finishes not listed on our quote page, simply select ‘Other’ and specify your requirements for a customized solution.
Name | Materials | Color | Texture | Thickness | Link | |
Anodizing | Aluminum | Clear, black, grey, red, blue, gold. | Smooth, matte finish. | A thin layer: 5-20 µm Hard anodic oxide film: 60-200 µm |
Learn More>> | |
Bead Blasting |
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel | None | Matte | 0.3mm-6mm | Learn More>> | |
Powder Coating | Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel | Black, any RAL code or Pantone number | Gloss or semi-gloss | 5052 Aluminum 0.063″-0.500” 6061 Aluminum 0.063″-0.500” 7075 Aluminum 0.125”-0.250″ Mild Steel 0.048″-0.500” 4130 Chromoly Steel 0.050″-0.250” Stainless Steel 0.048″-0.500” |
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Electroplating | Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel | Varies | Smooth, glossy finish | 30-500 µin |
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Polishing |
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel |
N/A |
Glossy |
N/A | ||
Brushing |
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel | Varies | Satin | N/A | ||
Silkscreen Printing | Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel | Varies | N/A | < 1 µm |
/ |
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Passivation | Stainless Steel | None | Unchanged | 5μm – 25μm |
/ |
Check out the specific advantages of each sheet metal techniques and find the perfect match when you order custom metal fabrication parts.
Process | Techniques | Precision | Applications | Material Thickness (MT) | Lead Time |
Cutting |
Laser cutting, Plasma cutting |
+/- 0.1mm | Stock material cutting Cutting of external shapes Secondary cutting Cutting lines Cutting irregular holes |
6 mm (¼ inch) or less | 1-2 days |
Bending | Bending | Single bend: +/- 0.1mm Double bend: +/- 0.2mm More than two bends: +/- 0.3mm |
Forming, pressing lines, imprinting characters, riveting of electrostatic guide rails, pressing grounding symbols, hole punching, pressing flat, pressing triangular reinforcements, and more. | The smallest bend radius should be at least equal to the sheet thickness. | 1-2 days |
Welding | Tig Welding, MIG welding, MAG welding, CO2 welding | +/- 0.2mm | For aircraft fuselages and engine components. In car bodies, exhaust systems, and chassis. In creating components for power generation and distribution systems. | As low as 0.6 mm | 1-2 days |
Our sheet metal shops follow ISO 13485 tolerances to deliver consistent quality. For tolerances beyond these standards, detail your needs on the design schematics or reach out to our engineers.
Dimension Detail | Metric Units | Imperial Units |
Edge to edge, single surface |
+/- 0.127 mm | +/- 0.005 in. |
Edge to hole, single surface |
+/- 0.127 mm | +/- 0.005 in. |
Hole to hole, single surface |
+/- 0.127 mm | +/- 0.005 in. |
Bend to edge / hole, single surface |
+/- 0.254 mm | +/- 0.010 in. |
Edge to feature, multiple surface |
+/- 0.762 mm | +/- 0.030 in. |
Over formed part, multiple surface |
+/- 0.762 mm | +/- 0.030 in. |
Bend angle |
+/- 1° |
By default, sharp edges will be broken and deburred. For any critical edges that must be left sharp, please note and specify them in your drawing.
We connect you with domestic sheet metal supplier, from initial prototypes through to finished assemblies. After finalizing specifications, our skilled sheet metal fabricators convert your CAD designs into precise machine code. They expertly stretch, cut, and bend the thin metal sheets to create the desired shape, thickness, and envisioned use. We adhere to strict quality standards throughout the process, ensuring that welding, riveting, and fastening all converge to produce a final end-use product that meet your unique requirements.
With custom sheet metal, RapidDirect supports diverse industry requirements.
Get fast, transparent pricing with our online quotation system, streamlining your decision-making process and accelerating project initiation for your sheet metal needs.
We ensure your parts are flawless with ISO-certified quality, comprehensive reports, and rigorous inspections for dimensional accuracy and functionality, solving critical reliability concerns.
We guarantee lead times as fast as 3 days, leveraging infinite capacity and flexible shipping options. Accelerate your sheet metal projects, ensuring timely delivery and a competitive edge.
Overcome complex design challenges with RapidDirect's engineering experts. Our expertise ensures precise, innovative solutions, reducing your workload and elevating product quality.
Sheet metal fabrication, a key process in manufacturing, involves shaping thin metal sheets into metal components. Highly valued for precision and durability, this technique produces essential items such as enclosures, brackets, and chassis. Ideal for diverse industries, it ensures top-quality, reliable end-use products. Emphasizing its role in advanced engineering solutions, RapidDirect industrial sheet metal services excel in transforming metal into indispensable, high-performance parts.
Sheet metal fabrication is a perfect process for both prototype and large-scale production of metal components.
– Advanced technologies allow for high-precision cutting and forming, ensuring consistent quality.
– Metal components are robust and long-lasting, suitable for demanding environments.
– Efficient use of materials and the ability to scale production up or down makes it a cost-effective solution.
– Various finishing techniques, such as powder coating, provide aesthetic flexibility and additional protection.
Sheet metal’s adaptability shines in various applications, serving both high-volume and unique, low-volume needs. Commonly fabricated metal parts include:
– Electrical enclosures
– Computer electronics parts
– Sturdy chassis
– Precise brackets
– Durable cabinets
RapidDirect offers a comprehensive range of services including cutting, bending, punching, welding, and assembling. Our state-of-the-art machinery ensures precision and high-quality finishes for all projects.
Sheet metal fabrication tolerances refer to the acceptable deviations for features of sheet metal parts required for accurate and consistent installation and integration.
For sheet metal parts, ISO 2768-mk is usually used to ensure proper control of the elements of geometry and size. The following will show you 7 tolerance standards range of linear and angular dimensions, flatness & straightness, cylindricity, and circularity.
K factor is the sheet metal process is the ratio of neutral axis to material thickness. This value changes with respect to the various physical properties and thickness of materials used.
Every aspect of a sheet metal fabrication project comes with an associated cost — the design, possible prototype, finishing processes, and others. Asides from the process itself, materials also cost money. To learn some tips for reducing custom sheet metal fabrication costs, you can learn from this article.
RapidDirect accommodates both small and large production runs, from single prototypes to mass production, with no strict minimum order quantity.
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