Sheet metal series is a series of products made of sheet metal (thickness usually between 0.5mm and 6mm, common materials include steel, aluminum, copper, etc.) as raw materials, processed through rolling, stamping, cutting and other processes, widely used in construction, automotive, electronics, home appliances and other fields. These products are highly malleable, lightweight, and cost-effective, and can be customized in size, shape and function according to demand, such as bending, stamping to form complex structures, or integrating welding, assembly, and other processes to meet specific use scenarios.
Types of Precision-Fabricated Sheet Metal Parts
Weldments Metal parts that have been joined together by welding are usually referred to as weldments. They can consist of any number of pieces, and the size can vary greatly depending on their intended use. When multiple weldments are joined together, often with additional parts like brackets or panels, they are called sheet metal assemblies.
Metal Assemblies This term has led to confusion for more than one person because an assembly can refer to a product, a process, or a service. For example, EVS Metal offers assembly and integration services, which means there is a department that specializes in assembling (as a process) metal parts and weldments into larger products. These larger products that have been assembled are often then called “assemblies” (or “an” assembly), meaning they are made up of a collection of smaller parts that have been joined together in any number of ways, including welding, fastening, riveting, or even gluing via the use of certain industrial adhesive materials. A metal assembly can refer to a huge range of assembled products. They are often made up of a combination of weldments that are joined together with single parts like brackets or panels, to create a finished item, including enclosures like server racks, cabinets, or carts.
Sheet Metal Brackets Brackets are an extremely useful type of sheet metal part. Brackets can be fabricated in nearly any size, depending on the project's requirements. Smaller brackets are used for products like enclosure shelves, while larger ones can be found in structural steel projects. Metal brackets also come in various shapes meant for specific purposes. Z-brackets, for instance, are generally used when mounting offset parallel surfaces within a metal enclosure. Gusset brackets, on the other hand, usually form a triangular shape, and are meant to supply additional strength and rigidity within a weldment or assembly. L-brackets are often used when it's necessary to mount a vertical component to a horizontal surface (or horizontal components to vertical surfaces, for that matter), and are helpful for mounting shelves within an enclosure. Other common bracket types include offset brackets (similar to Z-brackets) and u-brackets (used for mounting parallel surfaces together).
Metal Hinges Metal hinges allow for movement between two parts of a metal assembly or finished product by allowing the two parts or surfaces to rotate around a fixed axis point. The most common type of hinges makes it possible to open and close a door or lid, like those found on cabinets and boxes. A hinge can be fabricated out of both steel and aluminum, and the metal choice depends largely on the application. Aluminum is lighter, but not quite as strong as stainless steel; however, because it doesn't rust, it is a good choice for products that will get wet or are to be placed in humid locations. While steel can be used outside, it is not always the best choice for these projects. However, it is nearly always necessary to use steel for structural projects like bridges due to its strength, regardless of the environment.
Industrial Metal Supports Metal supports are used for many applications, but this label tends to refer to structural steel parts used in construction. These can include beams, poles, certain types of brackets, pipes, and tubes.
Commercial Metal Frames Metal frames are a type of weldment and/or assembly. They are available in a wide range of sizes and types, depending on their intended use. Metal frames can be fabricated from structural steel for construction projects or other industrial applications. However, smaller frames, like those for doorways, windows, shelving, or even assemblies like certain kinds of carts, are all part of the frame category as well, and can be manufactured using metals like stainless steel or aluminum.
Fabricated Metal Arms Metal arms can be manufactured from a combination of parts, weldments, or assemblies, depending on how complex they are. Fabricated arms include manipulating/manipulator arms, in vertical or horizontal orientations, with rocker or double-rocker suspensions. They can be powered by electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic systems. Other types of arms include those for various types of lighting, from large industrial lights and architectural styles to simpler desk lamps.
Fabricated Metal Lids and Covers Metal lids are exactly what they sound like — A cover that fits over another object to seal, secure, or close it. Garbage can lids, circular screw-top canister lids, metal fuse box covers, and metal cabinet doors are all types of lids.
8 Tips for Designing Precision Sheet Metal Parts
1. Design flanges long enough for the particular material thickness When a part requires sheet metal bending, it's critical to have enough material to reach across the press brake's v-shaped die, which is typically set to 5-8 times the material thickness. The die ultimately determines how short the flanges can be. A best practice is to multiply your material thickness by 8 and design flanges to be about half of that measurement to ensure the material reaches the other side.
2. Avoid designing features too close to bends The V-die also determines where features should be designed in a custom fabrication. If features are too close to the area being bent, they can become stretched or deformed during the bending process. To avoid this outcome, we recommend placing features outside the die by a considerable amount, 1.5x the thickness of the material plus the inside radius of the bend, to be exact. This calculation usually equates to 3-4x the thickness of the material when using 5- 8x material thickness for the die size. However, it will increase as the bend radius and die sizes increase.
3. Use readily available materials Check with your precision sheet metal fabrication partner to see which materials they currently have in stock. If you have some flexibility regarding the material you use, stick with one that's readily available to eliminate any sourcing challenges and get your part faster. At Ameritex, we have 304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel, 5052 aluminum, 6061 aluminum, A36 steel, 1008 carbon steel, and Grade 50 carbon steel in stock daily.
4. Draw your model as sheet metal When designing a sheet metal part, all features must be the same thickness since they come from a single piece of sheet metal. Drawing your model as sheet metal in the CAD software will ensure uniform thickness and bend reliefs as required to prevent the metal from deforming at the bend lines.
5. Radius of sharp corners Whenever possible, place a small radius on sharp points to get a cleaner-looking part. This minor change ensures a smoother laser cutting process by allowing the laser to change directions quickly and easily. In most cases, these tiny visual alterations can be made small enough to be nearly undetectable on the final product.
6. Be flexible about your bend radius If a particular bend radius is critical to the functionality of your custom fabrication, your precision sheet metal fabrication partner may need to invest in custom tools to achieve the specific punch and die combination. On the other hand, if you have some flexibility regarding your bend radius, they'll be able to get to work right away using the standard tools they already have.
7. Provide a drawing in addition to a model Models are important, but they aren't sufficient on their own. Precision sheet metal fabrication shops also need drawings with notes detailing hardware installation, tapped holes, counterbore depth, CNC machining needs, and other specifications. An annotated drawing serves as our go-to guide for building a custom fabrication accurately.
8. Leave room for tooling to bend the part Familiarize yourself with how a punch and die interact with a piece of sheet metal, and be sure to leave room for the tooling to bend your part.
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