2021 -

Merry Christmas all – Sheet metal work throughout 2021

Monday, December 20th, 2021

I just want to say a big thank you to all our staff, customers and suppliers during 2021 for your support. As we all know, not the easiest of times. We have made it through and certainly look forward to 2022. Let’s hope next year is a good one for all of us and we can build upon this year.

Portsmouth Hampshire sheet metal manufacturing

Sheet metal work produced in 2021

Sheet metal work manufactured in Southampton Hampshire

Tuesday, December 14th, 2021

Sheet metal work manufactured in Southampton

We have been manufacturing sheet metal work in the Southampton area since the 1980s. Using a wide range of sheet metal manufacturing plant, tooling and software to produce accurate and competitively priced work. As a sub-contract sheet metal working company we have to be able to turn our hand to all sorts of work. People may just want a few parts for a special project. Perhaps they need to base something new on an old part and wants an update. Regular batches of sheet metal work is a constant requirement from our customers.

It may be 25 / 50 / 100 or up to several 1000 parts at a time.

Whether it might be stainless steel brackets for the installation of children’s playground equipment. Pumping system drip trays. Electronics equipment aluminium housings. Galvanised steel clamping brackets for fencing systems. Audio equipment rack front panels. Light fitting reflectors. You name it and we have probably made it.

If you are looking for sheet metal manufactured in Southampton please give us a call. If you have drawings then please email to sales@vandf.co.uk. We will be happy to provide you with quotes to suit your designs and volumes.

Sheet metal work produced in 2021 by V and F Sheet Metal

Thursday, December 9th, 2021

Sheet metal work produced in 2021

The range of sheet metal work produced in 2021 by V and F Sheet Metal in astonishing. From the smallest clip or clamping bracket to fully assembled enclosures. Be it aluminium, steels or stainless we can cut it, fold it and weld it. We have produced parts predominantly for the lighting, heating, audio and electronics industries. But we have also produce sheet metal work for companies involved in diverse projects such as children’s playgrounds equipment, filtration assemblies, LED display signs, ground spikes, decking and fencing brackets. You name it and we will turn our hand to it.

Using our Radan CAD/CAM software to develop 3D models and program our laser and CNC punch presses we can support your design team. We can feed back our observations on your design in 2D and 3D formats to help you refine your ideas ready for manufacturing.

We have thousands of examples of sheet metal work. Many which have been produced in 2021 – take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

If you have drawings ready to go please send them to us at sales@vandf.co.uk. Our team will be happy to help you with price options. Or if you just want to chat through your ideas we love to talk sheet metal work, 01489 577786.

Laser cutting sheet metal work in November 2021

Tuesday, November 30th, 2021

Laser cutting sheet metal

During November 2021 we have been busy laser cutting sheet metal. Some components are simply laser cut and that’s it. Our customers may only need a flat part such as a front panel for a rack mounted electronics chassis. They may only need a flat part because they are going to machine cut outs for special projects or perhaps they have the ability to fold up part in their own workshop. Most of the time we use the laser to cut blanks that will go on and be folded. Sometimes welded and then treated or finished in some way.

Laser cutting sheet metal produces very little edge burr and is very efficient when it comes to material yield. Laser cut parts are accurate. Complex internal and external shapes are easily produced with no need for special tooling.

The example shown here is our Trumpf 3030 in full production mode. I managed to catch the sparks flying from the initial laser hole piercing. Most of the laser cutting is clean as far less exciting! Some lines of parts have tipped where they lie between the slats on the bed of the machine. They have been programmed to have a small uncut tag. This little piece of material keeps the part held in the sheet and stops it flipping up. A simple twist once the parts are cut and it’s free from the sheet.

Need a quote for laser cutting sheet metal? Send us your drawings and we will be happy to help.

CNC punching sheet metal in November 2021 by V and F Sheet Metal

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021

CNC punching sheet metal

Punching sheet metal with a CNC punch press is a very versatile process. It can produce parts at great speed. Simple circular holes, rectangles, squares and special shapes. CNC punching can also be used to form sheet metal into shapes such as ventilation louvres, stand off dimples, plunge bosses etc. There are also options to tap threads and form simple small bends all in the same machine cycle on the punch press.

The example show here is a simple aluminium plate with a couple of CSK formed holes. The parts took 5 seconds each to produce including the formed CSK. These parts are typical of the work we often produce on our Trumpf CNC punch presses.

CNC punching sheet metal – CSK

With many years of tooling on the shelf we have the ability to tackle the majority of parts we make with no new tooling. This keeps the costs down for new projects. If your volumes are not huge then laser cutting can be an interesting alternative. As we have both CNC punching and laser cutting in house we can normally sort your parts without the need for new tooling.

For a lot more examples of CNC punching sheet metal take a look a tour Pinterest Boards.

We are always happy tp take a look at your drawings and produce price options for the most effective production method.

Bending sheet metal work in November 2021 with CNC press brakes

Wednesday, November 17th, 2021

Laser cut blanks ready for bending

Bending sheet metal, a quick look at the options we can offer.

Tacking either guillotines blanks, CNC punched components or laser cut parts as a good starting point. Accurate blanks are essential to enable us to produce accurately folded parts. The flat pattern cut sizes are worked out in conjunction with skilled shop floor staff using many years of experience. Experience in the right bend tooling and allowances to take into account when folding metal and corner notches if boxes. This is fed into the programing team with 3D and 3D CAD. The final tooled flat blank is then ready to be CNC punched or laser cut.

CNC bending sheet metal work

Here you can see a batch of 600 straps laser cut from 3mm mild steel. The parts have been edge deburred on all outer profile edges. They are stacked ready for bending. When bending sheet metal we have a range of machines and tooling that we can apply to a job. In this case we are using our Edwards Pearson 60 ton CNC press brake with a special top tool. The tool was made just for this job. Often we will be bending sheet metal with standard top and bottom V block tooling. The tooling is common to both our Safan e-Brake 3M long CNC press brake and our three 1M long Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. The ability to transfer jobs from machine to machine offers great flexibility when it comes to production.

If you have a sheet metal job that need folding up please contact us on 01489 57776. Or if you prefer please send your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk

Sheet metal laser cutting near me in Hampshire UK

Wednesday, November 10th, 2021

Sheet metal laser cutting near me

Sheet metal laser cutting near me, well if you are based in Hampshire then we are near you. Not a problem if you are further afield as we can ship over night. We also have vans running around the south coast, we may even be delivering to companies near you already. We tend to specialise on laser cutting thinner gauges. Up to 6mm think for mild steel an stainless steel. 3mm for aluminium alloys. We can also CNC punch in house which offers a great option to laser cutting. It also enables us to offer hybrid parts. Perhaps laser cut complex shapes and then CNC punch ventilation louvres of formed dimples.

Where parts are thicker than perhaps we feel comfortable processing in house we can connect with other laser cutters for you. This way we can offer a range of parts placing them with the best manufacturer to suit your needs.

For hundreds of examples of sheet metal laser cutting, take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

Already know what you want to have laser cut? Perfect, we will take your drawings and work out cut sizes. How many we can laser cut from a given sheet of metal and of course most importantly. Your price options. Give us a call and we are ready to help.

Sheet metal manufacturing in Southampton Hampshire

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021

CNC bending - Manufacturing in Southampton

CNC bending using modern press brakes

V and F Sheet Metal have been manufacturing in Southampton for over 35 years. A family firm who have invested over many years in CNC sheet metal manufacturing equipment. Sheet metal CAD/CAM software and tooling.

If you are based in the Southampton area and are looking for sheet metal work, give us a try. The images her shown us working on a wide range of projects. Folding aluminium channels on a small CNC press brake. Folding mild steel housings on our 3M long CNC press brake. TiG welding aluminium boxes. CNC punching zintec brackets and laser cutting stainless steel handles.

Laser cutting 2mm mild steel – sparks generated from piercing holes

Whether you call is manufacturing, production, fabrication, engineering etc. It’s still the process of taking raw materials and transforming them. Manufacturing can be laser cutting complex shapes from mild steel. Perhaps to be used as the starting point (a blank) for a wall fixing bracket. It could be CNC punching aluminium strips that will be rolled and welded together to make rings. Again, manufacturing might be folding and then welding stainless steel pump housings for the pharmaceutical industry. They all take materials and process the in some way.

If you are looking for manufacturing in Southampton and surrounding areas whether it’s just a new part or many thousands we can help. We often work on batches of 25, 50 or many hundreds. Call offs and special projects can also be catered for. With a long history of working in partnership with other suppliers we can offer the complete manufacturing service.

Folding up of components – Manufacturing in Southampton

Perhaps you have a manufacturing project that needs sheet metal work but more than just that. You might have machining requirements, for instance milling and turning. Maybe you need parts or assemblies to be painted, powder coated or silk screened. Treatments such as zinc plating or Iridite NCP dipping. We can manage the whole project to give you a finished manufactured solution.

TiG welding aluminium housings

Using the latest CAD/CAM manufacturing software we become part of your team. Taking your ideas, drawings and 3D models. We can clean up details and test out ideas ready for manufacturing before cutting any materials. If you wish we can feed back updated 3D models and 2D drawings or flat blanks to help your design function.

Trumpf 200 CNC punch press producing zintec sheet metal blanks

Manufacturing in Southampton we are ideally placed to delivery same day from Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex. As well as Wiltshire and Surrey. Further afield is no problem with overnight parcel and pallet services all over the UK.

If you have a design project that needs sheet metal manufacturing please let us know. Our team are always happy to chat and help refine your designs. If you want some price options please e-mail your drawings and we will be happy to do some calculations for you. File formats that we are happy to work with include PDF, SAT, STEP, DXF and DWG.

Sheet metal enclosure manufacturers based in the UK

Wednesday, October 27th, 2021

CNC punching and CNC bending

Sheet metal enclosure manufactures based in Hampshire, UK. V and F sheet Metal have been manufacturing a wide range of enclosure components and assemblies. Enclosures used in the electronics, lighting, heating and audio industries. We have been manufacturing sheet metal enclosures for over 30 years. Using many different ferrous and non-ferrous sheet metals.

V and F Sheet Metal stand out amongst enclosure manufacturers with such a wide range of experience in different industries. Being subcontract sheet metal workers enables us to learn from one industrial sector and apply those ideas to another. A form tool we develop to help us produce a curved section for an air conditioning unit may be just what’s needed for a lighting reflector. We always have our eye on ways to save money when we review our customer’s designs.

aluminium sheet metal fabrications

Working with our customers to save them time and money. Flexibly batch sizes to suit production needs. Alternative material suggestions to save on treatment and finishing costs. We have a vast collection of CNC punching and CNC bending tools. Most standard cut outs can be catered for. We also have a laser cutting facility in house so even if you come up with a really tricky design we will still be ready to help you.

Want to see more past sheet metal enclosure projects? Take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

If you are looking to review a range of enclosure manufacturers, V and F Sheet Metal should certainly be investigated.

Please send your drawings (STEP, SAT, DXF, DWG or PDF) to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will be happy to help you.

Sheet metal product manufacturing to your designs in the UK

Tuesday, October 19th, 2021

Laser cut and CNC folded sheet metal brackets – Sheet Metal Products

Sheet metal products can take so many forms. We pride ourselves on turning our hand to most ideas our customers present of with. Sometimes it’s a fully detailed CAD model with dimensioned drawings. With these sheet metal products we just have to read them into our system and worry about the CAM. Whether it’s selecting the correct punch press tooling, laser gas and refining the cut size to suit available bend tooling.

If a sheet metal product is slightly less well formed, perhaps a design sketch or a sample which is being used as a starting point we can still help. We may create our own 3D software model to double check the fit of parts. Our document the product with a dimensioned drawing for both customer and supplier to use as a master document.

In either case we review the sheet metal product design to be sure it’s suitable for manufacturing. Where we can clean up designs to speed up production and save money we will be glad to help you.

CNC punched and CNC folded sheet metal brackets – Sheet Metal Products

If a customer has a sheet metal product that lends itself to a certain set of manufacturing processes then we will simply follow the design. If however the part for instance could be CNC punched or laser cut we will investigate bother processes to offer the most suitable and cost effective production method. Perhaps a sheet metal product has a curved shape. Should we roll the curve, form the curve with a custom tool or simulate the curve with a series of small bends created on a CNC press brake. We will offer options as best fits the design and customer’s expectations.

For hundreds of examples of past sheet metal product projects please take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

What’s next?

If you have a sheet metal product that needs manufacturing give us a call. If it’s just a few parts, many hundreds or thousands. We will take a look and see what process will best suit.

CNC punching sheet metal hinges in mild steel brackets

Wednesday, October 13th, 2021

CNC punching hinges

CNC punch presses have been used to produce sheet metal blanks for many decades now. Punching in holes at speed is their strength. Circles, squares, rectangles as well as special shapes are meat and drink for CNC punch presses. They are also a great tool when it comes to producing forms in the third dimension. Whether it’s down forming dimples, extrusions with tapped threads or stamping letters, number of symbols they are at home. Up forming ventilation louvres, small folds, earth tags and hinges.

Taking a walk around our workshop I saw these sheet metal hinges being formed on our Trumpf 200 CNC punch press. They show perfectly the flexible nature of manufacturing sheet metal components with a CNC punch press.

CNC punched mild steel hinges

Building in the male and female forms of the hinge to either side of a bracket is a neat design idea. It not only looks cleaner than welding / spot-welding but it’s a lot cheaper to produce.

Two tools are used to form the loop up and then form over I nth sheet. All the material around the hinge form is CNC punched out first and then in this case the complete set of parts were dropped down the machine’s part chute. This speeded up the removal of finished parts and removed the need to tag into the sheet.

Sheet metal hinges built into components

Sheet metal components with inbuilt hinges

With both our CNC punch presses and laser machine supported by Radan sheet metal CAD/CAM software we are able to pick the right method of manufacturing to suit your bespoke design.

To view other CNC punched projects it’s well worth having a look at gallery pages http://www.vandf.co.uk/gallery/

Alternatively we have hundreds of CNC punched projects on our Pinterest Boards.

Simply send us your drawings and we will be happy to produce quotes for your next project.

Custom sheet metal fabrications manufactured in England

Monday, October 4th, 2021

Bespoke sheet metal fabrications

Custom sheet metal fabrications are being produced by V and F Sheet Metal every week of the year. From the smallest spot welded earth clip to fabricated enclosures. Using a wide range of materials to satisfy our customer’s needs. TiG, MiG and spot welding techniques are used to assemble different parts together to make finished fabricated assemblies.

The custom sheet metal fabrications show in these images are typical. One is manufactured from mild steel and the other from aluminium sheet metal. The mild steel fabricated assembly is manufactured from 3mm mild steel that has been CNC punched, edge de-burred, CNC folded. The wrapped around ends have been MiG welded along with an additional strengthening piece. The final custom sheet metal fabrications were hot dip galvanised for corrosion resistance.

M8 hank bushes

The aluminium fabricated assembly was made from laser cut components, edge de-burred, CNC folded with bushes and studs inserted where needed. The component parts were TiG welded together and then cleaned of smooth before powder coating.

For more example of custom sheet metal fabrications it’s well worth a visit to our Pinterest Boards.

So if you have manufacturing projects that include custom sheet metal fabrications we would love to hear from you. You can either call us on 01489 577786 for a chat or send your designs to sales@vandf.co.uk

Laser cutting custom mild steel panels in the UK

Monday, September 27th, 2021

Laser cut mild steel panels

Laser cutting custom designed panels is something we do every day. From helping customers with their designs, producing prototypes and production volumes we are here to help. These particular panels were laser cut from thin gauge mild steel sheet. Using pure nitrogen with our Trumpf fibre laser allows for fast and accurate blank cutting.

You can see from the images here that when laser cutting custom panels it’s easy to fill a full sheet of metal. Once a single panel has been programmed, which is a matter of a few minutes, the whole sheet can be filled with the part. The exact position and orientation of each panel is automatically calculated by the Radan laser cutting software.

Laser cut mild steel panels

Panels such as these can be produced without the need for post laser cutting edge de-burring. These particular panels were powder coated and then ready for shipping.

Laser cutting custom panels along with CNC punching is the main way we produce sheet metal blanks. Feeding these custom blanks into our CNC press brakes enables us to produce a wide range of sub-contract parts.

For a wide range of laser cut panels designs why not view our Pinterest Boards.

For more details on the services we can offer and a specific price for your custom panels please contact us on 01489 577786 for a chat. Our engineering team will be happy to help you. If you want to send CAD files then no problem. Please send DFXG, DXG, STEP, SAT or PDF files to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will do the rest.

Sheet metal sub-contract manufacturing and sheet metal production

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

Sheet metal brackets

Sheet metal sub-contract manufacturing is a very important service for so many businesses. Whether your business does not have the skills or require enough sheet metal production to justify your own department we are here to help you. It may be that you only occasionally require some sheet metal parts manufactured. Perhaps you only need 50 brackets twice a year. That’s no problem for us. We can CNC punch or laser cut just a few brackets from a small off cut of sheet metal. You may have a regular need for repeating parts for your production line. Again it’s something we can help with. Perhaps we can hold some in stock for you.

Sheet metal sub-contract manufacturers can also help with the design stages of your product development. Advising on material selection, treatments and the best design options to save money once in manufacturing.

Sheet metal brackets

Sheet metal sub-contract manufacturing can encompass a wide range of production techniques. Laser cutting is now very popular with the ability to cut complex shapes and put safe handling radius corners on products. CNC punching sheet metal hole patterns and 3D forms with special tooling. Along with CNC press brakes to fold up simple angle brackets right up to complex chassis work. Simply ask us and we will be happy to advise on the most suitable production technique to suit your designs.

For a quick review of recent sub-contract sheet metal projects please feel free to visit our Pinterest Boards.

Send us your CAD data or drawings and we will be happy to help.

Sheet metal manufacturers in the UK – sheet metal production

Tuesday, September 7th, 2021

Sheet metal manufacturers

Sheet metal manufacturers in the UK produce a wide range of sheet metal projects. Sub-contract manufacturers produce parts to any given design and are a great support to UK based companies who do not have the expertise or the volumes to justify their own manufacturing facility. V and F Sheet Metal are one of these sub-contract manufacturers. We have been producing sheet metal work since the 1980s in Hampshire.

Sheet metal manufacturers based in the UK

Whether your project is only small or many thousands of parts sheet metal manufacturers in the UK can help you out. Keeping things local not only reduced shipping costs and time but helps to support the whole engineering supply chain. Materials are purchased in the UK, treatments and finishes sourced in the UK. You also have the ability to deal in your own time zone and visit if you need to.

Sheet metal manufactured enclosures

Using a wide range of sheet metal manufacturing techniques we cover most of the sheet metal parts UK companies need. Whether it’s produced by laser cutting, CNC punching or CNC bending we have the facilities to help you today. Simply ask us to take a look at your drawings and we will be happy to produce a quotation for you.

For a much larger range of work produced by sheet metal manufacturers in the UK take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

Sheet metal fabricators in Southampton – ask for a quote today

Wednesday, September 1st, 2021

Laser cutting stainless steel

Sheet metal fabricators work with a wide range of materials. The types of material fabricated split into 2 camps, ferrous and non-ferrous. So that’s materials that are iron based and those that are iron fee. The types of materials can include simple mild steel along with treated steels such as Zintec and galvanised steel. More exotic stainless steels such as 304, 316, 403 and 3CR12 can be worked. They come in standard (2B) mild finish, bright annealed or grained finishes. Aluminium alloys such as 1050A and 5251 are often stocked.

More unusual materials such as tin plate, spring stainless, copper, brass and lighting reflector materials and be used to fabricate components. For exact details of the correct materials to specify in your design and the thicknesses available it’s always worth a chat first to be sure your design can be fabricated.

Aluminium sheet metal brackets

Sheet metal fabricators use a diverse range of fabrication equipment. Whether it’s laser cutting thin to thick ferrous and non-ferrous materials. CNC punching standard sheets. CNC folding simple to very complex sheet metal components and assemblies.

V and F Sheet Metal are sheet metal fabricators with over 35 years of experience manufacturing in the UK. We are happy to help point you in the right direction with design ideas. Guidance on material selection, the right options when it comes to sheet metal inserts and finishing / treatments. The design will always be yours we just help to speed you through the process.

Have a new design idea? Want to double check your current prices? Send use your ideas and we will be happy to quote.

Custom sheet metal work near me using CNC production techniques

Tuesday, August 24th, 2021

Laser cutting mild steel brackets

You have designed a new component and you need it manufacturing. You want it made from sheet metal but are not sure which processes to select. Should it be laser cut, should it be CNC punched and how do you know what sort of folding will be needed? No problem, at V and F Sheet Metal we cover all the custom sheet metal work techniques. We can select the right production method to fit your custom design. The right method for your order volume and the materials you might be interested in.

Whether its thick gauges of steel or thin spring stainless. Copper sheet, light fitting reflector materials or brushed stainless steel we have the right CNC machines to cope. With custom sheet metal work it’s all about picking the right production technique to suit your design. Lots of complex shapes, connector cut outs or a detailed outer profile and we will probably go for laser cutting. A large number of simple shape holes such are circles or rectangles and its likely to be CNC punching.

cnc punching circular discs

Thicker materials tend to be laser cut. Custom sheet metal work needing forms such as ventilation louvres, pressed dimples, plunges sheet with tapped threads and you are definitely requiring CNC punch presses. Luckily we have both areas covered in house.

When it comes to folding custom sheet metal work we have a range of machines. We can fold sheet metal profiles up to 3M long and right down to just a few mm across. CNC press brake tooling investment over many years enables us to produce the vast majority of folded sheet metal work without the need for new tooling.

Bending sheet metal work

What should I do now?

For more custom sheet metal work examples please take a look at our Pinterest Boards for design ideas.

The most important thing for you to know is that whatever custom sheet metal work project you design you have a partner in V and F who can support you. Simply send us your drawings, 3D models, sketches and we will be happy to produce a range of quotes for you.

Bespoke sheet metal components manufacturers in the UK

Wednesday, August 18th, 2021

Bespoke sheet metal components

Bespoke sheet metal components manufacturers

V and F Sheet Metal having been producing bespoke sheet metal components since the 1980s. Now using a wide range on CNC manufacturing equipment. Laser cutting with a Trumpf 3KW fibre laser, perfect for very fast cutting of thin gauge ferrous and non-ferrous materials. It can also laser cut much thicker materials when needed.

CNC punching with 2 Trumpf punch presses. A wide range of standard and special tools collected over the years help to reduce tooling costs on new projects. Fast production of holes in standard sheet metal materials along with formed dimples, plunges, tapped thread features, electrical knock outs, you name it we can probably make it on these CNC punch presses.

All blanks are taken to our CNC press brakes when folding is needed. From small machines up to our 3M Safan e-Brake CNC press brake. Common CNC press brake tooling across the range adds flexibility when it comes to production and sampling bespoke sheet metal components.

For a much wider view of custom sheet metal components manufactured in the UK why not take a look at our Pinterest pages.

Using the latest CAD/CAM software to read 2D and 3D drawing we can quickly produce prices for your bespoke parts and the volumes that you need.

Mild Steel Brackets

Thursday, August 12th, 2021

Mild Steel Brackets

Mild steel brackets can be used in so many applications today. We have been manufacturing them since the 1980s. Using mild steel as well as other sheet metal materials from 0.7mm to 4mm thick. Whether it’s laser cutting or CNC punching and then CNC bending we have all the tools and experience to produce a wide range of brackets. Volumes can ranges from just a few for a special project or many thousands.

Here’s just a small range of recent sheet metal projects that we have produced needing mild steel brackets:

Securing LED displays in libraries
Fixings fibre optic lighting in a gallery
Mounting flood lighting around a castle
Clamping brackets to hold down pump sets
Lamp holder brackets in fibre optic lighting
19” rack mounting ears
Securing gear trays in street lighting
Children’s playground equipment
Fixing signage on golf courses
Mounting air curtains over shop door ways

I think you can see from the list above that we support many different industries when it comes to manufacturing mild steel brackets.

If you want to see some of the stages required to manufacture a humble sheet metal bracket we have a page worth reading.

For more examples of sheet metal brackets please take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

All the sheet metal brackets that we produce are bespoke to our customers designs. All you need to do is send us your drawings and we will do the rest. Drawings can be sketches but it helps to speed up the process if they can be in a CAD format. DXF, DWG, STEP and PDF are more than acceptable.

Give us a try today and we will be happy to quote for our next mild steel bracket project.

Aluminium plates manufactured from sheet metal by V and F Sheet Metal

Wednesday, August 4th, 2021

Aluminium plates made to measure

Aluminium plates can come in so many different shapes, sizes and thicknesses. From tiny delicate components to 6mm thick support plates. These aluminium plates have been CNC punched from 5mm 5251 aluminium alloy. They were CNC punched on our Trumpf 200 and sent straight down machine chute into a collecting bin. No edge de-burring was needed on these parts. The final operation not yet seen at this stage is a single fold. The fold was carried out using one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes.

The aluminium plates are used to support aluminium walk way decking systems.

Batch sizes vary as well as the plate sizes. We produce a range of standard plates from 100 to 2000 off. Special projects are also manufactured with a wide range of sizes and volumes.

With the simplest of drawing or sketch from you we can quote and manufacture your plate design. Our team are always happy to help you out with design help. The right material selection and a range of prices for different volumes is not a problem for us. Again, if you need to investigate different plate finishes such as anodising, NCP iridite treatment or powder coating we can include that in the quote. Through a network of tried and tested supplies we can offer an aluminium plate manufacturing one stop shop.

Drawing formats include DXF, DWG, STEP and SAT files. If you don’t have a drawing, that’s not a problem as we will produce one from a simple sketch.

For more examples of laser cut and CNC punched alumiunium plates you really need to visit our Pinterest Boards.

Mild steel bespoke sheet metal fabrications manufactured in the UK

Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

mild steel sheet metal fabrications

Mild steel is such a flexible sheet metal material. It’s been used over several centuries as the basis of so many components and fabricated assemblies. We have been manufacturing bespoke mild steel fabrications for over 35 years. We predominately manufacture components from mild steel material from 0.5mm to 3.0mm thick. The sheet comes in 3 standard sizes; 2M x 1M, 2.5M x 1.25M and 3.0M x 1.5M. It’s also possible to have bespoke sheet sizes de-coiled to suit if there are reasonable volumes. From these sheets we can cut a wide range of component shapes and sizes.

If a component is either rectangular or square as a flat blank it is possible to just guillotine the part from sheet. However if the component has a more complex outer profile or has internal holes then this process isn’t the best way to go. We would then either laser cut or CNC punch the components. These processes not only enable us to produce more complex shapes but at the same time cut holes. These holes could take the form of circular holes, windows, slots, corner notches, radius forms etc. The flexibility of laser cutting is CNC punching are great tools to have and we have both in house.

That produces us a flat blank (pattern) but this is just the starting point. If the component had a 3D form such as the guard covers show here we need to go further. We need to fold up the mild steel sheet. We have a range of sheet metal bending machines know as CNC press brakes. They can be programmed to produce different bend lengths and angles and are perfect for sub-contract sheet metal work.

For more examples of mild steel sheet metal work a great place to check out is our Pinterest Boards.

After folding these covers they were TiG welded and cleaned off nice and smooth. As you know you cannot just leave mild steel untreated as it will eventually go rusty. These components were then powder coated by the customer. For more information on mild steel components and the production processes we apply please give us a call. Alternatively, you can always send us drawings and we will be happy to quote for your next mild steel bespoke sheet metal fabrications.

Precision sheet metal brackets manufactured in the UK to your designs

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

Precision sheet metal brackets

When you are looking for a manufacturer of precision sheet metal brackets several factors come into play. Not just the manufacturing ability to physically make the brackets although this is clearly important. You may need support throughout the whole process. That support could take the form of design assistance. It could be multiple drops from a larger batch / kanban. It might be treatment and finishes for the complete one stop shop. If we can help you we will.

As far as the production of precision sheet metal brackets is concerned we have all the right equipment. Whether it’s laser cutting mild steel sheet metal as shown in the photo here. CNC punching aluminium with a wide range on standard CNC punch press tooling. Folding complex shapes using a range of CNC press brakes. Again, with a large selection of bend tooling to produce most parts without the need for special tooling. All aimed at keeping the cost down on new sheet metal projects.

If you want precision sheet metal brackets another important factory is communication. When you are selecting a new sub-contract sheet metal worker you need to be sure than can read your drawings. We have the ability to open DXF, DWG, STEP and SAT CAD files. Obviously we can also read PDF files if you prefer that format. Sketches and samples can also be used as a starting point for manufacturing.

Ask us for a quote today and we will be happy to help you.

Bespoke sheet metal fabrications manufactured in the UK

Tuesday, April 27th, 2021

Bespoke sheet metal fabrications

People need bespoke sheet metal fabrications when they cannot purchase a standard component. We can all search the internet for standard sheet metal boxes, brackets, rack equipment etc. Sometimes these products will be perfect for our needs. Other times with a small amount of machining they can be made to work. There will however be times when try as hard as you may you cannot find the right product. This is when you will need the support of a company like V and F Sheet Metal. You design your bespoke components and we manufacture them for you. It’s as simple as that, in theory.

In practice there can be a few stages to go through but we will support you along the way.

You will obviously have some idea of the part you need to fulfil a role in your design. You can communicate that idea to us in a range of ways. It may simple be a sketch with a few dimensions. Perhaps a photo of a similar part you want to base your new bespoke sheet metal design on. Or you may even have a sample that you can send to us to reverse engineer.

Of course if you have a CAD file or even a 3D model that’s a great start.

Bespoke sheet metal fabrications

Once we have your data, in whatever form it takes we can get down to helping you realise your ideas. This initially takes the form of a quotation to manufacture. Perhaps you will want several prices for different quantities so you can see the perfect breakeven point for your design. You may want options on different materials of finishes. This is no problem and we can build these options in at the quoting stage. This is the point where we take a good look at your design with our experience and suggest options to save money. Once you move forward to an order we can start CNC programming.

The manufacturing of bespoke sheet metal can take many forms. Be it CNC punching or laser cutting to start producing the initial sheet metal blank. CNC bending to form up shapes such as those shown here. Rolling, welding and a host of other manufacturing techniques can be employed to produce that individual part for you.

If you have that sheet metal component that cannot be purchased as a standard part ask us to help you out. Our engineering team are here ready to help you.

Precision sheet metal fabrications manufactured to your designs

Tuesday, April 20th, 2021

Precision sheet metal fabrications

Precision sheet metal fabrications can be used in so many different ways.

It may be sheet metal components manufactured for an electronics housing. Precision cut outs for cable connector to snap into place. Perhaps precision lighting reflectors to focus the light from a high performance lamp. Precision sheet metal copper plates for electrical bus bars. When there are many components brought together to form an assembly there will be need for precision in the cutting and folding of the individual parts.

Precision sheet metal fabrications

With these particular images we have custom components being formed on one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. The shapes formed are a combination of CNC bends, CNC curve multi-bends and using curved form tooling. All these precision sheet metal techniques have produced complex shapes without the need for special tooling.

The initial calculations to produce the profile were not easy. 3D CAD/CAM was used to produce a developed blank. This was then experimented and refines. Several iterations later we had the correct blank size for laser cutting and CNC bend programs that worked in production. Having a laser cutting machine is idea with a profile such as this. We can easily cut precision templates to check the shape during a product batch.

Precision sheet metal fabrications

For lots of ideas on sheet metal designs it’s always worth looking at past projects. Our Pinterest boards are a great starting point.

If you have a precision sheet metal fabrication project that needs manufacturing and you have a set of drawings, feel free to send them over to us. We will be happy to work through them and put prices on your volumes breaks for manufacturing as well as suggest any changes that could save you money. Please use sales@vandf.co.uk or call us if you want a chat.

Custom sheet metal workers manufacturing in the UK

Thursday, April 8th, 2021

Custom sheet metal work

Custom sheet metal work can encompass so many different products. From the smallest clip just a few mm across to folded sections up to 3M long. As we deal with approximately 75 different customers every month custom sheet metal really does include many different parts. We would normally say that thinner gauges best suit us when we are manufacturing sheet metal components. Traditionally we have worked up to 3mm thick sheet in ferrous and non-ferrous materials. With a laser cutter we can go thicker than that and work up to 6mm on occasions. It really depends on the size of the component and the tolerances required by the customer.

So, let’s take a look at these custom sheet metal projects in more detail. The only thing these parts have in common is that they were all being manufactured in April 2021. In fact I saw them all on the same day as I walked around our factory. I never tire of seeing sheet metal components being manufactured no matter what the batch size of design. It’s always a good starting point for a sheet metal blog post.

Custom sheet metal work

We have here parts that have both been created by laser cutting and CNC punching. Both services are offered in house and supported by Trumpf service engineers and Radan CAD/CAM software. If a customer had no particular preference for laser cutting or CNC punching we will select the best method to suit the custom part.

It may be that the custom sheet metal part really suits laser cutting, perhaps it has a complex outer profile or a unique cut out shape. New tooling isn’t always practical if there are only small volumes. In that case the way to go is certainly laser cutting. The thickness of the part may also decide which way to go. When parts have added features such as formed dimples, tapped threads or ventilation louvres then it’s obviously going to be CNC punching. We will often produce a quote both ways to see which comes out the cheapest. The advantage for you is that we can take the best path to cheap parts without compromising the quality of the parts.

Custom sheet metal work

For examples of other customer sheet metal work produced by us over the years take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

The parts I have chosen to illustrate here just happen to be made from mild steel, galvanised steel and stainless steel. They could just as well have been brass, copper or aluminium. They have all been folded up on one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. Having a number of CNC press brakes to call upon enables us to be flexible when it comes to dealing with urgent jobs.

So when I say custom sheet metal work cab be varied I really mean every part is different. That’s the challenge of sub-contract sheet metal work. Every customer has their own ideas and we are here to support them where we can. If you have a custom sheet metal job and need some advice on manufacturing or price options for different volumes, give us a call. Better still, if you have drawings e-mail us at sales@vandf.co.uk and our team will be happy to help you.

Sheet metal housing fabrications manufactured in the UK

Tuesday, March 30th, 2021

Sheet metal housing fabrications come in all shapes and sizes. Here we have 3 different parts that will all go together to make a welded sheet metal housing. All parts have been laser cut and CNC punched before we start CNC bending. The design is all our customers own work but with our input. We helped refine bend sizes to suit standard tooling. Advised on the best methods to join the separate parts together and provided samples to test out ideas.

Sheet metal folded housings produced in the UK

These particular sheet metal housing fabrications were made one batch of 200 parts. Some were produced in groups from the same sheets of metal to save materials. All folded on our Safan e-Brake CNC press brake and then TiG stitch welded together. The final operation after post weld cleaning up was to get them powder coated.

Folded sheet metal parts

We manufacture these parts in on batch and then complete the final welding and powder coating in smaller batches to help our customer. Feeding in regular drops of work to their production schedule.

Want to see hundreds of examples of sheet metal projects? Take a look at our Pinterest Boards for ideas on your next design.

Sub-contract sheet metal enclosures

If you have a job coming up that is going to need sheet metal housing fabrications please ask our team for help. Quote price options, design advice and material selection. Simply e-mail your requirement as a PDF, STEP, SAT, DXF or DWG file. If you only have a sketch that’s fine too.

With over 35 years of experience at V&F Sheet Metal we are here as a supportive partner for your sheet metal needs.

Folding sheet metal housings using CNC press brakes in 2021

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021

When we are looking at folding sheet metal housings we first have to produce an accurate blank. Accuracy and consistency is what we are looking for. Whether we go down the route of CNC punching or CNC laser cutting the blanks need to be programmed correctly. These blanks are all programmed using our Radan CAD/CAM software.

Connecting 3D software models to developed blanks enables for quick calculations. When run in conjunction with fast setting CNC press brakes test pieces can easily be run. When needed we can then hop onto the laser machine with a test program, run a couple of parts and fold it up in minutes. This then helps to fine tune the production program and improve the process of folding up the sheet metal work.

Folding sheet metal housings in stainless steel

When we are folding sheet metal housings we have a range of CNC press brakes to call upon. Housings and brackets up to 1M long may well be folded on our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. Larger work can go on our Safan e-Brake 3M CNC press brake. Profiles for the heating, lighting, electronics, audio and display industries are regularly folded. With batch sizes from just a few parts to many thousands regularly produced with no issues.

Folding sheet metal housings by V and F Sheet Metal

Folding sheet metal housings whether it’s in aluminium, stainless steel or Zintec its not an issue when you have the right machines and tooling. The flexibility to go from job to job on the same folding machine and the same tooling just changing the program is great news for us. Offering up these machines as a sub-contract manufacturing service means we have to be nimble in running a large variety of jobs every day. One minute we will be folding sheet metal housings then its stainless steel support brackets or copper electrical connectors. You name it and we have folded it.

Folded aluminium trays

The images you see here were simply selected from a wide range on one day walking around our factory. If you are looking for a sheet metal company to help folding sheet metal housings please give us a try. Simple call us for a chat or e-mail your drawing requirements.

For more examples of sheet metal housings take a look at Pinterest Boards.

Our engineering team are here to help you.

Laser cutting galvanised steel sheet metal components

Thursday, March 18th, 2021

We are often laser cutting galvanised steel components for our UK customers. With our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser cutting machine it’s no problem cutting galvanised steel. Cutting from 0.5mm to 4mm thick is easy with pure nitrogen for a clean edge finish. The layout (nest) of the components being laser cut is automatically produced using Radan CAD/CAM software. The best fit of parts to any sheet size and the quickest laser cutting path are all taken care of by the software.

laser cutting galvanised steel

As a sub-contract sheet metal working company we are often cutting a wide range of materials including laser cutting galvanised steel. With a fibre laser cutting machine yellow metals such as copper and brass can also be cut. This enables us to offer a more comprehensive service to our customers. Brass display housings, brass light fitting parts, copper electrical connector panels being typical examples. Galvanised steel and Zintec are both forms of mild steel that are often requested for sheet metal designs.

There is virtually no edge deburring needed after laser cutting galvanised steel. If the parts are smaller such as those shown in the photo then they may be tagged into the parent sheet. This is simply a technique to prevent them tipping up during laser cutting and stopping the laser head. This small tag sometimes needs deburring off. On larger components, say over 150mm square, tagging is not normally needed further reducing post laser operations.

Off cuts of material (remnants) can be saved from production orders and used up of subsequent orders. This obviously keeps down the cost of components and is an easy for of recycling. All scrap, the middle of holes and sheet edges are collected and recycled back through the mills. Nothing is wasted.

Want to see more examples of sheet metal laser cutting, take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

Have a sheet metal job that you need producing? We will be happy to take a look and produce some price options for you. Send us your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will do the rest.

Looking for a sheet metal production company near me

Thursday, March 11th, 2021

Sheet metal production of mild steel brackets

On any one day I can view a wide range of sheet metal production from our factory. Having been a sub-contract sheet metal production company for over 35 years we have seen it all. Processing a wide range of material types and thicknesses is our strength. From thin spring stainless steel clips right up to thick aluminium plates and everything in between. Organising treatments and finishes for ferrous and non-ferrous materials. We can also help you with machined parts and silk screening. We always try and help our customers so they don’t have to shop around with so many suppliers. You may have an aluminium front panel that’s powder coated and silk screened, no problem. A mild steel chassis with tack welded sides and then zinc plated, no problem. A stainless steel angle bracket with machined countersunk slots, easy.

Sheet metal production of stainless steel trays

Sheet metal production of mild steel brackets

The photos you can see here are just typical of the variety of production we get involved with. They show mild steel brackets, stainless steel trays and mild steel welded fabrication assemblies. Volumes are 500 off, 25 off and 20 off. Again that’s just typical sheet metal production anywhere from just a few samples to many thousands can be handled here. With CNC punching, laser cutting and CNC bending all working together to produce accurate competitive sheet metal production.

Sheet metal welded fabrications

See something on our website that looks like a sheet metal product you need? Or alternatively on our Pinterest Boards. Give us a call and we will be more than happy to help support your production needs. If you already have drawings, all the better, send them to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will do the rest for you. Price break or material options investigated to produce the right price for you, ask for more details.

Multi bending curves in sheet metal using CNC press brakes

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021

Multi bending curved surfaces

Whenever we need to produce curves in sheet metal we have several methods to consider. The overall length of the profile, material type, thickness, radius and production volumes all play a part in this decision. With small components in relatively high volumes constructing a form tool may well be a sensible option. This type of tooling could be mounted in a CNC press brake, power press or if small in a fly press. It would be idea for small brackets with curved profiles.

If however the part had an even radius form, rolling the curve may be a better option. With a range of hand and power rollers in house we often roll curved shapes. Up to 1M wide and a range of materials and thicknesses up to 3mm can be processed. Rolling works best where a consistent radius is required, for instance a semi-circular band. If however a more complex multi-radius curve is required then multi bending is the perfect solution.

Multi bending sheet metal curves

Multi bending on CNC press brakes can be a very flexible manufacturing process. With the ability to create complex shapes with both concave and convex curves within the same piece of sheet metal, multi bending is the method of choice for larger and complex profiles. Being able to adjust CNC programs from batch to batch to suit different material spring back characteristics is perfect. Curves can be checked against laser cut templates to ensure their accuracy.

With no special tooling required multi bending can also be used as a quick way to try out shapes for prototype work before money is committed to expensive hard tooling. More images of curved sheet metal can be found on our Pinterest Boards.

The great thing about all these processes; forming, rolling and multi bending is that we can apply the right one to suit your design and volumes. With a copy of your drawing or CAD data we can explore the options for you and produce a range of prices to suit. Simply send us an enquiry and we will do the rest.

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