CNC bending and folding Archives -

Folding sheet metal brackets from mild steel laser cut blanks

Sunday, May 13th, 2018

Folding sheet metal brackets from mild steel laser cut blanks using our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes

So the best place to start when you want an accurate sheet metal component is an accurate blank. Using years of experience and the latest CAD/CAM software we are able to offer this with little fuss. Linking CNC programs to our CNC punching and laser cutting machines leads to efficient manufacturing. If you can start with an accurate blank it makes folding sheet metal brackets so much easier.

laser cut mild steel brackets

The best way to produce an accurate sheet metal blank is to use a laser cutter. We have the option of cutting accurate sheet metal blanks using our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser cutter. Depending on the component’s shape, material and thickness we will decide whether to CNC punch or laser cut. These parts have been laser cut which was perfect for the shape and batch size involved.

CNC press brake tooling folding sheet metal brackets

Once an accurate sheet metal blank has been produced we can tackle the folding. We are lucky to have such a wide range of machines to fold our sheet metal work. Perhaps we might have a simple sheet metal part and fold it on a fly-press of Guifil CNC press brake. We may use our Safan e-brake with it’s 3M bed. In this case the Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes were ideal for the job. The component’s CNC program was written in under 10 minutes. The tooling was all laid out for one bending sequence. And off we went producing parts.

CNC folded mild steel brackets

Finally the finished article. A mild steel bracket with a series of bends and stiffening points built into the bends. Folding sheet metal brackets couldn’t be made easier than when using a laser cutter in conjunction with a CNC press brake.

Looking to get some sheet metal brackets manufactured then please give us a call. We love a challange, send us your STEP or DXF files and we will get working on a quote for you. Call 01489 577786 or e-mail sales@vandf.co.uk for help with your sheet metal project.

Let’s talk about grades of commercial stainless steel in Hampshire 2018!

Tuesday, March 13th, 2018

Grades of commercial stainless steel and sheet metal brackets

It’s time to look at some recently cut stainless steel brackets as this gives me the ideal opportunity to talk about the different grades of commercial stainless steel available. We often find our customers are unsure about the grade of stainless they require and turn to us for advice. Sometimes we find the grade is stated but it may be incorrectly specified which could have an impact on the durability of the final product. Moreover it could effect the final cost of each component through “over specification” when a lower grade stainless would have “done the job” adequately.

Laser cut brackets

Here at V and F Sheet Metal we mainly use three different grades of stainless steel. Grade 430 is the cheapest, lowest grade with good formability and ductility. It displays magnet properties but is not very corrosion resistance. With these properties in mind, its easy to see why its uses lie in decorative trim and domestic situations.

Setting up the press brake

Grade 304 is a mid range versatile and widely used stainless. It contains more chrome and nickel and displays good corrosion resistance. It’s found in outdoor settings, such as sign production where the exposure to water is not a problem.

Grade 316 is a high quality stainless with an addition of molybdenum giving rise to improved resistance to corrosion. This renders it particularly useful in chloride environments and makes it the stainless of choice in marine environments where metal work is constantly under attack from salty water. It is also used in the catering industry and in the production of high quality surgical components.

Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake

The batch of 250 laser cut brackets shown here were made for an outdoor setting using grade 304 stainless. They were folded on one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC controlled press brakes. Obviously the laser cut components are flat to begin with but they need to be curved and this is achieved using a multiple bending technique, all carried out on the press brake. There is no end to the flexibility of these machines when it comes to bending!

Curved stainless steel brackets

If you are unsure about which grade of stainless you need for your next project then please contact us at V and F Sheet Metal on 01489 577786 or email sales@vandf.co.uk. We look forward to giving you the advice you need and producing your components.

Roll up, roll up! Step this way for Sheet Metal production January, 2018

Thursday, February 1st, 2018

Formed sheet metal circular component

Now this sheet metal product caught my eye whilst walking around the factory this week. I thought it was worth a mention as it combines two separate processes of sheet metal engineering, namely bending and rolling. On both images, on the inside of the rolled end it’s possible to see a series of lines. This gives a clue to the process used, as a series of bends were made using the Trumpf 7036 to begin to produce a preform curve.

As the lines disappear and the inner surface appears smooth, this indicates that the metal has been rolled on a set of rollers. At V and F Sheet Metal we have both hand rollers and powered rollers. We have the capability to roll up to 1m wide and 3mm thick mild steel. However, we are able to roll up thicker metal in smaller strips. Please take a look at our plant list on rolling sheet metal work for more detailed information.

If you have a product that requires rolling or forming as part of your production then please give us a call on 01489 577786 or email if you prefer at sales@vandf.co.uk. Our sheet metal engineering team are always happy to help and love a challenge. With over 50 years experience between them there’s not much they haven’t come across.

Formed circular metal component

Metal circular component

Manufacturing Metal Enclosures using Radan software, Great Britain 2018

Sunday, January 21st, 2018

Sheet metal Enclosures

Today we’re looking at the production of metal enclosures. I think this process displays nicely the flexibility and time saving features of Radan software. So how do we begin the process? Well in this case the customer required production of a sheet metal enclosure using 1.2mm aluminium alloy. We always start with a 3D model on Radan, this allows us to make sure all the fixing holes line up before starting production. This model may come directly from our customer as a STEP or SAT file. If that is not available to us we will create the 3D model using our customers dimensioned drawings. Either way we have control of the basic design information needed to produce the correct developed blank shape and size.

3 D Radan model

Developed blank in flat

The developed blank shows the shape of the final enclosure in the flat (grey). The dark blue surrounding the blank is the shape produced by all the CNC punch press tooling. The tooling can be added to the blank shape automatically by the software. We still have the ability to alter this tooling to suit our own requirements where needed. Following on from this the blanks are set out on a full sheet of metal. In this case the sheet size is 2M x 1M. When CNC punching our Trumpf CNC punch presses can work with sheet up to 2.5M x 1.25M. Smaller panels can be programmed where needed for small components or smaller batches of work. This is definitely where the versatility of the Trumpf machine comes in to it’s own.

You might have noticed that the back 2 components have been turned at 90 degrees to the rest. Why so ? This is the region where the clamps hold the metal in place. Therefore the turning of these components is necessary but still allows for the maximum number of parts to be punched from one sheet. In addition, we have the capacity to to produce these parts on either the Trumpf 200 or 3000 as the same tooling fits both machines. A useful feature in a busy workshop, allowing production to be swapped from one machine to another.

Nest of parts

Metal Enclosures

Finally, once all of the sheet metal enclosure components have been CNC punched, we deburr the edges before moving on to the last stage which is folding. The image here shows a skilled employee folding up the components on one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. By using the Radan software at the design stage, the final components should perfectly match the model. This allows us to save time and effort when making the first batch of samples or production. Any alterations can be fed back to the 3D model and subsequent 2D tooled CNC punching nests. This process can also be applied when a customer requires a design change to take place.

Folding up of components

Finished component

Please feel free to look at our website pages which gives up to date information on our plant list, tooling and design data. You have the ability to search all our blog posts so if this post doesn’t quite fit your needs then something else will! There is also an extensive gallery of photos.

If after reading this you think we could help you then please contact our engineering team at V and F Sheet Metal on 01489 577786 or drop us an email at sale@vandf.co.uk. We can’t wait to hear from you!

We love making folded Sheet metal boxes!

Sunday, January 7th, 2018

Folded sheet metal boxes

Folded Sheet Metal Boxes

Are you looking to produce a folded sheet metal box? Then look no further as we are here to help you! Over the years we have produced a huge number of boxes ranging from the small and simple to large and complex. We use high tech equipment which allows us to CNC punch sheet metal from 0.4mm up to 5.0mm gauge in a range of steel, aluminium and stainless steel alloys. Furthermore if you require thicker gauges this is no problem as we employ the services of our Trumpf 3030 3KW fiber laser cutting machine.

I’ve include this image as it’s a typical example of the type of folded sheet metal box we are asked to make on a daily basis. First of all nearly all of our sheet metal projects start their life as a 3D model using Radan sheet metal development software. Once checked and approved, the model is used to produce a flat pattern ready for use on one of our CNC punching machines. After punching, the edges are deburred and the panel folded up in to the final shape using one of our many CNC press brake bending machines.

This may be the final product especially if the box is going to be placed “out of sight”. However, more often than not our customers require their boxes to be treated or finished. For example we can powder coat, zinc plate or anodise components to produce a perfect cosmetic finish.

If you would like to learn more about the various stages of metal box design and production then please go to our web page on Box Fabrication. Finally if you need any more help with your project then we’re always happy to hear from you at V and F Sheet Metal. Please just call on 01489 577786 or drop us an email at sales@vandf.co.uk.

Please feel free to look on our website for more general information on CNC bending and CNC press brakes.

Z angle aluminium brackets laser cut and folded in Great Britain 2018

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018

Laser cut aluminium strips

Z Angle Brackets

If you require aluminium brackets but you’re not sure who to contact then look no further! Here at V and F Sheet Metal, Hampshire we have the facility to help you. We have many years of experience to ease your journey from the initial idea or drawing through to final production.

Folding aluminium Z brackets

First of all we begin the process using Radan 3D modelling design software before moving on to laser cutting and finally folding up to produce brackets.

The photos here follow the production of a simple aluminium bracket. Initially we cut out flat metal strip ready to be bent in to a z shape. Cutting out is quick using the latest technology Trumpf 3030 3 KW fibre laser. The second photo shows an individual strip in the process of bending using one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. Finally once completed and inspected, the strips are packed up ready for delivery to the customer. If you would like to know more about bending then please read the CNC bending information on our website.

Folded aluminium Z angles brackets

So please do not hesitate to contact us here at V and F Sheet Metal by calling 01489 577786 or emailing us at sales@vandf.co.uk. We have the ability to make many types of brackets and the expertise to assist you with your product from the initial idea through to design and final production. We look forward to hearing from you.

New CNC press-brake tooling pays dividends in production

Monday, November 6th, 2017

CNC joggle tooling

We can produce such a wide variety of sheet metal work with standard CNC press brake tooling. Using simple V tooling enables us to cover most of the bends our customers want in their products. Sometimes however, special press-brake tooling can make a big difference. It can reduce the setting time for a number of tools and reduce programming time. The biggest gain for you is the reduced production time easily saving the cost of the tooling after just a couple of batches.

Joggled aluminium brackets

By using joggle press-brake tooling a double bend can be achieved in one cycle of the machine. Not only is this quicker but a more reliable form can be achieved. The joggle tool can be adjusted to suit a range of material gauges and offset sizes. This bracket was produced from 3mm aluminium but it could just as easily have been mild steel or stainless steel.

This press-brake tooling is shown producing a joggle form in 3mm aluminium on our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. The same tooling can be used on our Safan e-Brake CNC press brake making it a versatile tool for the shop floor.

If you have a sheet metal component and you are looking to save money it might just be that bespoke press-brake tooling could make a difference. Please send us your drawings and we will quickly be able to see if we can help. Email us at sales@vandf.co.uk or give us a call on 01486 577786 if you are still now sure.

Manufacturing sub-contract sheet metal work in Great Britain

Tuesday, September 26th, 2017

Manufacturing sub-contract sheet metal is what V and F Sheet Metal are all about. We have been manufacturing in Great Britain since the 1980s. We have a company ethos of constantly investing in the latest machinery and software to improve the quality of the parts we manufacture. Managing costs and improving order lead times is an everyday job for us.

CNC punching plastic coated steel

Manufacturing sub-contract sheet metal for our customers can be range from the simplest flat plate right through to complex welded fabrication assemblies.

Laser cutting sheet metal work

Whether we are using the latest laser cutting technology or CNC bending machines people are still the most important factor in any business. With a stable workforce we have a wide range of experience. Manufacturing special projects and prototypes to repeat batch work and kanban systems, we are happy to help you.

Supporting a wide range of customers in the UK and mainland Europe we will often alreadyd have come across a solution you need. Having a large library of standard CNC punching and bending tooling we can usually produce all your work without any tooling costs.

Trumpf 7036 CNC bendingSheet metal angle brackets

If you are looking for a long term relationship with a UK based company manufacturing sub-contract sheet metal then please contact us. We will be happy to talk to you about your latest sheet metal projects on 01489 577786. If you prefer to e-mail us your drawings then please feel free. We can work with STEP, SAT, DXF and DWG CAD data, please send it to sales@vandf.co.uk. We can produce you quote options, price ranges and advice on treatments and finishes to save you money.

Folding sheet metal work in Great Britain using CNC Press Brakes

Friday, August 25th, 2017

Folding sheet metal work is a big part of what we do here at V and F Sheet Metal

From the smallest angle bracket to components up to 3M long we are here to support you. But what does that mean?

small sheet metal folding

Well for us it means not only having the right machines and tooling, you would hope all sheet metal workers would have that. No, it means having the experience to help you with your designs. Selecting the correct materials and thicknesses for a given part with an eye to the cost of the final part. For example why would you use 5251 aluminium if 1050A will do the job and is cheaper. Many of our customers will not know what material to select and we will help them to get it right and at the right price.

Defining a suitable manufacturing tolerance is another area where people can be unsure what can be achieved in practice. Say you want a small stainless steel channel folding up similar to the part shown on the right. It may be fitting into another rightly controlled machined item. Asking for +0/-0.25 across the bends may be required and achievable. Asking for the same tolerance on a much larger support bracket in 4mm mild steel would be adding extra time and scrap where it’s just not needed. Sometimes simply talking through these points with us is enough to get it right and save time and money in production.

We have all experienced the standard drawing border that is applied to every job without any thought.

For more information on bending please check out this link

large sheet metal folding

So you can already see that there are plenty of actions you can take when considering designing for folding sheet metal work. The specific machine we chose and the tooling needed is not your problem. Of course you will want us to have modern accurate machines. We won’t disappoint there with a program of constant investment in plant and tooling. Getting your design right for that tooling is your problem and we are always happy to help you with it. If you want to discuss a current sheet metal project that will need folding please give us a call on 01489 577786. Alternatively you can e-mail us your drawings and we will be pleased to review them for you.

Bending sheet metal work in Great Britain 2017

Monday, August 21st, 2017

Bending sheet metal work in Great Britain 2017

I thought it would be good to show off a few sheet metal jobs that have been bent up on our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. These jobs nicely show the versatility of bending sheet metal work on these fast and accurate CNC press brakes.

Fast Tube by Casper

With a large range of tooling that can be shared across all the machines we can tackle all sorts of jobs. From the smallest angle bracket the size of a finger nail right up to 1M on these machines. We can fold up to 3M on our Safan e-Brake CNC press.

Fast Tube by Casper

With sub-contract sheet metal work being so varied they machines are perfect for us. Being so easy to set up when bending sheet metal work in small batches these machines are very cost effective.

Fast Tube by Casper

As well as our 3 Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes we also have 2 small Guifil CNC press brakes, an Edwards Pearson 2.5M CNC press brake and a Safan 3M CNC press brake. Please visit the plant pages for these machine or see them in action on our YouTube channel. There is a link at the bottom of the page.

Sheet metal housings and gear trays manufactured in the UK

Tuesday, August 15th, 2017

Mild steel sheet metal housing base

Sheet metal can be used to create a wide range of housings, enclosures and boxes for electronic and lighting products. Whether the housings are made from stainless steel, mild steel or aluminium we have the correct equipment for efficient manufacturing. With a varied customer base demanding a quick service from just a few samples right up to volume production we have a large flexible sheet metal housing production service.

Sheet metal light fitting gear tray

Whether it’s CNC punching or laser cutting that’s needed to start off a sheet metal housing we have the right software to get the best from any given sheet of metal. Using either fresh standard sheets, custom sheared blanks or remnants from previous jobs we can cope with your requirements. Radan CAD/CAM software is very powerful with it’s ability to change a part from CNC punching to a laser cutting job in seconds. This allows us to swap production jobs around when that inevitable panic order comes in.

Linking the flexibility of CNC punching and laser cutting under the same roof as CNC bending is perfect for most people’s sheet metal housing needs. Bending housings as small as the palm of your hand right up to 3M long is no problem for us. With many of our CNC bending machines sharing the same tooling enables us to be flexible when running higher volumes of work. We can set up the same part over several machines to increase work flow when needed.

These small housings are typical of the easier parts we manufacture. If you have something more complex please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to take a look for you. Whether it’s a 3D STEP file or 2D data please give us a try.

Small sheet metal components

Thursday, August 3rd, 2017

Small stainless steel sheet metal components

Sheet metal work can come in all shapes and sizes and these small sheet metal components are certainly at the lower end of our range. Manufactured from stainless steel by CNC punching and CNC bending they nicely show the complexity that can be achieved with sheet metal work. They could so easily have been laser cut but having both processes in house we can pick and choose the process that suits the parts. This can be particularly helpful when moving from prototypes and small batches through to higher volumes. One process, say laser cutting, may be perfect initially then with higher volumes and some simple tooling CNC punching may lend itself to be the most efficient manufacturing process.

Small sheet metal components also present problems if they have to be folded up. We are fortunate in having 3 Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes which are ideally suited to folding small sheet metal components. With a large range of tooling and an experienced team of machine programmers there aren’t many parts that we cannot fold up whatever their size.

So what do I do next?

If you have some small sheet metal work that might need to be manufactured please give us a call. We are always happy to take a look at new projects are see if we can help you save money with a small design change. We can offer you free advice to improve material usage, reduce production time and select the most appropriate material type and finish. If you have some drawings please e-mail us on sales@vandf.co.uk. If you just want to chat through your ideas please call us on 01489 577786 and we will be happy to talk.

Folding sheet metal work with a CNC press brake

Thursday, July 27th, 2017

Folding sheet metal work with a Safan e-Brake CNC press brake

Fast Tube by Casper

When we are looking to fold sheet metal components we have a number of options here at V and F Sheet Metal. We have a number small CNC press brakes for folding sheet metal work up to 1M long. We also have a 2.5M long machine for forming longer channels and angles. But when it comes to more complex sheet metal work we would use our Safan e-Brake with it’s 3M long bed and 100 tons bending force. The video shown here is bending a typical simple sheet metal tray and it nicely shows the speed with which work can be formed.

Folding with a Safan CNC press brake

Folding sheet metal work needs a good machine, accurate tooling and a skilled work force. The Safan e-Brake is a great machine to program with an easy to understand controller. As we are a sub-contract company we need to be able to move from job to job quickly. Some job changes can take just minutes and with small batch sizes this is essential to get the best from the machines. All our CNC bending programs are saved to our system server and then backed up over night to ensure we also have the right data ready when needed.

CNC punched sheet metal blanks

To achieve an accurate final folded component you need to start with an accurate flat blank. We are lucky to have Trumpf CNC punch presses and a Trumpf laser cutting machine. These machines enable us to produce the correct parts every time. Using Radan sheet metal CAD/CAM software we are able to select the best flat blank production method to suit the parts details.

Folded sheet metal work

The final folded trays are stacked and ready to move to their next production process. The secret to folding sheet metal work is to keep it simple. Easy to use machines, clean accurate tooling, accurate flat blanks and a wealth of experience. This enables us to offer the best solution for folding your parts and keeping the costs down.

If you want to know more or would like us to quote you for your sheet metal work please send us your drawings or give us a call on 01489 577786.

Sheet metal brackets made in Great Britain – contact V and F Sheet Metal

Friday, July 14th, 2017

If you are looking to have sheet metal brackets made in Great Britain then V and F Sheet Metal are a great place to start your search. With decades of experience in manufacturing sheet metal brackets for a wide range of industries we can help you with your designs as well as the bracket production.

Sheet metal brackets made in Great Britain

Brackets can be produced by either CNC punching or CNC laser cutting from a wide range of sheet materials. The majority of our bracket manufacturing then passes through our CNC press brake section where all the folds, joggles and safe edges are produced. We have 7 CNC press brakes using a wide range of tooling from small 600mm machines up to 3000mm 100 ton machines. The brackets shown being folded here are being manufactured on one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes.

Folded sheet metal brackets

Here’s the final finished aluminium sheet metal brackets. These particular brackets are used with a fibre optic lighting system and were manufactured in a batch of 250 parts.

Batches of folded sheet metal brackets

If you were to place and order with us all the design work for your brackets would be carried out using Radan CAD/CAM sheet metal software. We would produce 3D models, developed flat blanks and the fully tooled CNC punch or laser cutting nests. The CNC programs are then ready for production direct to the correct machine at the right time for your order.

So if you still want sheet metal brackets made in Great Britain please pick up the phone and call us on 01489 577786 or e-mail us your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will be happy to help you.

Sheet metal work manufactured for you direct in Great Britain

Tuesday, May 30th, 2017

Sheet metal work from Great Britain

Sheet metal work in Great Britain can take many forms. From simple CNC punched electronics front panels from aluminium alloy. Stainless steel welded fabrications used in the pumping or pharmaceutical industry. Mild steel components for industrial light fittings and ventilation grilles for the heating industry. These are all sheet metal components we often manufacture in our factory in Hampshire, Great Britain amongst thousands of other components. When you are next looking for sub-contract sheet metal work in Great Britain V and F Sheet Metal is a good place to start. With a friendly attitude to work and the ability to support you throughout your design process we are far more than just a “tin basher”.

Sheet metal fabrications in Great Britain

Here’s a great recent image of sheet metal work in Great Britain that we have made using all in house equipment. From using the latest CAD/CAM sheet metal development software to correctly calculate the blanks sizes. Laser cutting the flat sheet metal blanks. Minimal edge de-burring and CNC folding to create a finished electronics housing chassis.

Sheet metal projects manufactured in Great Britain

As well as standard housings folded with simple 45 and 90 degree bends we are asked to make far more complex shapes. By using 3D CAD/CAM to model these complex sheet metal components and the very latest CNC press brakes we can often manufacture items for you without the need for special tooling. By using a series of small bends, each step can produce a part of a much more complex compound curve. Through trial and error and flexible shop floor programming techniques most shapes are achievable. As you can see sheet metal work in Great Britain covers a wide range of designs and materials.

So what do you do now? Well you can give us a call on 01489 577786 and we will be happy to have a chat on your requirements. If you already have a fixed design then we will be happy to take a look at you CAD files whether they are in 2D or 3D format. We can produce range of prices for different volumes, design options and treatments or finishes that you require.

Sheet metal production in 2017 from V and F Sheet Metal

Thursday, May 4th, 2017

Sheet metal production in 2017 from V and F Sheet Metal covers a wide range of materials and designs. It can simple be mild steel right angle brackets used to support storage shelves. Laser cut aluminium electronics chassis front panels. Welded stainless steel oil tanks with a series of fabricated components. The designs that we are involved with are very diverse and the volumes can range from just a few samples right up to many thousands in a batch of components.

Trumpf 7036 CNC bendingSheet metal angle brackets

CNC bending is a great production method when it comes to folding sheet metal work. It’s quick and easy to set up jobs so small batches can be manufactured at competitive prices. With a wide range of standard CNC press brake tooling over 4 of our machines we can be flexible when it comes to larger volume orders. We also have many special tools that we have made in house. This enables us to form different curved shapes to widen the range of sheet metal work we can offer you.

Trumpf 3000R CNC punch press in action producing circular sheet metal panels with cluster and curved banana tooling

CNC punching is a fast and versatile sheet metal production method. V and F Sheet Metal have been using CNC punch presses for many years to produce components for it’s customers in the UK. The mild steel discs shown here are typical of the sheet metal production that is produced every week of the year. Using standard CNC punch press tooling these parts were programmed quickly and the best fit from a standard sheet was produced to save money. The CAD/CAM software we use also allows us to experiment with designs and nest patterns when quoting for the parts. This enables us to pass those savings onto our customers at an early stage of manufacturing.

Brass sheet metal display housing project

Here is a nice example of the range of materials we use here at V and F Sheet Metal. These menu display panels have been manufactured from CZ108 brass sheet. The panels have been laser cut and CNC folded. The corner seams have had the plastic peeled away ready for TiG welding.

For more information on sheet metal work and how we go about producing it please follow the link.

So you can see that sheet metal production in 2017 covers a wide range of techniques and product designs. If you have a sheet metal design that needs producing in the UK please give us a call and we will be happy to review it and offer price options for it’s manufacture. Please call us on 01489 577786 or if you wish send you drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and our engineering team will take a look for you.

Video of folding sheet metal housings with a CNC press brake

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017

Folding sheet metal housings

Fast Tube by Casper

Take a look and see how easy it is for us to produce sheet metal housings. With standard CNC press brake tooling this job took under 10 minutes to CNC program and tool up. A couple of minutes to fold the first sheet metal housing and make a few corrections to the sizes and angles. Then we were off on a batch of 100 units. The ability to move from job to job in a short time makes this method of sheet metal work very flexible. Keeping set up times down to the minimum help reduce prices.

The Safan e-Brake CNC press brake has 100 tons of folding force and a 3M long bed. It works perfectly with our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser machine. The laser can cut up to 3M long and the press brake can fold up to 3M long.

If you have a sheet metal project that requires folded components we have the perfect machine for the job. Give us a call on 01489 577786 or send your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will be happy to help you.

Sheet metal manufacturing in 2017

Thursday, April 27th, 2017

Sheet metal manufacturing can come in so many different forms and I have chosen 3 to look at today. Things have moved on a lot from manual cutting, marking our, drilling and fly-press piercing and mechanical bending. With modern laser cutting, CNC punching and CNC bending sheet metal manufacturing in 2017 utilises high tech equipment, software and skilled staff.

For a full description of sheet metal manufacturing and all its production processes follow this link.

CNC punching machines

CNC punching machines have been around for many years in one form or another. Our single head Trumpf CNC punch presses enable us to manufacture some very complex sheet metal work. It goes without saying that designs require holes punched accurately and quickly to keep costs down, the Trumpf machines don’t disappoint. With fast controlled punching they also offer thread tapping, forming, bending and engraving. They can be thought of as a factory in one machine. And where they cannot cope on thicker gauges the laser machine is ready to take over.

Laser cutting zintec fit fitting gear trays on our Trumpf 3030 3KW fibre laser machine

Laser cutting is perfect for cutting through thick materials in ferrous and non-ferrous grades. But having a fibre laser cutter enables us to not only process thinner material extremly fast but copper and brass alloys up to 6mm thick.

Sheet metal folding facility

No look at sheet metal manufacturing would be complete without a look at our bending facilities. We are very proud to have a large range of CNC bending machines here in Fareham, Hampshire. We manufacture sheet metal components ranging from just a few mm across in materials as thin as 0.3mm right up to sheet metal sections 3M long. All sheet metal materials are processed through a wide range of standard CNC press brake tooling. Our 3 Trumpf 7036 and Safan e-Brake CNC press brakes share the same bend tooling for ease of production. This also allows us to move jobs between several machines when needed e.g. during busy times or if machines are being serviced.

This short blog post is only to whet your appetite, if you want to know more please explaore our website or give us a call and we will be happy to help you.

Sheet metal bending using a Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake

Thursday, March 30th, 2017

Sheet metal bending using a Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake

Bending stainless steel brackets

Bending mild steel brackets

CNC bending sheet metal tabs

Well it’s hard to think that a quarter of 2017 has gone past already. With time to look back I have picked out 3 sheet metal parts to show the versatility of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. All three parts were manufactured in batches around 100 to 200. They were all folded using standard tooling that we hold on the shelf and were all programmed within minutes of hitting the shop floor.

With the recent investment of a third brand new machine we now have the perfect facility for folding small sheet metal brackets, angles gear trays, boxes etc. right here in Fareham, Hampshire. Sheet metal components up to 1M long are ideal for these machines and their fast acting electric drives produce very quick production cycle times. Add to that a simple programming and machine setting system making them idea for small batch volume work and prototyping as well as higher volume sub-contract sheet metal work.

Whether your projects need sheet metal work containing such items as aluminium trays, stainless steel clamps, mild steel brackets or copper earth tags we can fold them up and maintain the highest tolerance and work quality at a very competitive price.

We are always keen to look at new sheet metal bending projects and hope to keep our sheet metal factory busy throughout the rest on 2017. If you want more information on this service or have a look at your specific project please call us on 01489 577786 and our engineering team will be happy to help you.

New Trumpf 7036 brings extra bending capacity at V and F Sheet Metal

Tuesday, March 28th, 2017

Ready to join the gang

Our new Trumpf 7036 is now ready to bring extra bending capacity at V and F Sheet Metal. Working alongside our other two Trumpf 7036 CNC bending machines we think we may have the most on any single site in the UK. Always looking to invest in our services we are really proud to have another high tech bending machine working for our customers. If you are ever in Hampshire please feel free to contact us and call in to see the machines in action producing sheet metal work.

New machine starts work straight away

The extra bending capacity at V and F Sheet Metal makes an impact straight away by getting down to work. Folding hundreds of lighting reflectors with multiple bends the 7036 is soon earning its keep. With common tooling across the range of machines and access to a huge database of existing CNC programs this machine will immediately be very productive.

Now all 3 Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes are working toegther

Not to be left out all 3 machines are busy

If extra bending capacity is what you are looking for in your sheet metal working company then give V and F Sheet Metal a call. With 7 CNC press brakes from 600mm long to 3000mm long we can handle most sheet metal bending project and your rush orders. We are waiting to take you call on 01489 577786 or take a look at your drawings if you send them to sales@vandf.co.uk

Brand new sheet metal bending facility in Fareham Hampshire

Monday, March 20th, 2017

We are expanding our sheet metal bending facilities here at V and F Sheet Metal with a brand new Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake

Almost there now

The new CNC bending machine is almost there and ready to take its place in our sheet metal bending facility.

At last in it’s new home

We have managed to move a couple of smaller CNC bending machines around so that our new Trumpf 7036 can sit with our other two 7036s making a very powerful bending cell. One of the smaller machines now sits next to our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser machine. This enables us to use it as a back up machine when the laser operator is watching a long running job. We are always trying to get the best of the machines we have and work in the smartest way we can. This helps us to keep prices down and reduce order lead times.

Trumpf 7036 soon up and working

With so much of our sheet metal manufacturing being under 1M long the Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake is perfect. It’s ability to tackle the simplest single bend angle bracket right up to complex chassis work and multi-bend curved shapes makes it ideal for a busy sub-contract sheet metal work shop.

If you have a sheet metal component or set of parts that you need to get prices on please give us a call. We are always happy to help you out with free advice and suggestions to help save you money in manufacturing. Call us on 01489 57786 or e-mail sales@vandf.co.uk

For more information on our sheet metal bending facility take a look at BENDING UNDER 1M LONG and BENDING OVER 1M LONG

Getting ready for our new Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake

Monday, March 13th, 2017

Getting ready for a new CNC press brake at V and F Sheet Metal

Getting ready for our new 7036 CNC press brake

We are really pleased to be able to announce a further investment here at V and F Sheet Metal. We have a third new Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake about to be delivered. This machine will increase our total CNC bending facility to 7 machines ranging from 60mm up to to 3000mm long.

Here’s our new press brake

Our new Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake has come all the way from Austria and we can’t wait to get it off the lorry and into our factory.

Should fit, I did measure it!

Being so compact there is no chance that the new machine won’t fit. The machine was unloaded and positioned ready for commissioning within 1.5 hours, good work.

The machine was simply wired up, connected to our company computer network, set up and calibrated within the same day. Along with brand new tooling to expand our existing tooling library the machine was producing components on the same day, brilliant service from Trumpf, thanks.

If you want more details on this new CNC press brake please read our Trumpf 7036 web page.

Where is the best place to get sheet metal work in the UK

Monday, February 27th, 2017

Where is the best place to get sheet metal work in the UK?

We believe V and F Sheet Metal are a good place to start your search for a supportive flexible sheet metal working company based in Hampshire UK.

CNC punching sheet metal work

When you are selecting a sheet metal working company to partner you with your manufacturing needs you need a company who is prepared to listen to you and offer a range of ideas, manufacturing services and competitive prices. We have the ability to manufacture a wide range of sheet metal work in house using a comprehensive range of modern CNC productions techniques. Techniques ranging from CNC laser cutting, CNC punching and CNC bending to welding processes and many ancillary manufacturing processes allowing us to cope with the most demanding sheet metal work. When you are looking for sheet metal work in the UK you want a company that speaks your language when it comes to talking through design ideas and possible ways to help you save time and money, we are here to help.

Laser cutting zintec fit fitting gear trays on our Trumpf 3030 3KW fibre laser machine

Having the ability to provide CNC laser cut and CNC punched sheet metal work in the UK allows V and F Sheet Metal to give our customers a definite advantage when manufacturing in the UK. Whether you are only looking for a few laser cut stainless steel plates, some bent aluminium angles or a more complex welded fabricated enclosure we have the skills and equipment to help you. With connections to a wide range of treatment and finishing companies we can offer the complete project manufacturing service. Whether it’s a special one off project, regular batches of sheet metal work or larger volume projects we are here to support your needs.

Sheet metal work

Sheet metal working is an exciting and growing industry with many new developments which have lead to the increased quality of work being produced often at reduced prices and with ever shorter lead times. The ability to set up manufacturing machines in ever shorter times allows us to offer smaller batch sizes at the prices of larger productions runs of years gone by. This has enabled many of our customers to reduce stock holding requirements and still maintain their product lead times.

So in conclusion if you are looking for sheet metal work in the UK then please give us a call on 01489 577786 or if you prefer send us your 3D design ideas or 2D drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and our engineering team will be happy to help you out and produce competitive prices for you.

Where can I purchase sheet metal work in the UK

Thursday, February 23rd, 2017

If you are looking for a place where you can purchase sheet metal work in the UK then you should contact V and F Sheet Metal.

Based in Fareham right on the M27 in Hampshire we are ideally placed to service local companies through Hampshire with their sheet metal working needs. With connection to next day UK delivery we can be your local sheet metal worker wherever you are based in the UK.

Sheet metal work

From simple one off projects and new design prototypes right up to high volume production we are ready to help you with your sheet metal work right here in the UK. The vast majority of the work we manufacture for our customers is repeating batches of many 10’s to many 100’s and we have just the right equipment to efficiently support them.

Sheet metal work in Hampshire

Where can I purchase CNC folded sheet metal work in the UK?

Having 6 CNC press brakes we are well placed to support you with folded sheet metal work up to 3M long. From the smallest angle clips and brackets right up to simple structure channels and angles we have the tooling and machines to help you produce your sheet metal designs. We have 2 Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes which are idea for sheet metal work up to 1M long. They are so efficient at producing angles, boxes, covers and complex enclosures that we have another one on order and it will be installed during March 2017.

CNC punching sheet metal work

Where can I purchase CNC punched sheet metal work in the UK?

With both a Trumpf 200 and Trumpf 3000 CNC punch presses we are able to offer you an excellent service when it comes to CNC punching sheet metal work. We have a large library of standard and special CNC punching tools to help you with whatever design you want manufacturing.

Laser cutting 3mm thick galvanised mild steel sheet on our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser

Where can I purchase sheet metal laser cutting in the UK?

We have a Trumpf 3030 3KW fibre laser cutting machine and can use it to cut a vast array of sheet metal. Laser cutting mild steel, stainless steel and zinc coated steels is no problem for us. We can also laser cut aluminium alloys and being a fibre laser we can also laser cut brass and copper sheet.

Basically if you want to have sheet metal work produced in the UK we would be pleased to help you. Either give us a call on 01489 577786 or send our engineering team your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will produce some estimates for you.

Welded fabrication aluminium sheet metal work UK

Monday, January 30th, 2017

Welded aluminium fabrications

Aluminium sheet metal work in Hampshire UK

If you are looking for a sheet metal working company that is capable of manufacturing your work in aluminium then please give us a call. We can laser cut and CNC punch your aluminium sheet metal work as well as CNC bend and weld fabrications using TiG and MiG welding techniques. Aluminium sheet metal work along with mild steel and stainless steel is a service we offer to a large range of companies in the UK. We manufacture a wide range of aluminium sheet metal work including electronics front panels, brackets, housings and chassis components.

These aluminium welded fabrications have been manufactured to be used with a ceiling system to support light fittings. After this image was taken we cleaned off the welds and powder coated each aluminium housing matt black to the customers specification. There were 200 aluminium housings that were produced for this specific customer order but we can manufacture much larger batches if that is what you need or just a few parts for small orders or prototypes.

If you have a specific project in mind and want us to help you with various design options or you simply want some alternative prices then please give us a call of 01489 577786 and our engineering team will be happy to help you. If you have drawings we will be happy to work with them and review your options, please send them to sales@vandf.co.uk

Joggled sheet metal brackets and their uses in UK industry

Monday, January 16th, 2017

Aluminium sheet metal bracket folded with CNC press brakes and fly presses

Joggled form on aluminium bracket close up image

Sheet metal brackets containing joggled featured are often created by V and F Sheet Metal to meet our customers design requirements. Over the years we have built up a tooling library of simple tooling that we can use to press joggled forms in a range of materials and gauges. The joggles can be created either in the CNC press brake bending machines that we use or the flypresses that are used on smaller sheet metal work. Joggled sheet metal brackets are often needed to join 2 or more sections together which are a gauge apart. They a commonly used to enable sheet metal housings and covers to be fixed together with a smooth outer profile.

These simple joggled sheet metal brackets are typical of the type of sheet metal work that we are often called upon to help design and manufacture for our UK based customers. Sheet metal brackets such as these have been CNC punched, CNC bent and have joggled featured created with fly press tooling.

We can adapt many of our joggle tools to suit a wide range of design features and may well already have a tool that can satisfy your design ideas. If you send us you drawings we will easily be able to check out our nearest tools by cutting a piece of stock material forming it to shape and reporting back to you. We can post it to you or send a photo all free of charge. Once you are happy we can then produce the production brackets knowing yo will get what you want. Send us your ideas to sales@vandf.co.uk or give our engineering / programming team a call on 01489 577786 and we will be happy to chat through your ideas and help where we can, again all for free.

Folded stainless steel brackets produced on a Trumpf 7036 CNC press brake

Thursday, December 22nd, 2016

Trumpf 7036 set up ready for production of stainless steel brackets

If you are looking for folded stainless steel brackets then V and F Sheet Metal have just the facility to help support you. Through 3D software modelling, CNC punching and laser cutting to CNC bending we will take care of the whole production process for you all under one roof. These folded stainless steel brackets are typical of the sub-contract sheet metal work that we produce every day of the week for our customers all over the UK. The Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes we use to bend up small folded stainless steel brackets are ideally suited to this type of work. They are quick to program and set up as well as very fast in their production rates, all leading to very competitive prices for small and large batch metal work. Although we have shown them folding up small stainless steel brackets they can fold sheet metal profiles up to 1M long and will cover the vast majority of the sheet metal folding that we produce in our factory in Fareham, Hampshire, UK.

Laser cut and folded stainless steel brackets

You can easily see that these brackets have radiused end and teardrop shaped holes which would have been very difficult to produce on a CNC punch press without bespoke tooling. With our Trumpf fibre laser these shapes are easy to produce and cost no more to produce than a standard square ended bracket with round holes. The Trumpf fibre laser machine really comes into its own when cutting thin sheet metal work or with small batches where the cost of CNC punch press tooling would not be viable.

Putting these cutting and folding machines together truly offers you a great manufacturing service right here in the UK.

What do I do next?

Perhaps you have a sheet metal bracket that you need to have manufactured. Why not give us a call on 01489 577786 or send us your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk. We will be happy to take a look and produce some prices for you. We can also see whether your design can be improved for manufacturing saving you further time and money.

Sheet metal brackets manufactured to your own designs

Thursday, December 8th, 2016

When you are looking for sheet metal brackets manufactured to your own designs you need to speak with V and F Sheet Metal. Based in Fareham, Hampshire we are ideally placed to service the sheet metal working needs of companies across the south of England and further afield.

CNC punched and CNC folded mild steel fixing brackets

We love manufacturing sheet metal brackets and have all the equipment you could possible want to make the job of producing your bespoke brackets as easy as possible. From 3D CAD/CAM software to model your brackets. Through sheet metal bend blank development and bend allowances, CNC tooling and laser paths efficient CNC punch or CNC laser cutter nesting. We have CNC bending machines that allow us to try out programs to calculate bend sequences and check off flat pattern sizes before committing to cutting and sheet metal materials. The CNC bending press brakes can handle a vast range of small brackets everyday ranging from small spring stainless steel angle brackets, electronics chassis aluminium support brackets, mild steel, zintec or galvanised steel clamping brackets, stainless steel mounting brackets through to copper bus bar brackets and pre-painted steel decorative brackets.

Where your bracket design needs manufacturing with plunged self tapping holes, threads built in, pressed in bushes, stand-offs and studs we can sort it all out for you. Perhaps you need to have several parts welded together to make a fabricated bracket assembly? We can cope with ferrous and non-ferrous MiG and TiG welding techniques as well as spot welding for lighter gauge brackets. We will advise you on your designs if we feel they can be improved from manufacturing and always try and get the price down if we can see a better way of producing your brackets.

For more examples of past sheet metal brackets projects please take a look at our bracket gallery page.

If you have sheet metal brackets for a new project or possibly you are thinking about a new design then please send us your drawings in STEP, SAT, DXF, DWG or PDF format to sales@vandf.co.uk. If you are not sure quite sure what is possible please give our engineering team a call on 01489 577786 and we will be happy to chat through your options.

CNC folded sheet metal work – manufacturing in the UK

Monday, December 5th, 2016

CNC folded sheet metal work – manufacturing in the UK

CNC folded sheet metal work

CNC folded sub-contract sheet metal work

CNC folded sheet metal work

Here are another 2 examples of folded sheet metal work recently produced within our production facilities in Fareham, Hampshire. These particular parts were manufactured for a lighting company and a ventilation company both based in Hampshire. With 6 CNC press brakes ranging from the small 600mm wide CNC press brakes for simple angle brackets and channels, through more complex brackets and chassis components on our Trumpf 7036 machines right up to our Safan e-Brake 3M 100 ton new CNC bending machine.

Whether it’s a few sample brackets for a new design, batches of folded profiles or custom built cabinet projects we have the folding capability to produce sheet metal work from as thin as 0.3mm tin plated mild steel screen cans, 0.9mm zintec angles brackets, 3mm aluminium enclosures, 5mm steel channels right up to 10mm thick steel support brackets.

With the ability to save all CNC bending programs to our system server we can recall past projects within seconds and load up tooling to repeat parts without delay. For a fast and accurate service please give us a call on 01489 588876.

Zintec sheet metal brackets produced in Hampshire UK

Friday, December 2nd, 2016

Zintec brackets produced in Hampshire UK

If you are looking for sheet metal brackets for your latest project look no further than V and F Sheet Metal. With the ability to take your basic design ideas right through to fully details 3D models we can support you with design advice for manufacturing and a range of cost estimates to suit the volume of work you will need. Often we have manufactured sheet metal brackets very similar to the parts you may want and can easily produce your work from stock materials and standard CNC tooling that we hold here in our factory in Fareham, Hampshire.

The s[ecific zintec sheet metal brackets shown here were produced by CNC punching and CNC bending in our factory in Fareham, Hampshire UK. They are typical of the sheet metal work that we produce everyday for our customer base across the UK and into Europe. All sheet metal projects start by creating design data within our Radan CAD/CAM system and then this is used to power our CNC punching and CNC laser cutting machines.

What to do next?

We are always looking for a new challenge when it comes to the manufacture of sheet metal brackets so if you want to talk through a design you are working on or have a specific purchasing need for sheet metal brackets please call us on 01489 577786 or send us your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will be happy to help you.

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