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.