Blog - Page 2 of 22 -

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.

Sheet metal bracket design ideas to help you save you money

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021

Sheet metal bracket design

Sheet metal bracket design ideas can be many and varied. From using different materials and surface treatments to material thicknesses and profiles. The brackets shown here were manufactured from mild steel (zinc plated) and mill finish aluminium. They could just as easily have been produced from galvanised steel or stainless steel. Like all sheet metal manufacturing we have the flexibility to produce a wide range of part designs without the need for specific tooling.

Sheet metal brackets designed with inserted threads are ideal for saving time in assembly. Whether its bushes, stand-offs or studs we have huge stocks of parts and all the tooling needed to insert them. CNC bending brackets is easy when you have decades of experience and the right tooling for the job.

Sheet metal bracket design

Laser cutting and CNC punching both perfectly suit the manufacture of sheet metal bracket blanks. Using Radan CAD/CAM software to develop reliable 3D models, developed blanks and complete tooled nests we are able to turn your ideas into reality.

A great place to review an in depth study of the stages we might go through in CNC programming sheet metal brackets can be seen at http://www.vandf.co.uk/software/sheet-metal-fabricated-bracket/

For many more examples of sheet metal bracket designs you can always take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

If you already have a bracket design ready for quoting / manufacture please send us a drawing and our team will be happy to take a look for you.

Stainless steel fabrications manufactured from sheet metal

Thursday, February 18th, 2021

Stainless steel fabrications

We have been manufacturing stainless steel fabrications for over 30 years. Utilising CNC punching and laser cutting processes to produce accurate flat blanks. These are essential if we are to manufacture the correctly sized finished parts. The stainless steel parts shown here have all been laser cut and CNC folded using our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. At this stage all the parts are waiting to be TiG welded together.

Stainless steel fabrications can come is a range of sizes and complexities. We can fold stainless steel sections up to 3M long, laser cut between 0.3mm and 6mm thick in a range of stainless steel alloys. Our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser machine can laser cut much thicker than this but we have decided not to in house due to weight handling issues. Having always worked on thinner gauges our CNC bending and CNC punch tooling is best suited to the thinner end of the fabrication spectrum.

Stainless steel fabricators

Looking for a supplier of your stainless steel fabrications?

Although stainless steel is a hard material to drill when it comes to laser cutting we have no problems. Fabrications in thin gauges can be successfully CNC punched and we have a large library of tooling to accommodate this. For thin and thicker gauges laser cutting is perfect. Fibre laser cutting stainless steel fabrications with either compressed air or nitrogen if perfect. The edge finish is often good enough to need no more de-burring. The parts shown here didn’t need to be de-burred after laser cutting.

Should you be looking for a flexible sub-contract supplier of your stainless steel fabrications please take a look at the services we can offer you. We have a comprehensive website with many examples of past projects to view, videos of sheet metal fabrication in production and design tips for new designs. We also have thousands of examples of sheet metal work on our Pinterest Boards.

Please send your design data whether it’s PDF, DXF, DWG, STEP or SAT files to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will be happy to help you with your next project.

CNC punching sheet metal products in the UK ask us for a quote

Monday, February 15th, 2021

CNC punching sheet metal products

CNC punching sheet metal products from a wide range of materials is a common practice for V and F Sheet Metal. We have the tooling to cope with products from 0.5mm thick aluminium electronics panels, 0.7mm Zintec brackets, 1mm mild steel trays, 1.5mm stainless steel housings, 2.0mm copper electrical connectors, 3mm galvanised steel clamping brackets and up to 5mm aluminium spreader plates. Having 2 Trumpf CNC punch presses using common tooling allows us to be very flexible when it comes to production. Jobs can be swapped around to suit customer requirements. If a machine is being serviced work can be swapped to another to keep production going.

CNC punching sheet metal products

We have the same ethos when it comes to CNC bending with 4 machines sharing the same tooling. This allows us to run a large batch of parts across several machines at once if needed.
Although our Trumpf fibre laser cutter can be used to produce more complex profiles the CNC punch presses have other strengths. When it comes to producing sheet metal products with forms such as dimples, plunged and tapped threads, ventilations louvres, earth tags, formed CSKs etc there are no better machines in our opinion. To get a better picture of the standard tooling we have that you can use on your sheet metal designs just take a look at our tooling libraries.

Having been CNC punching sheet metal products for over 30 years we have a wide range of examples to see on our website and Pinterest Boards. They are a great place to start when looking for ideas for a new project.

If you already have a good idea what you want and need no help simply send us your drawings (sales@vandf.co.uk) and our engineering team will be happy to help. We can produce a range of price options to suit your needs.

Laser cutting sheet metal fabrications in Hampshire UK 2021

Thursday, February 11th, 2021

laser cutting sheet metal fabrications

I’ve just been taking a look around our sheet metal fabrication factory again today and spotted these stainless steel plates. Laser cutting sheet metal fabrications is something we do very well on light gauge sheet metal. These stainless steel plates are on the upper end of the material thickness we normally laser cut. 6mm 304 stainless steel laser cuts brilliantly with pure nitrogen as the assist gas. Often parts like these would not need to be de-burred in any way after cutting. The finish from laser cutting is often good enough straight from the machine for the finished part. In this case the parts are being used to construct a roof hinge mechanism for a campervan. All the edges needed to be de-burred well to eliminate the chances of the customers cutting their fingers.

Laser cutting stainless steel

The batch of stainless steel parts were cut from 2M x 1M sheets and off cuts from previous orders. The ability to easily tune CNC programs to use up any remnants we have in stock saves money and reduces material scrap. We can either reprogram the parts using our Radan CAD/CAM software in the design office or by the machine setter on the Trumpf laser cutter.

The complexity of a part profile (within limits) is no problem when laser cutting sheet metal fabrications. If you can draw it we can laser cut it. Simple send us a drawing and we will be happy to try out the part, produce a quote with your price options and any other operations you might need. Please send your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will do the rest for you.

Sheet metal production near me in the UK – give us a call

Thursday, January 21st, 2021

Sheet metal production of mild steel brackets

When looking at sheet metal production I’m spoilt for choice in our factory. Having a wide range of sheet metal manufacturing machines running on all sorts of projects where do I start?

I have selected 2 projects at random to look at today. They both show the versatility of sheet metal production. As we are purely sub-contractors we have to turn our hand to all sorts of customer’s requirements. It may be supporting people with product development and small batch work. Special one off projects or adaptions of standard parts. Higher volumes of sheet metal production and call offs. You name it and we have done it.

If you have a moment you can can take a look at our Pinterest Boards with hundreds of sheet metal work examples.

Sheet metal production assemblies

The 2 projects illustrated here are produced from mild steel and Zintec. For those who are not sure, zintec is simply a zinc coated mild steel sheet. It comes direct to us with the zinc coating in place, maximum sheet thickness is 3mm. It can be laser cut and CNC punched and is great for folding. It’s great for products that don’t need to be cosmetically perfect such as the back of electronics equipment, inside light fittings, air conditioning equipment etc. If you need it to be painted, not a problem and it works as a great primer on the sheet.

We are employing CNC punching, edge de-burring, CNC bending and pop riveting techniques to produce the parts and assemblies.

With 35 years of sheet metal production experience there’s not much we can’t turn our hand to. Take a look at our website in more detail and you will find hundreds of examples of past work. Looking for ideas for your next design? Ask us and we will be happy to help. Send us a couple of drawings and again we will take a look, offer suggestions to save you money where we can.

Please send any sheet metal production enquiries to sales@vandf.co.uk

Sheet metal laser cutting and cnc punching program nests

Thursday, January 14th, 2021

Laser cutting program nest

When it comes to creating sheet metal laser cutting and CNC punching program nests there’s only one choice for us. Radan have been supporting the sheet metal industry for decades and we have over 20 years’ experience using their software. Supporting us with 3D modelling, 2D drafting and CAD/CAM translations they are the go to people in the sheet metal industry.

We use the software to produce our own 3D models when our customers cannot supply a STEP file. We can also turn 3D data into production drawings to aid bending and welding. But the real strength is the CAM side where we use the software to drive our CNC laser cutting and CNC punching machines.

CNC punching program nest

Once individual parts have been developed as flat profiles with the correct bend allowances we move onto nesting. The images here are typical of sheet metal laser cutting and punching nests. It’s easy for us to use the software to automatically fit parts to the sheet. If we have off cuts it’s also not a problem. As you can see in the red image various parts can be nested together if needed.

For more examples of sheet metal laser cutting and CNC punching projects please take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

This ease of nesting is great when it comes to produce a price for a job. We can play around with different options and sheet sizes to get the most efficient program and hence the best price for our customers. Ask us for a quote and we will be happy to help. Do you need some engineering advice? We can guide you on material selection and design details.

Please give us a call or send your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will get working for you.

Sheet metal manufacturing near me

Tuesday, December 8th, 2020

If you are looking for sheet metal manufacturing near you perhaps you should be talking to V and F Sheet Metal. Based in the south of England and with well over 30 years experience in manufacturing sheet metal work for people right across the UK. We ship product locally and far afield. Please take a look at our website pages to see the wide range of parts we manufacture and all to our customers own designs.

CNC punched galvanised brackets

The images shown here illustrate the stages of CNC punching and CNC bending a sheet metal bracket. You can see that once a single component has been tooled it can easily be copied over a whole sheet. This enables us to achieve a high yield from any given sheet size.

Sheet metal component manufacturing

This is a good example of CNC punching a part with a range of simple off the shelf tooling. A small range of circles, rectangles and a single D were used to create the component profile and holes. If you want to view the wide range of CNC punch press tooling that we have for you to use for free, take a look at our tooling library. For more examples of CNC punching it’s well worth a look at our Pinterest Boards. There is also a collection of past manufacturing projects illustrated in our gallery pages with hundreds of ideas for your nest sheet metal design. Feel free to take a look and call us if there is something that catches your eye. We can often adapt tooling and ideas to suit different products.

Sheet metal CNC punched nests

The scrap sheets known as “skeletons” are collected up and recycled along with all the metal that comes from the holes. Metal is grouped together by grade e.g. stainless steel, aluminium, mild steel and kept separate. This metal is then sent for melting down to remake fresh metal sheet. This process is very green with very little waste. Even components that are used to help set up manufacturing processes and then scrapped can be included and recycled.

CNC bent sheet metal brackets

And finally the folded bracket is ready to be shipped to the customer. This small galvanised steel bracket is typical of the sheet metal work that we produce every day of the week. If you have a sheet metal project that needs manufacturing please give us a call or e-mail us your drawings and we will be happy to take a look for you.

So for sheet metal manufacturing near you please ask for details.

Sheet metal production companies in the UK 2020

Tuesday, November 17th, 2020

Sheet metal production – small brackets

Sheet metal production of small brackets and plates.

I thought it would be good to take a random selection of sheet metal production components as they perfectly illustrate the wide range of production techniques used today in the UK. These parts are typical, but be no means exhaustive of the different materials, thicknesses and finishes that we are requested to produce on a daily basis by our customers. Often using simple standard CNC punching and CNC bending tooling no additional costs are applied to these production projects. If the parts needs to be laser cut that production can also be catered for in house on our Trumpf 3KW fibre laser.

I have given a little more detail for each of the components in the photo, their material type, part finish and production stages to produce the complete part.

If you click on the photo you can clearly see each component identified with a number which corresponds with the details listed below.

Component 1

Material is 2mm thick mild steel. The part has been laser cut. It will be finished by zinc plating and clear passivating.

Component 2

Material is 3mm thick CZ108 brass. The part has been laser cut using pure nitrogen. No other finishing or treatment was required on this small brass washer.

Component 3

Material is 1.0mm thick 5251 aluminium alloy. The part has been CNC punched using standard tools of the shelf. All outer edges have been de-burred to remove the CNC punch nibble marks. It was finally anodised and dyed black.

Component 4
Material is 3mm aluminium. The parts has been CNC punched and then barrel de-burred to remove all sharp edges.

Component 5
Material for this small welded assembly is 0.7mm 316 stainless steel. The parts were laser cut together from the same sheet, CNC folded and then TiG welded together.

Component 6
Material for this copper bracket is C101. The bracket was laser cut on our Trumpf 3030 fibre laser cutter. A simple edge de-burring was used to remove any sharp edges and then folded up on our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes.

Component 7
Material is galvanised weld mesh material used as a filter plate. This part was simply cut to size on our Safan guillotine.

Component 8
Material is 1.2mm aluminium. An interesting shape which has been CNC laser cut, CNC folded up and then powder coated matt black.

Component 9
Material is 2.5mm 304 stainless steel. These parts were laser cut, barrel de-burred, CNC folded and then had threads tapped in the holes.

Component 10
Material is 0.9mm thick galvanised mild steel. Simply CNC punched and edge de-burred.

For additional examples of sheet metal production pleas take a look at our Pinterest boards.

If you have some sheet metal production that needs looking at please don’t hesitate to send us your drawings. We will be happy to produce price options and review designs where needed.

What is sheet metal fabrication – sub-contract sheet metal work?

Tuesday, October 20th, 2020

What is sub-contract sheet metal work fabrication?

Basically manufacturing anything from sheet metal for another company is sub-contract sheet metal work. Nearly always made to their designs. Sometimes we are asked to offer advice on designs and their suitability for manufacture. This is fine by us and we are always happy to help.

Sheet metal fabrications

With over 30 years experience in sub-contract manufacturing there isn’t much we haven’t seen before. From laser cutting stainless steel plates for decking systems, CNC punching aluminium 19″ rack mount front panels to folding mild steel electronic chassis. Test us out and send us your drawings and our engineering will be happy to help you. Whether you only have a few simples hand sketches, 2D CAD data or 3D models we are happy to lend a hand.

These aluminium housings have been manufactured to hold fibre optic light fitting gear. They were CNC punched, CNC folded, welded up and then powder coated.

Sheet metal fabrications

Want to see more examples? Take a look at this page. You can also see lots of examples of sheet metal fabrications at https://www.pinterest.co.uk/rayfrith1/sheet-metal-work/

Contact us direct on sales@vandf.co.uk, through our enquiry form or call us on 01489 577786 to discuss your sub-contract sheet metal needs in more detail.

CNC punching and CNC bending sheet metal work

Wednesday, August 26th, 2020

CNC punching and CNC bending

Combining CNC punching and CNC bending together enables some great products to be manufactured very quickly. Employing the very latest sheet metal CAD/CAM software enables our customers to adapt their designs from batch to batch. Fine tuning designs and producing special projects are no problem for us. We can work with your 2D and 3D files to help you with your designs. It also enables us to produce fast accurate quotations with costed options where necessary.

Producing accurate blanks is the key to folding accurate parts. We are lucky in having 2 Trumpf CNC punch presses and a Trumpf CNC laser cutting machine. We can swap jobs around to find the best manufacturing method and also reduce bottlenecks in production. Some sheet metal parts can even be CNC laser cut and then CNC punched to add extra formed features. Then onto CNC bending. With the ability to access all these processes within one factory enables us to offer a very flexible service to our customers.

CNC punched and CNC formed mild steel sheet

All our principle CNC bending machines share the same tooling. Have a rush job and we can move production around to suit your needs. Repeatable parts from batch to batch with centrally stored CNC programs for punching and bending.

CNC punching and CNC bending are the backbone of our manufacturing service. Couple this with CNC laser cutting and you have a great combination of tools to get any sheet metal job made.

CNC punched and CNC bent sheet metal work

Looking for a flexible partner to help you with your sheet metal needs?

Contact V and F Sheet Metal and we will be happy to help you out with your next order. Take a look at our Pinterest boards for lots of great examples of CNC punching and CNC bending.

Have a drawing then simple e-mail sales@vandf.co.uk or give us a call for a chat if you wish

Sheet metal and Woodwork furniture projects manufactured in the UK

Friday, August 14th, 2020

Bespoke Furniture Projects

Sheet Metal and Wood Work furniture projects

We are always pleased to combine sheet metal work with other materials. This time we have the chance to show you the perfect combination of sheet metal and wood. With vibrant colours and clean simple lines this furniture project shows how easy it is to turn an idea into reality with sheet metal.

No special tooling was needed. Simply CNC programs laser cutting and bending.

Sheet Metal and Wood Work furniture projects

We always enjoy working with customers who need some input at the design stage. These furniture projects are no different. Discussion over the exact metal gauge needed and handle shapes helped to reduce weight and manufacturing costs. With all the cutting and folding programs saved away it’s easy to run this project again. It’s also just as easy to adapt the programs for alternative shelving shapes and sizes.

If you have a bespoke furniture project that needs manufacturing please contact us and we will put you in touch with our customer. With their expertise and our engineering support you will soon have a solution.

Sheet Metal and Wood Work furniture projects

What next?

If you already have a set of drawings or 3D CAD data don’t hesitate in sending them over to us. Our engineering team will be happy to take a look and produce some prices for you. Small batches of components, assemblies and higher volumes are all catered for. Take a look at our website pages and blog posts. You will see a wide range of ideas and past projects. Alternatively you can always view our Pinterest Boards.

It should give you a good idea of just what we are capable of here at V and F Sheet Metal.

CNC punching sheet metal in the UK produced in 2020

Tuesday, August 4th, 2020

Sheet metal manufacturing of ventilation grilles

CNC punching sheet metal in the UK produced in 2020

CNC punching can be used to produce such a wide range of sheet metal products. From the smallest aluminium tag, stainless steel mounting plates, mild steel chassis and copper heat sinks. From 0.4mm thick reflector aluminium right up to 6mnm thick aluminium for shelving. From 0.7mm stainless steel housings to 3mm stainless steel pump brackets. From 0.7mm zintec 19” chassis to 5mm light fitting flood light brackets.

We have been using CNC punch presses for over 25 years to produce metal work. There are occasions when materials maybe too thick to CNC. That’s not a problem as we can simply transfer those jobs to our Trumpf laser cutter.

CNC punched sheet metal work

With many hundreds of CNC punching tools in our extensive tool library we can tackle most work without the needs for any new tooling. This helps to keep the costs down on prototypes and speeds up the lead time.

We produce hundreds of different parts each week for a wide range of companies within the UK. Using our long experience and powerful CNC punching sheet metal software we can get the best from our Trump CNC punch presses and save you money where possible. For a wide range of CNC punched sheet metal work please take a look at our Pinterest Boards.

Give us a call or contact us at sales@vandf.co.uk with your drawings and we will be happy to work some quotes for you.

CNC bending sheet metal work in the UK during 2020

Tuesday, July 28th, 2020

Brackets manufactured in the UK

It’s time to have another quick look at recent sheet metal projects. This time it’s sheet metal brackets. Using various CNC bending techniques some very complex parts can be manufactured. I love that fact that nearly every bracket we produce is different to the next but all using standard tooling. Whether it’s on one of our smaller Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes or our larger 3M Safan e-brake the tooling’s the same. The process is the same and so is the end result, accurately folded sheet metal work.

The repeatability from part to part and from batch to batch is what makes these machines so useful in the workshop. We can produce a sample today and come back in a year’s time with the same CNC program and tooling and run production without any changes. Before CNC bending machines (press brakes) every set up was a long winded process and nowhere near as accurate as todays processes.

sub-contract sheet metal work

We take full advantage of the ability to treat a small batch like a big batch when it comes to costing. With very short set up times along with easy setting of a laser machine it has enabled us to try out samples and fine tune sizes before running a production batch. It’s a great help when materials come in say in their bottom or top tolerance for gauge. Simply run a couple of parts from the corner of a sheet and bend them up to check all is well before pressing ahead with the full production batch.

2020 has been a strange year for everyone. We hope now to push ahead again with supporting our customers, dealing with panic orders if they help our customers to gain new business and as ever the standard production runs when people need them.

If you have a sheet metal bracket that needs CNC bending simply send us a drawing and we will be happy to quote for production. Have an idea and stuck on the detail, give us a call and our team will help you out.

Brackets manufactured in the UK direct to your own designs

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020

Brackets manufactured in the UK

If you are looking for brackets manufactured in the UK then we are definitely here to help you. With over 30 years’ experience in manufacturing we can help you with your new projects. Hundreds of CNC punching and CNC bending tools enables us to produce the vast majority of products without the need for new tooling. Having seen and manufactured so many projects in the past help us to see any pitfalls in a complex design, point them out early on and save you money.

Whether you are thinking of having brackets manufactured in stainless steel, mild steel or aluminium we are here to help. We also manufacture brackets from brass, copper, galv., Zintec and spring stainless steel. You name it and we make it.

Brackets manufactured in the UK

With a wide range of CNC punching, laser cutting and CNC bending facilities all in house samples and development can be quickly supported. 3D images from our Radan CAD/CAM system can be used to help discussions when it comes to reviewing design options.

All you have to do now is send us a drawing in either 2D or 3D format. Need to have a chat, that’s OK with us we are passionate about sheet metal and would love to hear from you and discuss your ideas.

Folded stainless steel sheet metal housings manufactured in the UK

Thursday, July 16th, 2020

CNC bending stainless steel housings

Folded stainless steel sheet metal housings, some of the options available to you.

When you are designing sheet metal housings it’s always worth thinking about the manufacturing processes in advance. Whether the housing is made from a single piece of metal or many sub-parts joined together time spent early on will save money in the long run.

We may be looking at laser cutting v CNC punching to produce the housing blanks. Depending on the thickness of the material required and the complexity of the design one way or the other will seem the best route to take. Some feature may also immediately suggest a certain blank production method, for example if the housing has formed dimples or plunged and tapped threads then CNC punching will be the best manufacturing method. If however the housing has a company logo cut into it or a series of curved profiles laser cutting may be the more efficient method of production. We will always look at your design and select the most appropriate method and keep you in the loop at the quoting stage.

Stainless steel housings

There are similar considerations to be made when it comes to folding sheet metal housings. Not only the physical size and tonnage required to fold the angles but the complexity of the design and the ease with which the folds can be produced. This certainly needs experience, we have had many a good design sent to us to find that’s it’s impossible to fold from 1 piece of metal. A quick call or e-mail at an early stage of development will save time in the long run especially if we are using off the shelf tooling.

These folded stainless steel sheet metal housings have been developed in conjunction with the customer to enable the most efficient method of production. The more parts that have to be assembled together more thought has to be given to alignment and tolerance build up. This is where a useful piece of software such as our 3D Radan CAD/CAM software comes in handy.

Stainless steel housings

Like so much in sheet metal work it can look easy until you come to translating your designs to physical components. We are always here to help you with your ideas and point you in the right direction when it comes to tooling and material selection.

For more examples of recent sheet metal projects why not take a look at our Pinterest boards.

We are always happy to receive your drawings to review.

Bending and Forming sheet metal work

Tuesday, June 9th, 2020

Laser cut mild steel bracket blanks

When we are bending and forming sheet metal there are so many ways to go about it. From the simplest single folded angle bracket right up to complex folded enclosure assemblies we have the techniques to support you.

Starting with either CNC punched or laser cut blanks gives us the best chance of producing perfect sheet metal components. Using high quality programming software and years of experience enables us to fine tune cutting and bending CNC programs to get the best from all out machines. Being sub-contract sheet metal workers we have to be very flexible. Each customer and new order will have different demands. It maybe the tolerances of sizes that will be the utmost of importance to one customer. Surface finish could be key with another. Lead time with another or perhaps price. We have to juggle all these concerns on a daily basis when manufacturing sheet metal work for our customers. Bending and forming components is no different.

Forming sheet metal brackets

Looking specifically at the small brackets shown here we can see some of these factors in play. Accurately cut blanks produced by laser cutting enables us to maintain a clean outer profile. Simple fly-press tooling was created at a low cost to produce the deformation in the middle of the component. Finally the folds were bent up on one of our Trumpf 7036 CNC press brakes. With a wide range of standard tooling and 3 identical machine to select from production was carried out very quickly.

Bending sheet metal brackets

With the experience of literally thousands of past bending and forming projects to call upon there isn’t much we cannot produce. You may like to view some of our past projects on our Pinterest Boards. Having folding machines with forces up to 100 tons and 3M long enables to tackle most of the enquiries that come our way.

Perhaps you have a sheet metal component that needs bending and forming. We would love to take a look for you and produce a range of price options and comment where we can to save money. Send us your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk and we will do the rest.

Sheet metal engineering facilities in Great Britain

Tuesday, May 26th, 2020

Sheet metal engineering of ventilation grilles

Sheet metal manufacturing of ventilation grilles

We are happy to offer our sheet metal engineering facilities for manufacturing in Great Britain. We have a wide range of skills and manufacturing plant with over 30 years of experience in this sector.

From helping newly formed companies with their designs, explaining the best manufacturing process to achieve the quality they want with an affordable price. Working with companies who need to reduce costs on existing products with perhaps a fresh set of eyes. Right up to larger volumes and KANBAN ideas to help plan projects over longer periods of time.

With an eye to new ideas and machines V and F Sheet Metal have constantly invested over the years. We have CNC punching, laser cutting and a wide range of CNC bending machines all supported with the latest CAD/CAM software. Feel free to follow the links to plant pages and also take a look at our gallery pages to see some of our recent sheet metal engineering projects.

Laser cut zintec rings for ceiling light fittings

We have a lot of free advice on our website with regards to tooling to help you save money when designing. Design data and guidance for material selections can also be useful when you first start out working on a new design. If you cannot find what you want on our website simply call us on 01489 577786 and we will be happy to help you.

Brackets manufactured in the UK

Another good place to see hundreds of examples of sheet metal engineering projects is on our Pinterest pages.

If you have a sheet metal engineering project that needs pricing and free advice please send us your drawings. You can either use our enquiry form or e-mail us at sales@vandf.co.uk. We will do the rest.

A quick look back at sheet metal manufacturing projects in 2020

Monday, May 18th, 2020

Sheet metal angle brackets

Although these have been difficult times in 2020 we are still looking forward to doing what we do best, manufacturing projects. I thought it was nice to look back at some recent sheet metal projects completed even during these difficult times.

We have been laser cutting, CNC punching, CNC bending and welding with a small team to keep our customers satisfied with their urgent needs. Along with a great network of painters and platers we have managed to finish off many projects.

Welded sheet metal work

As we bring in more staff our delivery times will reduce and the range of sheet metal work we can complete will increase. We are still producing new quotations for customers needing metal work and CNC programming where needed.

There is always the chance to rush something through when needed in a hurry. Please just ask and we will be happy to look for you at what we can do. Send us your drawings to sales@vandf.co.uk

There’s always a great range of images to help with your designs on our Pinterest Boards

So what to do know?

If you have a drawing or two, please send them to us. We will be happy to review them for you. Comment on design ideas and offer price options.

COVID-19 and sheet metal work, lets get going again

Tuesday, May 5th, 2020

We are now into our third week of production after shutting due to coronavirus. Thankfully we have had no cases here and we now have 50% of our workforce in place. With careful planning we have a system in the office to maintain a safe distance from each other. Regular cleaning of equipment in the office and workshop and separation at tea break and lunch times have become the norm. These are strange times but we are getting through it. With more and more customers coming back the work levels are slowly picking up again.

There’s life at V&F

Starting up production

I thought it would be good to show that we are still here and manufacturing sheet metal work for our customers in the UK.

This experience has shown us here more than ever that we are all dependant on each other. We are in a chain and you remove any link and it chain fails. We all need to get going again so that we can get back to some form of normality.

Here’s hoping that won’t be too far away.

As ever if you need anything pricing up simply drop us a line at sales@vandf.co.uk and we will be happy to help you.

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